Did The other Members Know What Was Happening? | Discussing Lostprophets with Sean Smith

We spoke to Sean Smith about what happened to lostprophets and did the other members know? Full episode is on the channel & spotify/apple ect!
Sean Smith is no stranger to the music industry and can be considered a seasoned veteran! Sean has experienced it all, whether that has been with the insanely successful band The Blackout, with insanely successful S'appenin Podcast, or the no doubt to be insanely successful, Raiders UK!
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[@uprawrpodcast]

Whole Podcast with Sean Smith is up on the channel or its also available on Spotify/Apple/ect just search UPRAWR PODCAST!

[@mattbroughton273]

I've got a lot of time for Sean Smith. His interview with Stu Richardson (of LP) is both insightful and honest. It's a reminder that the destruction brought by Ian Watkins' actions are still likely to be felt many years down the line (amongst the child victims in particular). An excellent piece of writing on the subject is contained within Ian Winwood's book 'Bodies - Life and Death in music'. Winwood was a friend of Watkins and the band and describes the decline in relationship that Watkins had with his band mates. He surmises that the indulgence of the once charismatic frontman into extreme drug use and dangerous behaviours was a typical dysfunction found within the music industry. However, Watkins was able to hide an even darker part of himself (as the court notes acknowledge) through an alienated and insular lifestyle away from his friends and public. The rest of the band were literally left with nothing. Even the bands savings, it is alleged, were plundered and spent by Watkins without their knowledge. A fifteen year legacy of building a successful band from the very ground up was utterly destroyed, along with it came the outright betrayal of the innocence and future of a number of children (note: The ipcc document actually shows there were MORE children abused by Watkins than just contained within the thirteen charges against him. One father came to a police station to state that his 15 year Old daughter had been abused by Watkins, but the charges were dropped due to the police convincing the father that "it would ruin Watkins career"). As for still listening to the band....that should be an individual decision. But I feel it's grossly unfair to flush the hard work of the other band members away for the selfish actions of Watkins. Oh yeah....and listen to No Devotion.

[@erichmika2316]

Please dont use shortcut LP. Its a disgrace of Linkin Park when you speak about lostprophets

[@WillJ3ll0]

Grow up ​@@erichmika2316

[@AndrewJShirley]

A friend told me about the warped tour story years and years ago and I said the exact same thing. If Stu alone knew,he would be doing time right this moment for beating him into dust and I've said the exact same that anyone one of them would have absolutely destroyed him if they knew. The London crew still believe that no one knew and we'll back them till the end. All the love Sean,been a long time since I saw you last but sending you love.

[@JohnB-nq4js]

I saw Stu out touring with Thursday last year - great to see him still playing and getting it in.

[@iamrichlol]

He's a legend. They all are. Such a shame that Ian had to destroy such an incredible bands legacy.

[@stevenc6969]

@@iamrichlol such a shame for his victims.

[@davidevans1793]

Spot on my Sean that! People forget the other members of the band and in all honesty, lostprophets helped shape my music taste now. They are the reason I know the blackout.

[@TheIkaraCult]

I remember meeting people who had Lostprophets tattoos after it all came out, they were a huge deal for a long time.

[@DivisionOne_Dalton615]

I agree man they really had great music as a band it's undeniable art

[@stevenc6969]

No they didn't.

[@Syklonus]

@@stevenc6969 You don't get to decide that.

[@popunkid]

For awhile there, in 2005 (when MySpace was the place to be), I was pretty good buds with Ilan Rubin. I assure anyone, and I can only speak on his behalf, he didn't know anything; dude is one of the most wholesome guys ever, and would have never put up with anything not-even-close to that level of depravity.

[@darryldavies8302]

The blackout. Best band I've ever seen play live. Kerrang relentless tour Cardiff uni. What a night.

[@RazorChampion99]

I still consider "Rooftops", "Shinobi VS. Dragon Ninja", "Last Train Home" and (barring the music video which makes me uneasy watching it nowadays) "A Town Called Hypocrisy" great songs. They, to me, legitimately get me pumped up. They are catchy. It's just a shame Ian turned out to absolute scumbag doing what he did and now he's paying for it. He deserves every bit of hell coming his way and justice rightfully served.

[@budman8926]

All rubbish emo music. Nothing to get pumped about

[@leerobbo92]

Shinobi VS. Dragon Ninja is such a banger. Burn Burn was the other one for me. Edit: Jesus Christ that Town Called Hypocrisy video *really* hasn't aged well at all...

[@ianbarrett4166]

@@budman8926 they weren’t emo

[@akshayde]

They could just re record those songs.

