NewsMay 27, 2019 1:18 PM ET14,208 views

Norma Jean part ways with guitarist Jeff Hickey

Norma Jean have announced the departure of guitar player Jeff Hickey, who joined the band eight years ago. Norma Jean have issued a statement in which they reveal that while they fully support him, Hickey's "complex and debilitating alcohol addiction" has rendered his continued participation in the band unteneble. Here is their statement:
"Anyone who has followed Norma Jean over the years knows we don't talk much about the inner workings of our band. We come together as friends to make music, but we have individual lives and reasons for making it. We like our music to speak for itself with its own voice. So making this post is difficult, but we feel like it's necessary to help someone we care deeply about. "We are heartbroken to announce that we have parted ways with our long time guitarist, Jeff Hickey. Jeff is an incredible musician, but more importantly he is a brother to us – and right now, we need to be his brothers before his bandmates. "Over the past several years, we have worked with Jeff to find help for complex and debilitating alcohol addiction that has plagued him, and by proxy, his circle of loved ones. We are in close contact with his family, and we have involved professionals across spectrums of rehabilitation and counseling from the start. "We are aware that this is a very sensitive issue and every bit of advice we've received has led us to this course of action. "We've heard so many stories from some of you about how our music has helped you through difficult times, and we want Jeff to know that he has that same support from the NJ community during this phase of his life. "In no way do we want to shame Jeff. He has bravely weathered many storms in his life, and we know the path to sobriety is not an easy one. This is not an issue we are taking lightly. There is no one we would rather have on stage with us and that is exactly the reason we feel we must make this announcement. The world of addiction swallows up its victims. The darkness can become terminal. Though losing our guitarist is unfortunate for Norma Jean, as individuals we are far more worried we will lose our brother. "We will continue to support Jeff in every effort toward sobriety and his personal health. We will work with him in every way he will allow us, but we know this path is one he must choose to walk himself. We hope and pray for the best things for him and his future."

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anonymous 5/27/2019 10:24:44 AM

We got the pony on lock. No doubt. Dezzy from Coal Chamber got knocked out.

anonymous 5/27/2019 10:27:12 AM

I'll drink to that.

anonymous 5/27/2019 10:30:45 AM

Cory has been an alcoholic for years now though?

anonymous 5/27/2019 10:53:10 AM

How does a generic metalcore band with incomprehensible vocals help people in difficult times? Please explain this

anonymous 5/27/2019 10:57:13 AM

they're walking to wall street in a straight jacket! that album was the grade and saved many lives. nothing after o god the aftermath is worth mentioning. retire bums

anonymous 5/27/2019 11:27:02 AM

I been drinking again

anonymous 5/27/2019 12:20:43 PM

Why don't you just have him join AA? I'll be his sponsor.

anonymous 5/27/2019 12:31:56 PM

Oh no! Who the fck will play that stupid annoying fcking intro riff to the start of Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste with that one sour chord now

anonymous 5/27/2019 12:32:55 PM

Zao should be on this

anonymous 5/27/2019 12:33:28 PM

BUM BUM BUM WA W-W-W-W-W-WAWAWAWAWAWAA

anonymous 5/27/2019 1:00:57 PM

anonymous2 hours ago We got the pony on lock. No doubt. Dezzy from Coal Chamber got knocked out. WHAT UP STIK?

anonymous 5/27/2019 1:04:39 PM

It's your boy Izzo, back with the ill flow. What's your name again? Oh yeah, John Doe.

anonymous 5/27/2019 1:05:31 PM

^^ Yo what's happening brother. Just finished riding my bike.

anonymous 5/27/2019 2:12:13 PM

sNitches get sTitches

anonymous 5/27/2019 5:44:49 PM

Bring back the original singer and drummer and then I'll care

anonymous 5/27/2019 6:26:35 PM

We understand this is a very sensitive issue and every piece of advice we've received has led us to public putting him on blast in order to shame him into changing his ways. P.s. he owed Cory Branden money for downloading the last record illegally

anonymous 5/27/2019 6:31:09 PM

I went to a Norma Jean headline show. Left before they came on lol

anonymous 5/27/2019 6:38:54 PM

Bring back the original line up

anonymous 5/27/2019 6:48:18 PM

"We're not trying to throw him under the bus", while throwing him under the bus. Leave this stuff private. This looks a shitty passive aggressive way of getting attention.

anonymous 5/27/2019 7:13:12 PM

Praying doesn't do anything, but at least they're hopeful.

anonymous 5/27/2019 7:33:10 PM

Typical Christian move.

anonymous 5/28/2019 6:18:45 AM

I thought they broke up a while ago

anonymous 5/28/2019 7:40:38 AM

who?

anonymous 5/28/2019 8:50:12 AM

Sounds like these lame fcks are playing that "hate the sinner not the sin" card." Buncha wack ass softs. Go suck jesus's dck.

anonymous 5/28/2019 9:00:40 AM

Subway welcomes Jeff back, dude made a mean meatball footlong with just the right amount of cheese to meat ratio.

anonymous 5/28/2019 9:10:49 AM

Remember when these fruits liked Jesus and girl pants before they found out who Black Sabbath was and began doing the whole "Southern fried metalcore" thing a la Every Time I Die? I saw this band play a local 21+ bro bar to less than 50 people in like... 2013 and nobody gave a shit. It ain't 2003 anymore. GIVE IT UP ALREADY.

anonymous 5/28/2019 9:50:43 AM

^i thought they were still into jesus and still wore girl pants

anonymous 5/28/2019 11:08:21 AM

People who say "a la" are legit queers

anonymous 5/28/2019 11:40:01 AM

He shouldn't have brought a knife to the gunfight.

anonymous 5/28/2019 11:55:33 AM

Jesus: I will never turn my back on you Jesus: sorry gotta run.

anonymous 5/28/2019 12:18:30 PM

"^i thought they were still into jesus and still wore girl pants" Well, for a band with no original members left, I'm sure things have moved on to whatever the latest trend is.

anonymous 5/28/2019 1:30:31 PM

They could at least acknowledge that their music drove this dude to alcoholism. Send him to Richmond, VA for a one-month invervention with Ace Stallings now that his band Break Away has broken up. H could have a heart to heart talk with Jeff and put him on the path towards the edge. Or send him to Madi in Delaware. "Part ways" = Nice way of saying fired. Ambigous i.e. doesn't say he left, quit, or got fired from the band.

anonymous 5/28/2019 2:08:58 PM

So basically its only Cory in the band now, other members have seemed to be live fill-ins/touring musicians.

anonymous 5/28/2019 4:20:06 PM

Band that got famous on 1. That one song about that one city, and... 2. Track titles similar to the The Number 12 Looks Like You.

anonymous 5/28/2019 4:21:42 PM

ULI-CHICAGO- HERE. I CANT BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED! HOW? WHY? WHAT A TRAVESTY! WAIT...WHO TF IS A NORMA JEAN???

anonymous 5/28/2019 4:42:55 PM

Bring back Scottie!

anonymous 5/29/2019 6:15:15 AM

They could have just said he left. Why mention his faults as little as alcoholism? Stupid.

anonymous 5/30/2019 8:26:02 AM

^^^^because it makes their own alcoholism seem far less problematic if they just scapegoat his.

anonymous 6/10/2019 9:16:27 AM

scapegoat<lambgoat

anonymous 9/22/2019 11:17:09 AM

It's fcked up y'all would put him out there like that. Just let him out the band without exploiting his illness. fckin gross




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