The Offspring’s Drummer Pete Parada Leaving Band Due to Being Unvaccinated
Parada, who joined the Offspring in 2007, says “it has been decided that [he is] unsafe to be around, in the studio, and on tour” because he’s been advised by his doctor not to get the COVID-19 vaccine
I’ve got some unfortunate and difficult news to share. I know many of my close friends and family would’ve preferred to hear this privately first – and I apologize for the public nature of my disclosure, but I don’t know how to have this conversation multiple times. 1/17
— Pete Parada (@PeteParada) August 2, 2021
Pete Parada has said that he will no longer drum with the Offspring because he has not gotten a COVID-19 vaccination. “Given my personal medical history and the side-effect profile of these jabs, my doctor has advised me not to get a shot at this time,” Parada wrote on Twitter on Monday (August 2).
“Since I am unable to comply with what is increasingly becoming an industry mandate—it has been decided that I am unsafe to be around, in the studio, and on tour. I mention this because you won’t be seeing me at these upcoming shows.”
Parada explained, “I caught the virus over a year ago, it was mild for me—so I am confident I’d be able to handle it again, but I’m not certain I’d survive another post-vaccination round of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which dates back to my childhood and has evolved to be progressively worse over my lifetime.”
There are countless folks (like me) for whom these shots carry a greater risk than the virus. Most of us don’t publicly share a private decision we made in careful consideration with our doctors. We know it’s not an easy conversation to unfold. 11/17
— Pete Parada (@PeteParada) August 2, 2021
Pete Parada joined the Offspring in 2007. On social media, he wrote, “I have no negative feelings towards my band. They’re doing what they believe is best for them, while I am doing the same.”
The Offspring are slated to play a sold-out show in Los Angeles this Sunday. The band has additional concerts scheduled for August, September, October, November, and December, as well as June 2022.
It is currently unclear if Pete Parada will rejoin the Offspring for touring or recording at a date in the future.
🧵Day 1 of 3 day countdown to launching new project(s). I got my first drum set when I was 12 years old. They were a gift from my dad. I still remember the feeling of taking them out of the boxes & setting them up for the 1st time in my basement. That started everything for me. pic.twitter.com/3pFcXYfg4G
— Pete Parada (@PeteParada) November 20, 2021