The Neighbourhood have brought their hiatus to an end, with the drummer they previously fired back in the line-up.
The band went on an indefinite break in 2021, and the following year María Zardoya, – the lead singer of indie pop band The Marías – came forward with allegations of the drummer, Brandon Fried, groping her.
She put the accusations forward on Instagram Stories, urging The Neighbourhood to fire the sticksman, who she described as “a complete creep”. Her update read: “I was at a bar last night, and I was groped under the table by Brandon Fried. It was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever experienced.”
Fried was kicked out of the band, and he responded to the accusations by saying that his actions were “inexcusable and intolerable”, and that he was seeking help for his “problems with alcohol and substance abuse” as a result.
Now, The Neighbourhood have shared a new update confirming that their hiatus is over, and Fried is back in the line-up.
“In November 2021, after 10 years together, The Neighbourhood went on an indefinite hiatus,” the members wrote on Instagram Stories. “As we entered our early 30s, we were faced with life outside of the band for the first time in our adult lives. Breakups, family struggles, and personal challenges.”
Addressing the controversy around Fried, they added: “In November 2022, it became evident that Brandon’s struggles with substance abuse needed immediate attention, and we agreed it was best for him to step away and focus on his recovery. To those who spoke up and helped bring this to light, thank you. Your courage helped us get our friend the support he needed.”
The Neighbourhood via IG stories pic.twitter.com/BzfldsmWac
— the nbhd files® (@thenbhdfiles) August 29, 2025
Recommended
They went on to share that the drummer has made strong progress in the time since his departure from the band, and that they reunited at the end of last year.
“We are proud of Brandon, the changes he has made, and the progress he continues to make in his life. Being in each other’s lives for over 20 years, when one of us is going through something, it impacts all of us.
“In November 2024, the five of us reunited in the studio. Thank you to everyone who kept the music alive while we were away. We couldn’t feel more honoured to do what we do and can’t wait to share this next chapter with you.”
It isn’t yet clear when the new material from the group is set to be announced, although it looks like more details will be coming very shortly.
During the hiatus, frontman Jesse Rutherford has been releasing music outside of the group, and last year dropped a handful of new songs with his new hardcore band Valley Girl.
The band uploaded their 4-track demo to YouTube without sharing any details as to who they were. The only details were in the credits that revealed the demo was produced by bigwig hardcore producer/musician Taylor Young (Nails, Twitching Tongues, God’s Hate) and featured drums from his brother/frequent collaborator Colin.
Their first performance was in January 2024, opening a six-band bill at Midnight Hour in San Fernando, CA. It was then revealed that the band’s frontman was Rutherford – who is also known for the viral hit ‘Sweater Weather’ and being the ex of Billie Eilish.
The two dated for around seven months in 2022 and 2023, but it appears that they remain on good terms, with the ‘Birds Of A Feather’ singer last year describing him as “one of my favourite people in the world”.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.