I want to take this moment to address all the controversy surrounding the current Dracula release.
I will try keep this is simple and to the point as possible:
⦁ I am the singer/bass player of the band Dracula
⦁ I am the SOLE and ONLY member of the project Black Magick SS
⦁ The Dracula Facebook page was run ONLY by myself and Creep Purple. Creep Purple was made an admin by me.
⦁ The recent post on the Dracula facebook page was made by Creep Purple acting alone who deliberately impersonated Scott
⦁ I am struggling with ongoing personal health issues that has caused increasing financial problems.
How it started.
⦁ Creep Purple reached out to me with an offer to release the current Dracula release
⦁ I relay this to the other members who both initially accept.
⦁ Before anything is formally agreed on Creep begins purchasing items to prepare for release.
⦁ To help the deal go through Creep sends 5K to me as an advance for the release to be sent to band members, this money was never sent to Will or Scott and they were unaware that any money had changed hands.
⦁ Will pulls out of the release several days after initially agreeing, no contract had ever been produced or signed and Will was unaware of any purchases or planning that had been made for the release.
⦁ Money is sent back to Creep Purple in 2 amounts. 4K and 1K. I had spent money dealing with personal problems and needed time to raise back funds.
This is where things SHOULD have ended. Release is dead and I contact Creep to let him know.
⦁ Will sends an email to Creep explicitly stating that he does not consent to the release and that he does not have permission to use any of his work including songwriting, guitar performances or artwork.
⦁ Creep is happy to continue with 2 of the 3 members
⦁ I pay artists to create artwork for the upcoming releases
⦁ Scott ultimately changes his mind as the release didn't feel right to him, and also requests that it not go ahead. No formal agreement or contract had been produced or signed at this point and still no money had actually changed hands. Scott was not paid for the release.
⦁ It was made clear that if i did proceed with it, it would be the end of the band.
⦁ Tried to find alternate solutions to my ongoing financial problems by selling off things i owned.
⦁ Spoke with Creep about my situation and he offered to help me by saying he would send me the money for the release in full and go ahead with just my permission.
⦁ Mentioned this to Scott/Will who offered other options such as self release
⦁ The time, money and effort for these options didn't compare to what Creep offered and for me at this point it was more for the money than the integrity of the release
⦁ I accept the money and signed a contract for Creep Purple to proceed with the release.
⦁ Creep transfers the money to me.
⦁ Creep and I finalise layouts to try be as respectful to Will and Scotts wishes.
⦁ Release gets sent to the factory.
⦁ I let Will and Scott know what i did.
I want to be clear that I know what I did was wrong. I did it for my own personal gain to help myself out of an ongoing situation I created.
I went against the wishes of the other band members for a quick fix to my problems knowingly. Creep was just looking out for me and I took him down this path.
Creep and I both knew that it would have come with baggage as Will and Scott made it very clear that they would consider the release a bootleg.
I shouldn't have put anyone involved in this situation. I take full responsibility for what has happened. I do not seek sympathy nor forgiveness. Whats done is done and all i can say to all involved is,
I'm sorry.
Stop all this fighting, spreading lies and deception.
It's over.
This is my last and only statement on the matter and there will be no future comment.
Enjoy the music.
-Count Hawlok