[@m0nk3y73]

Well said Sean boy!!! 👏

[@elizabethkate3207]

I started listening to lostprophets when I was 6, just after liberation transmission came out. They got me into the scene and made me who I am today. I was 12 when Ian was arrested and it destroyed me, but even now listening to them calms me down. I'm seeing No Devotion next month and I cannot wait to thank the boys for everything they have done for me

[@dvda9725]

That was when they got shit. Listen to The Fake Sound of Progress.

[@elizabethkate3207]

​@@dvda9725I owned all of their albums

[@laurahenriksen19]

This is so wholesome. I hope it went well x

[@thomsmith9394]

@@dvda9725bro was 6

[@Jimmybarth]

Yes thanks for confirming the tragic female mindset.

[@RobHill00]

Big fan of the band, it’s terrible what happened to the other members!

[@iamrichlol]

Sean! I loved that poddy with Stu, great episode and learned a lot

[@jaymc1108]

I'm just happy that the rest of the band joined up with Geoff Rickley to form No Devotion, I hope they are successful, Thursday were a great band and Lostprophets "were" a great band up until that point, much love to the former band members apart from the obvious member ❤❤❤

[@JohnSmith-lx3yx]

Lostprophets (music) still is great. People need to learn to separately the artist from the music. If you didn't listen to an artist because of the kind of person they are, you wouldn't listen to anybody.

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

@@JohnSmith-lx3yxI’ve always said this but as someone who hung out with the band before they broke through I haven’t listened to a single song, I just cant

[@ianburns308]

Well said 👍👍 subbed

[@rhodriwilliams8111]

I always felt for the band when they first came out. I remember recording in the studio with a prominent recording engineer from Newport on the day the news released. It was the first thing we all thought about-we knew the band wouldn't have known what was coming. I wish something could be done for them, even if it was a re-release (Ians vocals removed) of their big hits with different guest vocalists and different lyrics, with all proceeds going to the band. After all, I highly doubt Ian had much say in the actual music-just the lyrics and melody lines. I know it's unlikely to happen, but I'm just thinking of a way to give back to the band. Usually, it's the musicians who put in the hard work, while the vocalist just has the final say on top.

[@thefallenangel2]

Book the CIA, Sean front man of lost prophets, donate every last penny to children's charity and play a lost prophets set. Load of local bands to open. promote moving on from Ian . Don't make it about money, make it about the music.

[@jaake6019]

In my heart, I don't feel like the other band members knew what Watkins was doing. But man, those older videos and clips sure make it look like something sinister was going on.

[@deprosport7254]

Wake Up still gets play on my playlist, classic

[@Mariooo57]

One of the unintended fallouts of this case has been seeing true crime youtubers and podcasts cover it and, sadly for some, jump on the "the rest of the band knew" theory and galvanizing their audience with it. It sucks that something this simple and rational as what Sean is saying here to debunk them has to be said, but some people just can't let it go. I guess everything has to fit a tight narrative for them. Some people want to believe none of this would've happened if they had been there, that something else could have been done to prevent these crimes or whatever. It's easier to fall into this mentality than to acknowledge the harsher, colder reality that you just don't know someone 100% unless you're stuck with them 24/7 and know what's in their mind all the time... which is impossible.

[@benwagner2000]

It's pretty weird to see all those generic videos scripted from Wikipedia with millions of views. Ian's story would really benefit from a real documentary approach, and that'll never happen because who wants to give that guy more teenage fangirls?

[@UnusualElan]

Lostprophets/the Blackout/ Bring me the horizon was the first concert i went to when i was young, heartbreaking when i found out the news but lately i had the urge to listen to one of their songs (16 or so years later). the music itself if brilliant, although it had been a challenge to seperate the art from the artist like others have mentioned. A friend said to me, the art is the good in a person coming out ( his light side) and that has really helped.

[@lakota_stu]

I used to love that band but since the news broke I haven't listened to their music. I feel so bad for the rest of the band

[@stellatuifao2]

The only song I love from Lost Prophet is “The Last Train Home” that’s all. I’m sad I can’t find it anywhere even ITunes 😢😢

[@JamboStar123]

It's still on spotify?

[@BigDrew49]

Start Something was and is still a great album from that era. I can separate art from artist, which is why I still listen to it on occasion. Likewise with Kevin Spacey, Michael Jackson, Louis CK, and other other tarnished names...I prefer to focus on the good they left behind rather than the dark side of them individually. I do believe the band was completely unaware, and the 'energy drink beating' story backs it up. As you guys said, if they would lay into him like that just for missing a show (I know tensions were already high at the time, but still), imagine if they got their hands on him had they caught him in the act. The dust from his bones would be gone by now.

