Thread of THREATIN, the fake band

This has been doing the rounds on social media over the past couple of days, mildly amusing stuff:

http://www.metalsucks.net/2018/11/09/l-a-band-threatin-faked-a-fanbase-to-land-a-european-tour-no-one-attended/

Great story

Hi this article is spurrilous and not true Ive seen threatin 4 times in packed arenas, mosnter band, I have fotage of the gig on my other phone.

I absolutely love stories like this

the song in the music video rips imo

Seemingly having had enough of the shitstorm surrounding Threatin’s current tour, live guitarist Joe Prunera and drummer Dane Davis have quit the band, MetalSucks has confirmed via multiple sources. Prunera and Davis are currently en route back to the United States while Jered Threatin and bassist Gavin Carney will finish out the remaining four dates of the tour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxr6COyjD1o

maybe he thought "if you book it they will come". its not as if every gig ever doesn't have a horde of people at the back talking all the way through, as though they just bought a ticket to a random band to be able to stand in a loud venue and shout at each other.

lmao @ the list of fake artists, especially "Bryan Guy"

maybe he thought "if you book it they will come".
― Toss another shrimpl air on the bbqbbq (ledge), Sunday, November 11, 2018 11:55 AM (nineteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I had a similar thought, like maybe he thought if he treated himself like a big enough deal, he would eventually just become one. And who knows, it's not too late for that to happen.

It's just so wonderfully weird. He clearly does have some actual talent, a willingness to work hard, and a lot of money to spend. He's just gone about using those things in a totally bizarre way. I'm dying to know what he's thinking.

Curious how his show in Belfast tonight is going to go down.

I sympathize with the venues who were scammed, but nevertheless: the Threatin world tour must go on!

This new story goes deeper into the mire

http://www.metalinjection.net/shocking-revelations/threatin-update-band-created-fake-label-fake-press-outlet-fake-design-company-live-backing-band-quit-mid-empty-tour

He must have plenty of cash to spare

I absolutely love stories like this

― JRN, Sunday, 11 November 2018 17:44 (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

same. it's sorta Ali Dia-esque

Some of the fake band names on the fake label website are pretty great. (Though some are actual artist names.)

How are these dudes going to perform with just a bassist and a singer? Are they just doing a Seinfeld standup routine?

the only thing that would make this story better is if jacob wohl were somehow involved

Take a look at Christopher McBride (@metaboatchris): https://twitter.com/metaboatchris?s=09

Some live tweets from the Belfast gig ^^

Threatin cancelled, but the venue went ahead and let the support bands play

LOL

If you purchased tickets for tonight's Threatin show, both of you can get refunds from the point of purchase. pic.twitter.com/hR0FHHFR0L

— Belfast Empire (@belfastEmpire) November 11, 2018

(Though some are actual artist names.)

Including Bill Nelson, this week's Baader-Meinhof phenomenon champion.

Hahaha! Xpost. I hadn't spotted the "both"

A. He thought "if you book it they will come"

B. He anticipated the notoriety that would ensue and figured he'd be hated but undeniable and that's a road to stardom, right?

C. Just acting as a force of chaos because screw everything, right?

D. Other

I mean, ultimately it doesn't matter that much, I just hope the controversy and fallout doesn't threatin jeopardize my merch order.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5694c0_3565278ec27a48309d72d3d6343f096f.png

The white one might resemble the black one after many wears

found a pic of the band's manager:

https://boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/images/user/bc_2338/nathan_for_you_1.jpg

Ha! "The plan: book a tour so disastrous that it makes the news, giving Threatin free publicity and making them popular."

The difference between what Threatin did and what every single scrabbling underground rock band/artist does, is scale.

what instrument does Jacob Wohl play in this group

The saddest part of it is, this guy's music isn't even terrible, in a Coheed and Cambria-ish sort of way. I mean, watch this YouTube clip from one of the shows he actually played:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzkIhkSQCG0

If he went the traditional route, he could probably have achieved moderate success instead of endless humiliation. But now he's completely fucked. Speaking as someone who used to work for a metal label, nobody in the business is gonna come within a thousand miles of this guy, because he's been revealed as a psycho and a con artist. I mean, all those fake websites he built for his "booking agency" etc.? There's no way any legitimate manager would ever touch him, no matter how good the music is (and again, it's not amazing, but it's not awful, either - he could have found an audience if he'd been willing to work for it).

he could have found an audience if he'd been willing to work for it.
― grawlix (unperson), Monday, November 12, 2018 4:14 PM (forty-five seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

This is the most remarkable part to me--he's clearly willing to do a lot of work, up to and including playing to empty rooms on tour. It's not obvious to me that doing things the normal way would have taken less effort.

Who needs a label when you have Brazilian clickfarms?

