Issues have taken an odd flip within the CKY camp. Final week, bassist Mike Leon introduced his departure from the band, citing what he describes as a poisonous and more and more unworkable atmosphere pushed by frontman Chad I Ginsburg.

Ginsburg has since publicly disputed the claims, insisting Leon was truly fired for fully totally different causes, together with an alleged dislike of touring with canines.

Taking to Instagram on Friday (20 February), Leon confirmed he wouldn’t be becoming a member of the band for its upcoming exhibits. The bassist – previously of Soulfly – says his stint in CKY started as a dream alternative however finally unravelled behind the scenes.

“I need to let you already know that my time with CKY has come to an finish. Rising up, I used to be an enormous fan of the band, and getting the chance to play with them was a dream come true. I genuinely loved my time there, and it was enjoyable… till it wasn’t.”

“For full transparency, I can’t be taking part within the band’s upcoming exhibits,” says Leon. “As unlucky as that is, given the circumstances, I consider this was the suitable transfer to make. The variations concerning logistics and enterprise choices, primarily pushed by the actions of the band’s chief [Ginsburg], created inner points that made an already annoying atmosphere more and more troublesome to work in.”

The bassist additionally alleges long-standing points throughout the band’s management, saying “this unprofessionalism and lack of accountability was recognized nicely earlier than I joined, and endured all through my time with the band, making day-to-day operations a relentless problem. The love I had for the band blinded me to the purple flags my friends and the band’s earlier historical past had warned me about, particularly surrounding the frontman, but I selected to consider issues could be totally different.”

“In all of my years of working on this business, I’ve by no means skilled this stage of toxicity from a person, and it stings further having been perpetrated by the very band that first impressed me to start out my profession as a musician,” the assertion continues.

“Music needs to be a supply of pleasure, however the atmosphere grew to become a supply of stress that finally outweighed the optimistic features of being a part of the band I grew up loving. I’ll proceed creating music, and I sincerely thank all of you on your unconditional assist.”

Ginsburg has since responded by way of Instagram Tales [via Stereogum], flatly rejecting Leon’s model of occasions.

“I don’t know what Mike Leon is speaking about in his submit. Nevertheless, I do know the details and the details are, Mike, and you already know them too, is that we fired you final evening since you hate canines and also you didn’t need to tour with the canines and also you wished extra money and also you weren’t pleased with something ever. So sadly it’s not understanding, Mike. However what you wrote is fucking loopy, dude. Like, show any of that fucking shit.”

The musician then posted requests for bassists from Nashville to DM their auditions to the band.

The general public fallout provides to a turbulent chapter for CKY. In 2024, Alien Ant Farm frontman Dryden Mitchell kicked the band from a tour after Ginsburg reportedly punched him throughout a backstage altercation.