[@ryanjohnson6614]

Not even from that era, I truly believe that Start Something is timeless. It was just a record that was missed twice (2004 being the year when that “nu metal” Linkin Park/Deftones/Incubus/Hoobastank-esque sound was out of style and the emo/pop-punk sound was then in the spotlight). Considering how Deftones and Linkin Park came back to full blown prominence as of late and nu metal is now having a bit of a comeback, there’s no doubt in my mind that Start Something would be having a renaissance rn had Ian not been such a sick human. People would be like “this is the greatest record of all time.” It truly is unfortunate for everyone associated w/Lostprophets (besides Ian, of course).

[@dvda9725]

​@@ryanjohnson6614As far as a renaissance goes, The Fake Sound of Progress would be hitting it big, that's the album nu metal diehards love, and for good reason.

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

Micheal Jackson beat every charge ever, you might want to revisit what was really happening there. Way more to do with industry control and music rights, unfortunately Sony eventually won a few years ago

[@s1dew1nd3r4]

you know Kevin Spacey was found not-guilty and cleared of everything? the media buried it - go an watch his interview with piers morgan he done recently, absolute criminal what the media have done to him!

[@jennpanciotti7579]

I 1. Always wanted YOUR perspective on this because the blackout had a very solid connection to the band. And 2. It hurts me that the other guys lost everything and same, if I won the lottery I think about buying the publishing and giving it back to them. They could have their work back and record or just be themselves again. I don't know any of them but I think about them all the time

[@MYEVILTWIIN]

The publishing ain’t going to worth anything as no one would want anything to do with it , they wouldn’t be able to licence it to tv or film and no radio station in their right minds would play it

[@Punkbunny86]

I went to a few of their gigs and I loved them. They were lovely guys. I still listen to their songs. What Ian did was despicable. But he rest of the guys shouldn’t have to be portrayed the same as him 😢 It’s a shame that that will “haunt” them for the rest of their lives

[@lewisb85]

Wasn't Ian the blackout's drummer for a bit? I remember him behind the kit at a show. I remember Geoff saying the reasons for him singing for No Devotion was because he strongly believed the guys deserved a second chance for how they had been screwed over by Ian. I also remember Magzy from one of the local hardcore bands jumping on Ian and beating the shit out of him at Bogiez in cardiff a few weeks before he got arrested(I remember being stood next to the bar with scott lee andrews- who sean knows so you can ask him to confirm it, when it happened). We later joked/theorized that magzy had a premonition of what ian was doing so got his punches in early!

[@-chrisburke]

Magzy was just jealous of Ian's success in the music industry

[@Heartbreakqueen_90]

I remember stumbling across lostprophets never really got into them much but once I heard later on what Ian did I was thankful. He’s a horrible person. Deserves to be where he is.

[@MJMilz14]

Saw lostprophets as a teenager in a pub in Plymouth in... Must have been about 2001,2002? Absolutely blown away, got the debut album as soon as it was out and from there they were my favorite band. Went to multiple shows all over the place on every single UK tour (except the very last ironically). Last one I ever went to was the Cardiff gig where they played Start Something in full. Was a strange one because on one hand it was incredible to see that album performed in full for what k believe was the only ever time, but it was also clear that Ian was totally fucked up on drugs (at least that's all we thought it was) and I remember leaving wondering how long the band would be together if he didn't sort his act out. If only I'd known. Hate what happened for the other boys, ad as much as I know it's ridiculous, I've always felt a sense of guilt listening since so very rarely do. It's not fair to the rest at all, and maybe it'd be easier if it wasn't his voice on the records, but yeah, that's just how I feel. I'll Google his name every now and again, hoping to find a story that he's been brutally assaulted, or killed in prison. Even that is far more than he deserves.

[@goldinho]

The Cooperage!

[@MJMilz14]

@@goldinho Yep! What a place, also saw Bowling for Soup in there. Really sad how much of a state the building is in now.

[@MadaCunningham]

Is there a link to the Stu episode?

[@uprawrpodcast]

Sappenin podcast episode 54, on Spotify Apple ect

[@MadaCunningham]

@@uprawrpodcast Nice Swan

[@mikehopkins9463]

It is a shame, I do feel sorry for the guys, you forget or don't realise just how much it must of effected the other members livelihood.

