Joel Madden responds
Good Charlotte lead singer Joel Madden wants to shed some light on all the drama surrounding his canceled appearance at Angels Rock Bar.
Here is an e-mail he sent me late last night:
Sam,
Very interesting article. I usually take these things with a grain of salt, and would never even get into something like this. Being from Maryland though, I really do care what my hometown thinks of me. No one can dispute my love for this state, and this town. I have an oriole tattooed behind my ear.
Anyways, I had no idea any of this was going on until I read your article, and I was pretty surprised. I booked the gig at Rock bar as a favor for a friend of mine. I agreed to do it at whatever price they could afford, which was only about a fourth of what I get paid for gigs, and I was actually excited to come hang out with all my friends at home, have a home cooked meal at my moms house, and relax.
As the gig got closer, some unexpected things came up, and some things that I just felt were more important than going home. ...
I had to stay up in New York for meetings I couldn’t miss for a record we are about to put out, I’m working on a new record at the same time as preparing for a trip to Africa with UNICEF in oct, along with just trying to make some time for my family.
I realize its a bummer for a hometown club to feel dissed by me, but I sincerely mean it when I say I would never just cancel on anyone for no good reason. I have responsibilities as a father, to my family, and to my band. I know im blessed to be able to DJ, it is a very fun way to make a living, but i’m a father first and I’m in Good Charlotte first.
Anyways the story that I’ve heard, im sure that club had to be joking around. It sounds too silly to be true.
I’ll always love Maryland, its a part of who I am. Just cant always expect Maryland to love me back.
Go O’s.
Joel Madden
(AP photo)
Categories: Bars & Clubs, Celebrity sightings, Local music
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Ugh, still a clown.
Posted by: Smith | October 1, 2008 11:50 AM
at least he apologized, some people who have the opportunity to come to their hometown that suddenly cancel most times give no reason at all.
Posted by: D | October 1, 2008 12:11 PM
Lighten up. No matter what you think of his music or celebrity status is general, it's still pretty damn cool for him to respond so quickly to Sam's blog as well as to hear his hometown pride still shining through. Class move in my book. Nothing clownish about it.
Posted by: Andrew | October 1, 2008 12:23 PM
Is this the skinny brother or the fat one? They are the most embarrassing thing from Maryland since Spiro Agnew.
Posted by: adam | October 1, 2008 12:26 PM
"Anyways the story that I’ve heard, im sure that club had to be joking around. It sounds too silly to be true."
Haha Joel, always trying to turn negative into positive. That's why I adore him. I think it was great of him to respond! :)
Posted by: Anonymous | October 1, 2008 12:59 PM
"They are the most embarrassing thing from Maryland since Spiro Agnew."
Ah, come on. They're WAY worse than that. They're the most embarrassing thing from Maryland EVER. Especially since they used to claim to be from D.C. Now he's claiming Baltimore as his hometown? Where's the Waldorf pride?
Posted by: Cest la vie | October 1, 2008 1:22 PM
Wow...look at all the elitist, bitter (read jealous) desk jockeys turning out to hate on a guy who is just trying to do the best thing for his life. I'm not a GC fan, but I certainly appreciate a guy who tries to do right by others...especially his family...on top of showing love for Maryland!
Posted by: jr | October 1, 2008 1:40 PM
I thought Joel Maddon was the manager of the Rays. Why does he have an Oriole tatoo?
Posted by: Leon Lett | October 1, 2008 2:41 PM
Joel didn't owe anyone an explanation of why he cancelled but he gave a good one. And to those saying GC is an embaressment, are you sure your not just jealous? I'm proud to say I'm a fan of GC and these guys are so nice. Whatever anyone says in a negative manner towards them..its all a bunch of crap.
Posted by: BEVERLY | October 1, 2008 3:11 PM
All this drama is unnecessary, of course things come up and priorities get rearranged. Especially when you have a band, baby, and a new album on the way! Geez people, what's with all the hating. It's a little extreme to say GC is the most embarrassing thing to come from Maryland. What, you don't think people have a right to have different musical tastes than you? What, you have a problem with other people gaining success over you? Or is it that you don't like people who possitively contrube to society? Where excatly does the embarrassing thing come in? Oh I know, it's all their charity work you have a problem with. I see.
Posted by: Charlotte | October 1, 2008 3:57 PM
Never trust a man who hides behind his kids.
Posted by: Granny | October 1, 2008 4:34 PM
I agree with Beverly. It's just sour grapes!!! And I thought Joel's explanation was perfectly reasonable. All you haters make me sick!!!
Posted by: Tanya | October 1, 2008 4:43 PM
never trust a man that hides behind his kids? let me guess you never see your kids at all?
well any way joel rocks he is human good to see that he got one back and insted of ppl just constanly putting ... on him
LUV YA JOEL
Posted by: MissGC | October 1, 2008 10:59 PM
'Never trust a man who hides behind his kids'..... Who is hiding? Joel isn't hiding behind Harlow. In fact he would probably kill for that 'kid' as was so eloquently put. The haters and the ugly comments are just sour grapes as Tanya said. And I agree with her! 'Jealousy look what you've done'....
Posted by: BEVERLY | October 2, 2008 8:29 AM