(Previously posted on my Twitter and Facebook feeds.)
As you may know, I released my debut album on Friday, October 22, called Looking For Buildings. The album was produced by Ken Stringfellow of the Posies, and he also played and sang on it.
On the following Monday, a KUOW story came out, in which multiple women accused him of abuse and even rape.
I believe the women 100%.
I was (and still am) very happy about and proud of the way the album came out, and I will always be grateful to Ken for the work he put into it and the generous gift of his talent toward my debut album. But I am sad and angry at everything else.
Though I’ve known Ken a little bit for 33 years now, I was not aware of the allegations or anything like that before the project started. The only thing I knew was that he was a womanizer back in the day, but figured that wasn’t my business since I wasn’t dating him, just working with him on music (and remotely, at that, because of COVID). I’ve never really kept close tabs on Posies-related gossip.
So, like many, the news on October 25 came out of nowhere for me. I am horrified at the story, immensely sad and angry on behalf of the women involved, and saddened as well for Ken’s bandmates and friends who are also mourning now. And I can only imagine what his wife and daughter are going through.
My situation is a tiny nothing in comparison to the victims in this case, and I don’t want to pull any spotlight away from them, so I waited before posting this. However, with the album release being so recent when the news broke, I figure I should say a couple of things.
- Ken receives no further proceeds from Looking For Buildings
Looking For Buildings originally had 11 songs, one of which was Ken’s song “Known Diamond,” which I covered. It was my vocals and Ken’s piano and strings. As of October 25, I have pulled the song from the album entirely. People who buy the CD still get it but it is not in the digital version, or on streaming services, nor will it be on any future CD should I be fortunate enough to be able to make some more.
Additionally, the fees I paid Ken for making the album have already been fully paid. He does not have any percentage of sales. - I won’t be working with him any more, of course.
- I am planning to do some kind of donation or benefit record or silent auction or something to a relevant organization such as RAINN.
I don’t have a huge following yet so a percentage of the album might not be very much. But I want to do something. (If anyone else is in a similar situation and wants to get together to do a benefit record or some similar project, by all means, contact me!)
Thank you for reading this. I really appreciate everyone who has been supportive since the news broke. Some of you definitely did not need to be thinking about me during all this, considering what you have gone through, but you did, and I am grateful.
—Wendi