The members of the Christian rock band Newsboys released a statement Thursday in response to allegations of sexual misconduct and drug abuse against former frontman, Michael Tait, saying they are “devastated” by a recent report outlining his behavior.
Band members Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee released the joint statement days after an investigative report by The Roys Report detailed accounts from three men who say Tait groomed and assaulted them while on tour.
The more than two-year investigation alleges the men were assaulted between 2004 and 2014.
As of Friday morning, Tait has not responded publicly to the allegations.
“Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait,” the Newsboys wrote in a statement released on their social media page. “While Michael has not addressed these allegations, we are devastated even by the implications.”
“First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories. If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward. We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault,” the statement continued.
After years of singing with DC Talk, Tait was invited to be the frontman of the Newsboys in 2009 following the exit of lead vocalist Peter Furler. He recorded eight albums with the Newsboys before his departure in late January.
Frankenstein, Phillips, and Davis joined the band a decade earlier in the 1990s, although Davis took a five-year hiatus in the early 2000s. Agee joined the band in 2023, Crosswalk.com reports.
“The four of us are husbands and fathers. Between the four of us, we have fourteen children. Our wives and children have made many sacrifices while we have dedicated our lives to playing music together that glorifies God. We are horrified, heartbroken, and angry at this report, and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the last fifteen years.”
In a May interview with the Christian Post Agee said Tait surprised the group with his departure and initially told them “he was going to focus on himself.”
“I know that he left and he just gave us a few reasons why he was stepping down, and he just said he’s going to focus on himself,” Agee said at the time. “Other than that, I don’t really know, because we didn’t really discuss it further. Hopefully, he’ll make some kind of a statement soon, but that, again, is just up to him.”
However, in the recent statement, the group admits, “When he left the band in January, Michael confessed to us and our management that he ‘had been living a double-life’ but we never imagined that it could be this bad.”
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