Wow his music is way more polished than I thought it would be

I wonder if the session musicians he hired are going to spill the beans or if they are just completely mortified

Lo and behold:
“Hey! Thanks for reaching out. This whole thing is been insanely crazy. Two nights ago we talked as a group and the drummer and I both left after all agreeing that we would not be performing any further shows. We had no idea whatsoever about any of this. We were completely shocked one the story broke and we found out about everything. We had never heard of Threatin before being invited to audition. Originally we were told that we would be paid a flat fee of 300 dollars for the tour but the day before we left LA, we found out that money was to be used to buy our food. We're doing good. We've gotten a lot of love and support from everyone. We were just as shocked and surprised as everyone to find this out.”
from https://www.instagram.com/p/BqGPUO8nCiw/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

$300 for the...whole tour?

McDonald's man

https://www.facebook.com/dane.davis.714/videos/1738760289584104/

$300 and they did no research about the band before signing on to a european tour? how do these people survive in the world?

this guy's music isn't even terrible, in a Coheed and Cambria-ish sort of way

emo goons to thread

also his album/single covers have an excellent Wiseauian vibe

yup, very Room-y

Drummer speaks, it gets more bizarre https://www.loudersound.com/features/threatin-interview-inside-the-years-most-talked-about-tour

Silence officially broken, getting some kind of statement tomorrow it seems

Jered Threatin to make “fake” official statement tomorrow :)

@BBCNews @NME @AltPress @MetalSucks @MetalInjection @BBCNews

— Threatin (@JeredThreatin) November 13, 2018

^ drummer speaks, it stays exactly the same level of bizarre

I dunno, I found the sheer creepiness levels have gone up a tad with his account of the tour itself

I feel bad for the musicians, who seem to be young youtubers, talented players with no real world experience. I don't know what the folks who are surprised by Jered's surprising competence are hearing; dude sucks.

the whole "they got really upset when we went to breakfast without telling them" part is creepy as hell

Also was surprised to learn the guitarist is 36 and not about 22
http://www.metalsucks.net/2018/11/13/ex-threatin-guitarist-joe-prunera-tells-all-in-exclusive-interview/

Weird, his official website and fb page went offline when the shitstorm broke but are now both back up. Almost as if this "tour" was part of some overall strategy.

My favourite part is the bit in the trailer video where the guy is filmed playing in close-up intercut with some footage of an unidentifiable audience rocking out.

That drummer seems to have a really good attitude (considering the circumstances).

Weird, his official website and fb page went offline when the shitstorm broke but are now both back up. Almost as if this "tour" was part of some overall strategy

or as if there was an unusual level of traffic when the shitstorm broke? 🤔🤔🤔

nah, definitely more likely an elaborate plot involving being exposed as a giant incompetent doofus at an exact specific time -> ? -> profit

not really, the website was blanked and the fb page was a dead link. nothing to do with traffic.

well there’s absolutely no chance he freaked out for a few hours then decided to style it out in the same way he’s done everything else up to this point

$300 and they did no research about the band before signing on to a european tour? how do these people survive in the world?

― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Tuesday, November 13, 2018 9:14 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Not only that, but they drove from Vegas to LA several times a month on their own dime to rehearse with the guy. If a band asked me to drive 8 hours round-trip four times a month just for rehearsals, yeah, I think I'd do some research (at the very least) before agreeing to that.

Years ago a friend observed that the problem with rock bands is you've got everyone's dreams competing. Super easy to be willingly exploited and to be semi-consciously exploiting others when your imagined glory is at stake. This is such a tale of that.

Didn't this guy basically just commit fraud?

I mean I guess it's funny as a bit? But I also sort of feel like it's a dick move to clubs, promoters, bookers etc. And even if this was a good PR stunt, is anyone who hears about this really going to want to book him now?

IANAL but fraud seems unlikely at this point, misrepresentation might stand a better chance of trapping this fucker.

Has he still not made the statement he was going to make yet?

Oh, he has.

What is Fake News? I turned an empty room into an international headline. If you are reading this, you are part of the illusion.#Marketing #Psychology #SocialMedia #FakeNews #Threatin #BreakingTheWorld #MusicIndustry @NBCNews @BBCNews @JoeRogan @RollingStone @billboard pic.twitter.com/vsvHHPDpze

— Threatin (@JeredThreatin) November 14, 2018

LOL amazing

https://thesipadvisor.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/gob-bluth.jpg

lollll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJXU7EVXs2A

How long until Dave Grohl invites him onstage

IANAL but fraud seems unlikely at this point, misrepresentation might stand a better chance of trapping this fucker.

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Wednesday, 14 November 2018 16:57 (four hours ago) Permalink

IAAL, but I just kind of meant in a coloquial sense. IDK if he committed any crimes (especially hard to say with cross-jurisdictional issues here) but he did basically defraud these club owners, bookers, promoters, etc. Maybe they'd be able to sue for fraud in the inducement if he had any money. But I really wasn't trying to do a legal analysis, just suggesting that maybe screwing people over as a "bit" isn't a very funny bit.

