Jesus Piece’s breakup has become a public dispute as Aaron Heard unveils JE$US PIECE and clashes with former bandmates.
Philadelphia hardcore band Jesus Piece announced their breakup earlier this week, bringing more than a decade together to an end. The group cited the sudden departure of a core member in their official statement but did not name vocalist Aaron Heard.
In the statement, the band said: “Jesus Piece has been dead for some time. A member quit abruptly for personal reasons and we felt wrong continuing without him.
Anything you see associated with this name or similar, playing our music and using our art, is not related to anything we worked for over the last 10 years.
To try and continue that without us or in spite of us, is a mockery of what we’ve done and tried to do.”
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Heard’s absence from the farewell photo fuelled speculation, and just minutes before the announcement, he posted a festival lineup on Instagram featuring a band called JE$US PIECE – a rebranded project with himself still on vocals. His Instagram bio now reads “Proud papa & vocals for JE$US PIECE,” and the band’s booking agent has already updated its roster to reflect the change.
On August 27, Heard confirmed his departure on social media in his own statement. “Yes it’s been 10 years but those men are not friends and they haven’t been for almost the entirety of us being a band. Just because we’re a band doesn’t mean we are best buddies. I’ve got love for Lu but that’s really it.”
Heard went on to accuse his bandmates of trying to replace him on past tours and claimed they disrespected his decision to focus on his son. “Throwing the birth of my son in my face during an argument. Saying my son is ruining things for the band? Fuck that. ‘We appreciate you inviting us to your son’s birth but he’s got nothing to do with us.’ Would you want to work with people who think this way?”
Heard ended his message by thanking fans and confirming he would continue to perform under the JE$US PIECE name: “I love the people and friends I’ve made through this shit. … But I just won’t ever work with them again.”
Drummer Luis “Lu” Aponte responded directly in the comments. “First of all no one can or wants [to] replace you in this band… ever. When you said you quit, you said we could move on without you and none of us wanted to. We were happy to let it rest in peace.”
Aponte also denied Heard’s claims about family priorities. “Never in my entire life would I ever ask you not to be with your son, for any circumstances. I’m still proud of the video I made for you and him when we were there the night he was born.”
However, he accused Heard of dishonesty in his exit: “You told us you were done to be with your son, then went behind our back with the label/money to do this and make a quick buck. I just wanted the band to end on the legacy we created together.”
What was meant to be a respectful farewell has instead become a public dispute. Jesus Piece’s breakup statement seemed like the band and fans getting closure, but Heard’s decision to continue under the JE$US PIECE banner has left the band’s legacy under debate – and fans unsure whether to continue their support.
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