[@gutz323]

It is sad! And I do feel sorry for the other members of the band. I know a guy who got caught for similar crimes, against a similar age kid, (it was his own 18 month old baby). His brother, lost his job because people came in to his place of work (repeatedly) harrasing him, and he was totally innocent, also, the nonces best mate who he worked with (they was self employed plumbers) lost his work and livelihood. He kept being threatened and talked about, just because of his association with this nonce. It ruined so many lives, and it is horrible and sad. The nonce (and Ian Watkins) should get extra charges, just for ruining the lives of friends, work colleagues and family, on top on their original, despicable sentence, to run consecutively after their original sentence. On release they should be re-arrested with further charges IMO.

[@BobAg_]

I guess they're playing as Lost Profits now 😂

[@SK-yn1fn]

Lol

[@DUSTY88]

Where is the interview they are talking about?

[@uprawrpodcast]

Sappenin podcast episode 54 on Spotify Apple ect

[@rodfrost3]

Most of there songs felt like they were in response to child abuse and feeling empowered again. And their lead singer got consumed by the worst kind of it, likely from it… thank you to the rest of their spirits

[@johnmiller9953]

Yeah, but answer this...why did they all make that video where Ian say 'Come on kids' etc, you know the one....

[@charlesjamesward7374]

I think the problem is because Ian wrote all the music people see Ian Watkins as being lost prophets if he never wrote any of the music and just performed then I reckon they would still be around today

[@Syklonus]

He absolutely didn't write all the music. Lyrics maybe, but guitar riffs, drum/bass patterns, and song structures were a collaborative effort - much of which Watkins had zero to do with.

[@s1dew1nd3r4]

It is fucking shocking what happened to the other band members, as others have said i think because Watkins written the music it killed THAT music, feel for the others who no doubt would have melted him.

[@happyears21694]

They could've carried on as Lostprophets with him (Sean) or Brandon.

[@discobriscoe5880]

Nah

[@Mariooo57]

That suggestion was brought up in that Sappenin episode I believe. I think it was Stu saying one part of him wishes they would've gotten him or the singer of Kids In Glass Houses.

[@lewisb85]

​@Alexandra Klein yeah but it's now "tainted music" due to its association with Ian. Also Geoff has said he won't sing lostprophets songs due to association with Ian.

[@admonius9668]

It really did limit what they could do and they couldn’t go back to the old sound ever. I wasn’t overly impressed by No Devotion but those guys didn’t deserve the hate they had for what Ian Watkins did

[@MrBobbit666]

they might have been big to young kids but they weren't really that big like people make out i think here in australia they had like one good song

[@michaeltunnicliffe4935]

They had to cut all ties, there was no way that this wouldnt follow them. Which is a real shame. I remember when Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying was arrested and the same thing happened to the rest of that band. Thankfully, the rest of them moved on and started Wovenwar. They weren't as good as AILD but they were good enough. Good enough that they could keep their music career going as a group without being tied down by Tim or the AILD name. Problem here though is its easier to not be associated with Tim than that scum bag from LP. There will always been people who want to associate the new band with the old. People questioning if the rest of the band played a role. Its sickening that they would be made to feel that way, but it's unfortunately inevitable. Its one of those crimes you cant come back from

[@Rob_Cary]

You can definitely tell now why lost prophets made these 2 amazing albums and then all of a sudden rode trends and made banal product-of-the-time drivel after that. Ian made them do it. Start something was one of my favorite albums of all time. You can't even attempt to go back to it without just feeling dirty. Especially being a father myself. I saw them live for the first time mere months before this news dropped and without even knowing anything, I could see as an observer, the clear disconnect between him and the rest of the band. Especially the guy that plays keyboards. I remember watching him a lot and thinking that he does NOT want to be here.

[@visiblesailorsstorys8918]

Is he darrans smiths brother?

[@ianthurston5165]

To this day, I'm ashamed my name is Ian.

[@AlfimAlves]

😂 relax lil buddy, there have been monsters by many popular names. But then again, idubbz name is Ian so yeah you’re cooked bro

[@hughmcnamara1790]

Think of Ian Curtis instead .

[@coreyjennings4910]

Ian Beale

[@SK-yn1fn]

Or Ian Huntley

[@HatredPrime]

I AM ashamed for you too.

[@STR8L8CED]

I cant wait til that dude gets in a blind spot.....I read those court documents, fucking disgusting. Everyone involved that let that shit go down.

[@diegotapia4208]

I don't even listen to them anymore because of the lead singer did

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I know Luke Johnson...monster drummer, lovely man, he had absolutely no idea...

