The music industry is known for its titanic egos, but it appears that metal band Vitriol hit their absolute limit with their founder, vocalist, and lead guitarist Kyle Rasmussen. As per a report from Metal Injection, the band was on tour in Vermont when a bitter argument broke out between Rasmussen and the rest of the band.
Guitarist Keith Merrow, drummer Andy Vincenzetti, and bassist Brett Leier’s solution? They stopped at a gas station and drove off without Rasmussen. As Merrow explained:
“HE F**KED AROUND AND FOUND OUT.
I’LL BE HOME FOR THANKSGIVING, BABY.
SORRY VITRIOL FANS. WE HAD TO ABANDON HIM AT A GAS STATION IN VERMONT.
MYSELF, ANDY, BRETT, AND MATT WILL NOT TAKE KYLE’S COWARDLY AND WEAK OUTBURSTS OF MISPLACED ANGER.
WE GAVE EVERYTHING WE HAD, AND NOW HAVE NOW LEFT YOU WITH NOTHING. MASS EXODUS.
THIS WAS THE DARKEST DAY OF MY MUSIC CAREER TO DATE.”
It’s unclear exactly what led to this extremely Spinal Tap-style band break-up, but it should also be noted that Rasmussen has burned through 19 bandmates in 12 years, so the numbers alone don’t indicate he’s the easiest guy to be in a band with.
“A disagreement with a band member”
As for Rasmussen? He’s posted a GoFundMe that gives his side of the story:
“While on tour with a band, my girlfriend Maggie, our dog Ghost, and I were left stranded at a remote gas station in upstate New York. After a disagreement with a band member, we suddenly found ourselves as far from home as we could possibly be, with very little money and no way to feed ourselves or secure transportation to get back to Portland, Oregon.”
“A disagreement with a band member” is rather vague, but more information is given in a post from Merrow that explains:
“Everyone who’s reading this – Me, Brett, and Andy left Vitriol because Kyle sucks. That’s it. It doesn’t require an absolutely psychotic 2 part video series to explain. He irrationally screamed at the whole crew at the top of his lungs on multiple occasions we simply won’t tolerate it, just like all the other 19 people who left this failed band. What more needs to be said? It’s the same s**t as every other victim of his abuse”
This is backed up by comments on a post on Rasmussen’s Instagram account that appear to back up what everyone’s saying about him being an unpleasant a-hole. All that said, there is one creature that does deserve unabashed sympathy in all this. That poor dog Ghost, who was doubtless left cold and miserable due to the actions of his apparently deeply annoying owner.
