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Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley alleges sexual abuse by former manager in new memoir ‘Walking Disaster’

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Sum 41's Deryck Whibley alleges sexual abuse by former manager in new memoir 'Walking Disaster' Sum 41's Deryck Whibley alleges sexual abuse by former manager in new memoir 'Walking Disaster'

As I delve into the poignant and intriguing tale of Deryck Whibley, I find myself captivated by the raw honesty and resilience that permeate his journey. His story is a testament to human strength, as he grapples with the complexities of love, power, and self-discovery in the crucible of fame.

Deryck Whibley is ready to tell you everything.

Initially, when Sum 41’s lead singer began penning what would eventually transform into his raw memoir titled “Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell,” he wasn’t convinced that his life was significant enough for an autobiography. In contrast to the captivating tales he’d encountered in books by his musical icons like Mötley Crüe, whose “The Dirt” was filled with wild debauchery, he felt his story fell short. However, he persisted in writing. As the narrative unfolded, Whibley came to understand that there were indeed essential aspects of his career journey, such as the alleged misconduct by their former manager involving sexual and verbal abuse, that needed to be shared.

Whibley, speaking from Miami where he and Sum 41 are set to perform as part of their ongoing farewell world tour, states that he doesn’t see his life as something noteworthy for a book. He describes himself as a songwriter who had some achievements and experienced a few things. However, he finds the concept of concluding Sum 41 with a memoir to be a good way to transition from his past and begin a new phase in his life.

Consistent with its title, Whibley’s book storms in like a whirling tornado of intense highs and deep lows. It includes the anticipated instances of rock star indulgence and debauchery: hit albums such as the 2001 punk revivalist “All Killer No Filler” and its darker 2002 successor, “Does This Look Infected?” along with stories of wrecked hotel rooms, a night influenced by Japanese “mystic blue powder,” extravagant celebrity-filled Hollywood parties, and a tumultuous romance with Paris Hilton.

Behind every triumph lies an agonizing setback. Whibley shares his personal sacrifices in the music industry: two herniated disks, foot nerve damage, an unexpected assault at a Tokyo bar, a crippling panic and anxiety issue, numerous close calls with death, kidney and liver problems due to excessive drinking, and alcohol addiction. (Whibley marked 10 years of sobriety this spring.)

Whibley has discussed these issues in previous interviews, but there are significant aspects of his personal life he’s only confided in a select few. He’s unveiled many of these secrets in his book. “I can’t recount the true narrative without delving into some of this material,” says Whibley, “as it’s all closely linked with my life, with the music and the band. It’s such a significant part of it.

In the riveting narrative of “Walking Disaster,” Whibley opens up about his tumultuous and terrifying bond with Sum 41’s initial manager, Greig Nori. According to him, I endured years of manipulation, sexual, and verbal abuse at Nori’s hands, a situation that began when I was just 16, while he was 34.

Nori did not respond to The Times’ multiple requests for comment.

Dexter Whibley, the lead singer of Canadian punk band Treble Charger, was considered a local idol by Deryck Whibley, who in the mid-90s was laying the groundwork for Sum 41 alongside his school friends – guitarist Jon Marshall (later replaced by Dave Baksh), drummer Steve Jocz, and bassist Richard Roy (subsequently replaced by Jason McCaslin). As Sum 41 were making a name for themselves on the local music scene, Dexter’s vision of success was to escape Ajax, Ontario, Canada – a working-class suburb located about 30 miles east of Toronto. Money was often tight in his household as Dexter’s mother was only 17 when he was born. Therefore, the opportunity to meet Nori backstage at a Treble Charger concert and receive his phone number filled him with excitement.

In “Walking Disaster,” it’s stated that Whibley was astonished by his luck when he realized that Nori, who was older, found him interesting enough to interact with. Whenever he’d phone Nori to ask about music and bands, their conversations would last for hours, covering aspects of their lives and families. In fact, Nori was the one who introduced Whibley and Jocz to Goldschläger, as mentioned in the book, by offering them their first drinks.

Nori functioned as Whibley’s songwriting guide, eventually taking on the role of Sum 41’s manager. He organized studio sessions for the band, invited them to social events like parties and raves, and facilitated connections with influential figures in the industry. As recounted by Whibley in his book, Nori had one condition for managing them: complete control. They were not allowed to communicate with anyone else because, as he put it, “the music business is filled with deceitful individuals,” and he was the only one they could rely on.

One evening when he was 18 years old, under the influence of alcohol at a dance party, Whibley recounts that Nori invited him to the bathroom to take another dose of ecstasy. Squeezed together in the confined space of a stall, according to Whibley’s account, Nori pulled him close and passionately kissed him. Shocked by the encounter, Whibley writes that he left feeling dazed. Previously, he had never considered Nori in that light, but Nori claimed that while he had never felt same-sex attraction before, “Whibley brought it out in him because what we shared was so extraordinary,” as per the book.

Over time, the narrative reveals that Nori repeatedly argued with Whibley about their actions being valuable due to many rock stars he admired being queer, claiming “most people are bisexual; they’re just too scared to acknowledge it.” As Sum 41 gained fame, the band toured more frequently. Whibley expresses his sense of relief from this increased distance at home in Ajax. He writes about attempting to cease the physical interactions with Nori, as he didn’t consider himself gay or bisexual. In the book, Nori becomes enraged and labels Whibley homophobic, pointing out several instances where Whibley supposedly owed him for his contributions to Whibley’s music career. Furthermore, Nori would counter-accuse Whibley of initiating their relationship.

