Lostprophets bassist Stuart Richardson punched frontman Ian Watkins repeatedly after a concert in Pittsburgh, leaving Watkins' face swollen and resembling the "Elephant Man" the following day. This violent confrontation occurred before the band knew about Watkins' horrific crimes, but tensions had been escalating due to his erratic behavior and prolific drug use. The band had even found and disposed of crystal meth from Watkins' bag prior to this incident.
Months before Watkins' arrest, music journalist Ian Windwood observed that the other band members had grown to "hate" him. Watkins' escalating drug use had made him increasingly distant from the group, and they had attempted an intervention. His failure to appear for the Pittsburgh concert led to keyboardist Jamie Oliver temporarily filling in on vocals and ultimately fueled the altercation with Richardson.
Lostprophets disbanded immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013 of 13 child sex offenses, including attempted rape and sexual assault of children under 13. The discovery of his crimes, which involved a vast collection of child abuse material, shattered the other band members' lives. They expre... download the app to read more
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