[@locks69]

There is a MySpace webchat where he makes a lewd comment about young fans and one of the bandmates goes "I know i've seen the picutres"

[@theoneeyedmilkman1517]

Yeah but , a little comment that can be twisted in hindsight doesn’t condemn to as what he did mate. They were in a rock band and were successful, young and successful. They had fans throwing themselves at them. It’s not a fucking baby like that nonce was doing. What he was doing was pure evil

[@artemisiapile3648]

Yeah this revisionist bollocks needs to stop, that MySpace video proves they knew something was up. As did the thread on a website that went on about the allegations a whole year before he was arrested.

[@johnathonsteeel6922]

you could say they lost profits

[@richardcarr1900]

They fucking knew. Watch the interview they did when Watkins was asked by "babygurl" what his secret fetish was, Ian answers you just said it and all of them give him a look as if to say "shut up" They fucking knew.

[@alibi]

Or they just looked at him and thought "that was fucking weird."

[@richardcarr1900]

@@alibi no they knew. They basically told him to shut up

[@alibi]

@@richardcarr1900 bullshit

[@richardcarr1900]

@@alibi keep believing fan boy

[@alibi]

@@richardcarr1900 not a fan of the band at all

[@brownmoney27]

Of course they knew, don't know about the baby stuff, but they certainly met some of his young partners

[@ackerjawaka4742]

I would imagine something like that would be quite difficult to hide from people you spend that much time with but then paedophiles are very sneaky by nature 😜

[@Andyd2585]

He tried it on with me in london when I was 16. I wasn't interested and he turned round in front of other band members that I was too old for him anyway. They had there suspicions

[@Syklonus]

Sure he did.

[@jaake6019]

You're not the first person I've seen write something like this. I would think the band just thought he was a weirdo. I highly doubt that not even 1 out of the 5 of them would have done something about it, no matter how successful they were.

[@MartiniScreamz]

The music was amazing the other guys seem cool ians just one of the most evil people in the world...its crap how many people's live hes ruined the victims the other guys in the band to a lesser extent fans in a sense tainted memories of great music

[@Kaspen82]

Only one problem with this argument There were numerous reports back as early as 2008-2009 about Ian being a pedophile and being inappropriate with young fans backstage. I read about it on forums and I knew these rumors and I wasn’t even in the band. And you’re telling me that the band members, who interacted with him more than any fan, didn’t know. I call bullshit.

[@AlfimAlves]

Being inappropriate with teenage fans and what Ian was convicted of are very, very different things. They probably knew he was a creep and tried to keep the band (their livelihoods) intact as long as possible but I don’t think they knew he was a complete monster.

[@Whyamihere88]

​@@AlfimAlvesI mean........if they knew he was a creep that's not good either.

[@AlfimAlves]

@@Whyamihere88 most bands like this have at least one creep in them, their music is basically for angsty teenagers. so when the girls start worshipping them they can’t help it because to women their own age they appear silly lol

[@Syklonus]

Have you ever been in a band? After a show you are busy schmoozing with a lot of people from the industry and also other bands in a typically large and dark venue. You are not policing the other members of your band, and if you do see one of them talking to a girl, you generally mind your own business. Also remember that 16 year old girls can look like they are in their 20s (and vice versa), so in that kind of setting and at a glance, there would be nothing to be concerned about. Regardless, that and what Watkins was jailed for are completely different things, so maybe drop the pearl-clutching.

[@g.ra.6829]

I low-key like Gary glitter

[@buckbumble]

High key

[@mick9708]

What about his music?

[@marzipanbugg]

Females are safe around you then?

[@Whyamihere88]

Very 'low key' of you to put it on the internet.

[@akshayde]

The reason lost prophets became a dirty word is also because the other members didnt clean it up. They should have just restarted the band with a new singer, abandoned all the songs with Ian's voice and taken that name back. But i can understand how it must have been such a big hurdle to cross

[@thomaswhyte5107]

Must be gut wrenching for the rest of the band. To put everything into your music and it's all tainted.

[@brownmoney27]

This is one of the stupidest arguments I've ever heard. They knew the ages of his girlfriends, but also knew they had no career without him.

[@johnny2501]

Watkins is a monster, but lets not get it twisted and say that "Nobody else in the band knew" They knew he was an insular weirdo They knew he had a bad rep with people They saw what he was like but they continued on Why? Fame. You don't tour the length and breadth of the UK with another human being without becoming somewhat aware of what mans like. I've been in plenty of bands and any time we encountered someone like Watkins, we kicked them out. The other lostprophets lads are either total mugs or lying thru their teeth with this shit.

[@caxuulikom]

He's probably innocent.

[@funnyfuk1986]

its shit on the band, but the names dead forever

[@jaake6019]

Agree. Even hearing the name makes my skin crawl.