Parkway Drive Bassist Jia O’Connor Apologises After ABC Investigation Surfaces Offensive Early-2000s Lyrics
Parkway Drive bassist Jia O’Connor has issued a public apology after an ABC investigation into Byron Bay’s youth culture uncovered old recordings containing derogatory references to women, rape and underage girls.
The comments emerged as part of a major ABC report examining allegations of sexual abuse, humiliation and misogyny experienced by young women in Byron Bay during the early 2000s.
According to the ABC, it obtained rap songs recorded before O’Connor joined Parkway Drive in which performers make highly offensive comments about individual teenage girls and reference sexual violence. One track reportedly includes a reference to a 24-year-old “breaking the hymen” of 12-year-olds, while another lyric claims a peer had “probably tried to rape you or one of your friends”.
In a statement provided to the ABC, O’Connor said he was “deeply ashamed” of some of the material.
“In fact, many songs were never meant to be published, but some of the worst songs were leaked and ended up hurting people,” O’Connor said.
The bassist described the recordings as the work of “insecure teenagers” attempting to imitate the shock-value lyrics popular in hip-hop at the time.
He added that he now recognised the impact the material had on others.
“While it was a toxic culture for boys, it was so much worse for girls, and I am deeply sorry for contributing to that.”
The apology forms part of a wider ABC investigation into Byron Bay’s youth culture during the early 2000s, which included allegations from dozens of women who described experiences of sexual assault, grooming, public humiliation and misogyny.
The report also revisited the recent conviction of former Parkway Drive associate and merchandise manager Jed Gordon, who was sentenced earlier this year after pleading guilty to having sex with a 15-year-old girl in 2002.
Parkway Drive previously stated they were “completely blindsided” by the extent of Gordon’s offending, while acknowledging they should have acted sooner on concerns about his behaviour.
O’Connor’s statement marks the first time a current member of Parkway Drive has personally apologised for conduct directly linked to the broader culture described by women in the ABC investigation.
The full ABC report can be read via ABC News.
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