(Artist Report)

Written by: Cody Denning 

We're talking about the controversial band,The Orwells. a band that rose from the town of Elmhurst, Illinois, and shook the world of rock music by hitting the punk rock and garage rock scene with an energy that was as raw as it was real.

These young rebels, already performing and taking short tours were not even out of high school when they signed with Autumn Tone Label. The contract became official in 2011, marking the beginning of their ascent. By 2012, MTV had already taken notice, calling them one of the year's overlooked artists. But oversight was the last thing on their minds as they graduated early in 2013, not for college, but for the stage.

They hit Lollapalooza like a tornado, then supported the Arctic Monkeys on a tour that could only be described as a nine showvictory lap before they even reached their prime. And with the release of "Disgraceland," they didn't just release an album; they unleashed a statement. David Letterman himself gave them an encore, blown away by the performance the Orwells put on.

But here's where the plot thickens. The Orwells were everywhere — Apple commercials, GTA V soundtrack, TV shows — they were climbing the ladder of rock and roll! Then came "Terrible Human Beings" in 2017, an album title that foreshadowed the storm to come.

Why the album titled "Terrible Human Beings"? Because in Chicago, that's what they'd become. Not just musically, but reputably. And then, the bombshell. August 29, 2018, allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. This wasn't just a scandal; it was a detonation that scattered the band's reputation to the winds. They denied the claims, but the damage was done. Canvasblack/Atlantic dropped them like a hot potato, and the court of public opinion pronounced its verdict.

Allegations made on sites Reddit and Twitter against Cuomo and the Brinner brothers included rape, statutory rape and the sending of unsolicited nude photos. The Orwells issued a statement to Paste magazine denying the claims. Followed by Consequence of Sound publishing a series of allegations made by nine women who accused members of the band of sexual abuse. Claiming the abuse was a well known with in the scene. These claims have never been handled in the court room. However they had been handled in the court of opinion and branded the band with a bad stigma surrounding their name.

June 15, 2019 MarIo Cuomo broke the silence, releasing the bands fourth album, self-titled album, “The Orwells”. Released to Cuomo’s youtube channel with a statement.

"Hey everybody. I could not wait any longer for this record to be heard. Sorry it has taken so long but it would have taken even longer if I didn’t make the decision to self release this album. Self recorded, self titled, self released. The Orwells." The album's cover is blank and contains just the band's name and text reading "We had an album cover we wanted to use, but after getting dropped by our label we can no longer afford to use it. So instead you can stare at this blank square."

The Orwells would make a short return March 1, 2023 releasing a double single “Bar Fly / Friendly Fire” . The band would lack original member Matt O’Keefe, who was never mentioned in any of the allegations. Replacing Matt would be Caleb Tucker on guitar. Along with a new album and new band member The Orwells released this statement.

"Almost five years ago, we were falsely accused of inappropriate conduct by a group of people we had never met. Their untrue but sensational rumors led us to take a break to address the situation. We saw no choice but to take legal action and filed a business tort and defamation suit. We are satisfied with the progress in our case and will keep you posted."

We have not heard any update on the status of The Orwells case.

The Orwells self-released there fourth album “Friendly Fire” on December 25, 2023 and that was the last we have heard from the band, However Mario Cuomo has released several songs in 2022, keeping active on material as a solo artist. 2024 would mark the release of Cuomo’s debut album “The Party”. Mario Cuomo has been actively creating short films, featuring in documentary and is currently working on a new film ZOOMERS taking place is the city of Chicago.

The music and success of The Orwells is inspiring, However rivaled by the allegations and bad reputation.
What is the verdict, that is for you to decide. We will stick to what we know best, the music... Stay tuned.

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