The Magnetic Zeros, Minus One

Well, this news is a big ol' bummer: Jade Castrinos is no longer in Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. The singer was fired before the band embarked on their current North American Tour, and Castrinos announced it via Instagram. Her Insta bio currently reads “for seven years i sang and wrote music with edward sharpe. they voted me off of tour a week before they left, via email. lol.”

Yikes.

The band responded to Castrinos on Facebook, but they’ve since deleted it their comment. But! Before the comment was removed, liveforlivemusic.com nabbed a screenshot. Here's what the band wrote:

Anyone on here who thinks the story could be as terribly and flatly painted as Jade conveniently did has no idea what this band has always been about. It’s a shame to think anyone would comment anything other than a hope that it heals. If you think we came to this decision suddenly or as some form of punishment you have no idea who we are. If you think that email to jade was not sent 30 seconds after a meeting WITH jade and the band but out of the blue- you have no idea who we are. If you don’t think we spent years trying to heal this very issue as a group, together - years trying to help correct this, love this until it was right, sometimes flailing and other times sailing, but always trying - you have no idea who we are.

Yet if you do not know that sometimes people must be unwilling to allow a continuation of old patterns in order to make a change for the better - you simply have not yet lived long enough.

I hope you all do not continue to speculate ignorantly. It is beneath you and it is grotesquely damaging.

Ugh, this really sucks. Look, I clearly don't know what went down with the band. I don't know why they kicked her out or what exactly they've been trying to heal for years. And I will heed the band's wishes and not speculate.

What I do know: I love the band. I love Castrinos' voice. I love Castrinos and Alex Ebert's dynamic. I love their energy. Though she isn't the leader of the band, she is a major piece of the Magnetic Zero pie. Er, was. I'll miss her, and I'm sure other fans will, too.

I need a pick-me-up. This should do the trick. This always does the trick:

Oh, crap. I'm crying. Is this song going to make me tear up every time I hear it? Great. Just great.