I mean I could just make a fake kickstarter for a product that sounds good and then run off with the money and never deliver. That's not really postmodern performance art though, it's just a scam.

I haven't been following this very closely, but did anyone suffer monetary damages? Like was the guy paid upfront based on ticket sales he couldn't actually deliver, etc.? Or was it more just that the clubs could have booked acts for those nights that have actual fan bases?

Even if the latter, that's losing money

For sure, but maybe harder to quantify in a claim(?)

Nah I think you could find a way to quantify it, you'd just need an approximation of a realistic take for a club on some other given night. I'm not saying I'd actually bring that lawsuit though, I'm just saying this guy is a dick and not interesting. Not even going to look at his twitter.

If you think about it though, he has a point. What IS fake news? It's like news, but it's seen in a mirror -- and the mirror is broken -- and it's looking back at you -- from a totally empty room. Except for a few of the friends of the opening band, they're in the room. But nobody else is. NOBODY. #Threatin

If you tell a reasonable-sounding lie to people that they have no reason to otherwise disbelieve, they may believe it! The folly of human endeavor is laid bare!

A friend of mine used to do April Fool's "pranks" like that -- she would just tell a reasonable-sounding lie, and then go, "You believed me! April Fool!"

Trying to find that Mr Show sketch now.

"I had eggs for breakfast. See, that's funny because it's not true. I had pancakes for breakfast"

Marissa Marchant / Threatin joint tour

This is getting a huge amount of (mainstream) press.

That's because the press is probably glad to be talking about something bonkers that isn't Kanye for once.

I haven't been following this very closely, but did anyone suffer monetary damages?

not really afaict, he basically paid to rent the venues (they didn't book him) and did his own promotion, he was paying for the bar people etc

Hahaha, that tweet is the greatest thing since Jaden Smith's 'How Can Mirrors Be Real If Our Eyes Aren't Real'.

Dude got himself a long RS feature: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/threatin-metal-tour-fake-ticket-sales-hoax-767580/

found a pic of the band's manager:

https://boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/images/user/bc_2338/nathan_for_you_1.jpg

― frogbs, Monday, November 12, 2018 11:16 AM (one month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Ha! "The plan: book a tour so disastrous that it makes the news, giving Threatin free publicity and making them popular."

― JRN, Monday, November 12, 2018 12:53 PM (one month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Looks like this actually was the idea (minus the involvement of Nathan Fielder, sadly).

I don't think the music will outlast the story, it's far too unremarkable. I reckon it'll be more like some forgotten meme from 2005 or something. Mind you, who knows anything these days.

2018’s amber lamps

will we ever really know if this was the plan all along or if they just made up a plausible story after the fact to make them seem somehow in control and like smart media manipulators

BBC interview coming tomorrow. He's otherwise done largely fuck all to capitalise on the publicity

I think it was undoubtedly his plan to try and make a name for himself by any means possible, and I think what he actually tried to do was make a name for himself overseas by pretending he was bigger than he actually was and then hoping that it would lead to positive publicity that would filter its way back to the US. That nobody turned up and it ended up generating publicity anyway is a "happy accident" for him that he's clearly trying to exploit, although as PaulTMA says he hasn't really done that much to capitalise on the publicity at the point where everyone was taking maximum interest.

Entire comeback gig is on Youtube, could have been choreographed by Alan Partridge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMCKQ2uqEfU

imagine being so rich that you think this was a better strategy than spending the year anonymously playing in a bar band five nights a week & learning how to perform & work with others before trying to launch your vanity project again

still like the 'living is dying' music vid

This story is worth the read, a couple of factual glitches aside.

https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-unbelievable-story-of-threatin-heavy-metals-fyre-festival-moment/

When I emailed him the next day to reiterate I was happy to take a look at any evidence showing he intended for the tour to go viral he sent back a one-line response: “What you should be asking for is proof that the person you spoke with was, in fact, Jered Threatin and not a hired lookalike.”

LOL

He hires people to pretend they're him to confuse journalists?

We in the United States have a prominent public figure who has posed as his own fictional publicist, so we're all essentially Threatin's audience now.

xp he pretends that he does that because he's a gaslighting jackass

Threatin's return show to the Camden Underworld featured robotic mannequins dressed in T-shirts with "Fake Band" printed on them. Threatin regularly handed his microphone to one of the mannequins to "sing" his lyrics on a backing track. Other stage spectacles included Threatin pretending to be fellated by a blow-up doll wearing a BBC News T-shirt, before ending the show by smashing his guitar. A maximum of 60 people were reported to have attended, with a significant number leaving before the end of the 45-minute show.[29]

Damn I hoped he was back at it