Wavves Pull the Plug on Joint Say Anything Album Over Max Bemis Allegations

Indie rock fans who were eagerly awaiting a mashup of surf-punk and mid-2000s emo will need to look elsewhere. California band Wavves has officially pulled the plug on their upcoming collaborative LP with Say Anything. The sudden cancellation comes right after serious allegations emerged regarding Say Anything frontman Max Bemis. Wavves frontman Nathan Williams made the bold call to abandon the project entirely, signaling that he wants absolutely zero ties to Bemis going forward. The decision effectively kills off what was supposed to be a major joint release between two prominent figures in the alternative music scene.

The decision to scrap the project stemmed directly from recent claims made against Bemis. While the exact specifics surrounding the allegations against the Say Anything frontman continue to circulate online, Williams acted swiftly to sever professional and personal connections with his former collaborator. Reports state that Williams felt compelled to pull out of the release immediately rather than let the record drop amidst the surrounding controversy. The abrupt shutdown puts Williams in a challenging situation behind the scenes. The joint record, which was officially titled *Cherry Soda*, was crafted as a full-blown team effort rather than a simple feature or guest appearance. Because both acts were heavily integrated into the writing and recording process, walking away means abandoning a substantial body of finished work.

BUZZBEAT

As it stands, the *Cherry Soda* album is officially shelved indefinitely. Given that the project was billed as a true 50/50 partnership, extracting one artist from the tracks is virtually impossible. Williams appears completely comfortable leaving the unreleased material in the vault if it means distancing his reputation and band from Bemis. Neither Wavves nor Say Anything has indicated whether any of the underlying instrumental tracks or individual songwriting elements will ever see the light of day in different forms. For now, the message from the Wavves camp is clear: the collaboration is dead, and the friendship is over.