Kevin Bronson on July 21st, 2020

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Update, 10 p.m.: Jessa Zapor-Gray has decided to step away from the label entirely. See our story here.

*Updated, 10:45 a.m. **Updated, 5 p.m.

Burger Records, faced with a wave of allegations from women that it was part of a “toxic male music culture,” on Monday announced a major shake-up in which co-founders Sean Bohrman and Lee Rickard are stepping down and that the imprint is re-branding itself as BRGR RECS.

Online allegations of sexual misconduct and predatory behavior started in earnest over the weekend after Cherry Glazerr’s Clementine Creevy came forward with her story about former bandmate Sean Redman. Burger posted a “Zero Tolerance” policy on social media on Friday then turned off comments to it after multiple allegations mounted.

That was met with a wave of blowback and the establishment of the Instagram account lured_by_burger_records, where women are anonymously sharing stories (first-hand and eyewitness accounts) of being groomed as young as 14 and lured into shows, vans, the Burger Records office and a storage unit used as a residence onsite where they were supplied with alcohol and marijuana around adult men as part of a culture that fetishized and sexualized teenage girls. Some of the allegations involve sexual assault; others involve being coerced to disrobe in front of groups of adult men or being asked to text nude photos. (By Tuesday morning, Burger’s Instagram page was shut down completely.)

Cecilia Della Peruti, frontwoman of the band Gothic Tropic (not affiliated with Burger), confronted the label co-founders in a comment: “You two forged and endorsed an environment that relied on misogyny, verbal abuse and financial abuse, in the name of what … punk? The true spirit of punk is a rebellion against systems of oppression.”

Burger’s announcement Monday read, in part, “We extend our deepest apologies to anyone who has suffered irreparable harm from any experience that occurred in the Burger and indie/DIY music scene, the latter of which we take part. We are also deeply sorry for the role Burger has played in perpetuating a culture of toxic masculinity. … We are sorry that we did not actively monitor this behavior well enough to make the Burger music scene safer for you.”

Among the changes was the elevation of Jessa Zapor-Gray to the role of interim label president and the addition of “an all-woman imprint to the label, BRGRRRL, which will serve to give many more women artists a platform and support for growth as musicians.” The label also vowed to establish a fund “to help pay for counseling services for those who suffered such trauma while engaging in the Burger scene.”

In related news, punk-rock icon Alice Bag has withdrawn her band from next summer’s Burger Boogaloo, the annual Bay Area festival that was postponed this year due to the pandemic and rescheduled for July 10-11, 2021. Bikini Kill is the announced headliner.

Alice Bag’s statement: “To make sure fans of our band are safe in the music scene, we can no longer affiliate ourselves with Burger Records. Thank you to all the strong and brave women coming forward with their stories. It’s inspiring to watch your honesty and vulnerability. As a person with my own experiences of abuse from men in music, I stand with you all and I’m sorry for your pain. I hope music can be a safe space for everyone one day. If you would like to open up the conversation of ways to make it safer, we are here to listen.”

* On Instagram, L.A. rockers Bleached announced Tuesday morning that they are disassociating themselves from Burger.

* Meanwhile, Mikey Carnevale of the Frights addressed an allegation in an Instagram statement.

* Meanwhile, frontman Brooks Nielsen of the Growlers responded to allegations directed at his band.

** Pitchfork reports that Total Trash Productions, the promotions company that partners with Burger for the Burger Boogaloo festival, has severed ties with the label and will be changing the name of the festival.

Burger was founded in 2007, with its Fullerton store established two years later.

The label’s full statement:

To Our Burger Family,

As many of you know, a good deal of accusations came out over the weekend directed at Burger artists, the Burger label and the Burger culture itself. Many of you have experienced a great deal of blowback for your affiliation with us, and we are sorry. Some of you have decided to discontinue your association with Burger, and we understand why.

Today we are releasing the below statement to press and the Burger community at large. We welcome your feedback on everything written below and the way forward from here, if there is a way. If you wish to leave the label, we will not stop you, but we hope you will give the label a chance to do right and hope you will remain a part of the new BRGR.

Lee & Sean

STATEMENT FROM BURGER RECORDS

Dear Burger Community,

We understand that we will never be able to comprehend the trauma that women have experienced while trying to find a place in the music scene. We are profoundly saddened and sickened by the pain suffered at the hands of a toxic male music culture that does not value women as equals.

We extend our deepest apologies to anyone who has suffered irreparable harm from any experience that occurred in the Burger and indie/DIY music scene, the latter of which we take part. We are also deeply sorry for the role Burger has played in perpetuating a culture of toxic masculinity. 

We are sorry that we did not actively monitor this behavior well enough to make the Burger music scene safer for you. You should never feel you have to sacrifice your personal space to be able to enjoy music, for your career or in pursuit of your art; you shouldn’t feel you have to choose between music and your comfort.

But words can only go so far in repairing any damage that has been created. It is the ability to put past behaviors under a microscope, and to fully listen to those who have suffered as a result of such behaviors, in order to be able to truly make meaningful changes so that not only do those behaviors no longer occur, but real positive change can be made to meet the moment. 

It is with this in mind that we have decided to make major structural changes to the label and create and implement active policy measures to address the culture that allowed such harm to occur.

To begin, Burger Records co-founder Sean Bohrman will move into a transitional role with the label. Label co-founder Lee Rickard will immediately step down from his role as label president, and fully divest all interest in the label. Jessa Zapor-Gray will assume the role of interim label president. Jessa comes to Burger with extensive experience in the music industry and an extensive familiarity with the Burger catalog. We look forward to having her take the helm at the label.

In the spirit of change, here are the other actions we will be taking moving forward: 

■ To create a clear delineation between the old and the new Burger Records, the label will become BRGR RECS. Furthermore, we will be adding an all-woman imprint to the label, BRGRRRL, which will serve to give many more women artists a platform and support for growth as musicians. 
■ BRGR will be instating a standard artist agreement, something we did not previously do. This will include clear statements regarding unlawful and predatory behavior. By doing so, we will create a clear path to restorative justice against predators in the future.
■ BRGR will also begin working with experts in trauma and sexual assault awareness and consent education.  
■ BRGR will set up a counseling fund to help pay for counseling services for those who suffered such trauma while engaging in the Burger scene. 
■ The Burger Records shop, which is not a part of Burger Records, will no longer have any affiliation to the label and will change its name. The shop will also no longer host in-store performances of any kind.
■ BRGR sanctioned events will have a dedicated safe space for women to enjoy music without fear of invasion to their personal space. 
■ An educated member of the community will be present at all BRGR sanctioned shows over 1000 attendees.
■ BRGR sanctioned all-ages shows will have a dedicated safe space for those under the age of 18.
■ BRGR will provide ongoing education and training to artists, management, and venues we work with on sensitivity and the effects of trauma.
■ BRGR will evaluate the whole of the existing label catalog and artists therein, discontinuing the distribution of artists according to our zero-tolerance policy.
■ BRGR will work with women in the industry, artists, and fans to create further actionable goals for educating our bands and the music community on recognizing abusive or predatory behavior.
 
We thank you for coming forward and for your courage to speak up, and want you to know that we are committed to doing real work to improve the culture of BRGR RECS and the indie music scene for all of us. 

We want to be leaders in the industry and a model for other labels to effect real, lasting change.