Orri Páll Dýrason, the drummer of Sigur Rós, announced today on Facebook that he is quitting the band in the wake of sexual assault accusations brought against him. Orri appears to deny the accusations, but says: “I cannot have these serious allegations influence the band and the important and beautiful work that has been done there for the last years.”
The story came to light from Paste, who reported from Instagram posts made by artist Megan Boyd. She says that the assault happened in 2013, after meeting Orri in a club. After later falling asleep in the same bed, Boyd alleges she was assaulted in her sleep, twice, waking briefly both times but not gaining full consciousness on account of being both intoxicated and very tired.
In an Instagram post that followed, she posted screenshots of her email correspondence with Orri after the post went viral. This post was deleted, on account of violating Instagram community standards. Boyd followed up with another Instagram post, saying that she has sent the emails to “a major broadcasting network in Iceland.”
UPDATE, 15:53: Boyd’s Instagram profile has been set to private. The text of her posts, however, can be read here.
In the wake of this, Orri announced that he is leaving Sigur Rós. He has asked that people leave his family and his wife out of the discussion, and that while he will fight these accusations, “out of respect for those actually suffering from sexual violence, I will not take that fight public.”
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