Late last month, Canadian punk band Zex made headlines for its music accidentally being pressed on vinyl copies of Beyonce's Lemonade. Days later, on Sept. 18, it was revealed that Zex' label Magic Bullet Records had dropped them due to sexual assault allegations against guitarist Jo Capitalicide.
As Billboard previously reported, the label released a statement explaining the sudden decision: "In light of ongoing and recent accounts of alleged sexual assault tied to ZEX guitarist Jo Capitalcide... Magic Bullet Records is hereby dropping ZEX from its roster of artists, effective immediately." The release cited Vex singer Gretchen Steel (who the statement mentions as having been in an "open relationship" with Capitalcide) and an anonymous survivor as having shared first-hand information about the guitarist's assault.
Capitalicide insisted the allegations were false. Now, today (Oct. 4), he has opened a defamation lawsuit against Magic Bullet Records.
"Concerning the allegations of sexual assault on women made by our ex record label, Magic Bullet Records, I denounce them as false and have undertaken a defamation lawsuit this week for spreading false information about me and Zex," Capitalicide tells Billboard over email. "There are no charges laid on me."
No further information on the lawsuit has yet been revealed. Capitalcide declined Billboard's request to be interviewed further for this story.