According to Whibley, he had kept secret his relationship with Nori, who persistently maintained they had a unique bond and coerced him into sexual encounters. When Whibley started dating Avril Lavigne in 2004 (they were married from 2006 to 2009), he reveals in the book that he eventually disclosed this to Lavigne, which led her to exclaim, “That’s abuse! He sexually abused you.” Whibley also shared this with his wife of a decade, Ariana Cooper, who responded similarly, as he recounts.

In the book, it’s mentioned that Nori stopped provoking intimate situations after their shared friend discovered the situation and reported it to both Whibley and themselves, revealing that their relationship constituted abuse.

As a die-hard movie buff, I’d put it this way: Although the romantic aspect of our bond may have faded, what followed was an escalation of the alleged emotional and verbal mistreatment, as penned by Whibley. At times, Nori would heap compliments on me (often when she needed something). However, other instances saw Nori lashing out, setting the band against me by claiming that I had grown too Hollywood because of my relationship with Lavigne.

According to Whibley’s account, Nori, known for creating “Does This Look Infected?” and “Chuck,” reportedly demanded that his name be listed as a co-writer on many tracks by Sum 41. He supposedly argued that the music industry would treat them with more respect if they acknowledged his songwriting contributions. (In 2018, Whibley regained the share of Sum 41’s publishing credits after filing a lawsuit against Nori.)

At some stage, Whibley advocated for dismissing Nori, concentrating on reported management mistakes rather than delving into personal history: such as being unreachable, neglecting crucial demands, missing chances, and even allegedly appearing at a Sum 41 concert under the influence of ecstasy. Initially, his band members were reluctant to let go of their manager, but Sum 41 eventually terminated Nori’s services following the “Chuck” album cycle in 2005.

Sum 41's Deryck Whibley alleges sexual abuse by former manager in new memoir 'Walking Disaster'

Whibley has yet to disclose his abuse accusations against Nori to any of his past or present bandmates. Similarly, he hasn’t given a heads-up about these allegations in the song “Walking Disaster,” although there’s a part of him that used to feel emotionally controlled, which makes him think he ought to.

He claims that he doesn’t owe him anything, yet admits to still feeling as though he does. “I’ve been wrestling with myself, questioning things like, ‘Do I feel compelled to tell him? Is it because there’s something he holds over me? Or perhaps because he was my mentor?’ He had a significant influence on my life and even the other band members. We all fell under his guidance. I was under his care more than the others, but he was such a dominant personality.

Beyond the claims made in the book, Whibley further asserts that Nori exerted influence over the band members’ relationships with their parents. According to The Times, he stated, “He didn’t want our parents to know anything.” He allegedly tried to keep them at a distance all the time. This now seems clearer. Since Nori was around the same age as our parents, we weren’t aware of this fact at the time. He feared they would grow suspicious about how things were being managed. … He often told us, “You can’t have a relationship with your parents and be in a rock band. It’s not trendy. It will harm your career.

Following the dismissal of Nori by Sum 41, Whibley forged ahead with the band. They put out four additional albums between 2007 and 2019; one of these, “Blood in My Eyes,” earned them a Grammy nomination in 2012 for best hard rock/metal performance. In 2014, he tied the knot with Cooper and they now have two young children. In 2024, Whibley reconnected with Sum 41 to bring out their eighth and final project, a double album that blends pop-punk and metal, titled “Heaven :x: Hell.

Sum 41's Deryck Whibley alleges sexual abuse by former manager in new memoir 'Walking Disaster'

Approaching his 35th birthday, Whibley found himself uneasily recognizing that this was around the same age as when he first encountered Nori in the ’90s. This revelation made him aware of the disparity in their accumulated life experiences and power dynamics.

Whibley clarified everything for him, and around about a year later, the Me Too movement began. That’s when I started to learn about instances of manipulation, and things finally fell into place.

As a cinema enthusiast, penning the darkest chapters of my life in “Walking Disaster” wasn’t about finding courage; it was more about feeling exposed and embarrassed. The fear loomed large – the fear of being laughed at, judged, and blamed. But eventually, I learned to let go of that worry.

A portion of him had grown accustomed to being made fun of by others, as the band had experienced such treatment throughout their career, he notes.

Time and again, we’ve found ourselves underestimated. There’s a part of me that instinctively expects criticism or dislike. High school was no exception to this.

During this performance, he mentions that each evening he needs to remember why the audience is present – it’s because they choose to be here. This lingering mindset stems from his conditioning to feel as if he must prove himself whenever he takes the stage. He hasn’t completely overcome that mentality yet.

As a die-hard cinema enthusiast, I can’t contain my excitement as the band’s grand finale will unfold in Toronto at the tail end of January. Matt Whibley, our maestro, is brimming with anticipation about the future, even though he’s not one to map out his journey too far ahead. He’s constantly mulling over fresh possibilities and can hardly wait to finally embark on a proper honeymoon with Cooper once the curtains fall. “January 30th marks our final bow,” he muses, “and by February 1st, I’ll find myself pondering, ‘Well, shoot, no more gigs. What’s next? What grabs me today?’

Whatever path Whibley chooses, he’ll undoubtedly approach it with a sincere heart and a clear mind, he asserts. Speaking about “Walking Disaster”, he shares, “I didn’t hold back. I reached a point where I said, ‘I don’t care what people interpret from it.’ That was the only way I could write the book. And I believe that having this freedom allowed me to be as truthful as possible.

He ends with a wry joke, revealing a flash of the scrappy, mischievous teen with big dreams of starting a punk band with his best friends. “I remember I told my wife, ‘I feel like I could run for office at this point, because there’s nothing you could f— find on me.’ ”

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2024-10-08 01:32

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