Pete Parada , former drummer of The Offspring , revealed more details about his departure from the band in 2021. The musician was fired because he did not get vaccinated against COVID-19 , citing "medical advice" for refusing immunization.
Speaking to the podcast Try That In A Small Town , Parada decided to follow his doctor's advice, who told him "not to get vaccinated at that time," because he had suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome as a child, an autoimmune disease whose main symptom is muscle weakness and can lead to paralysis. In addition, the "side effect profile" of vaccines was also taken into consideration. ( via Billboard )
Subsequently, Parada met with the band to explain her situation, but the group – especially the manager – did not accept her medical exemption, saying they didn't care about it.
“He was new to the band. He’d been with them since Covid hit. So I didn’t have much of a history with this guy,” Parada said. “He chose to come at me like a flamethrower. I’ve had bad calls before, but this was the most abusive and threatening call I’ve ever received in my entire career.”
The drummer tried to resolve the situation with Dexter Holland and Noodles , but according to him, the founding members of the band sided with the manager.
“They said my refusal was the main concern, not his behavior. Soon after, all communication stopped. I found out I was replaced when my flight to rehearsals was canceled without prior notice.”
READ ALSO: The Offspring: Noodles talks about “Come To Brazil” and the band's visit to the country.
