The fallout from The Amity Affliction’s public split with bassist and co-vocalist Ahren Stringer continues, with frontman Joel Birch now stepping forward to address the situation—though he’s making it clear he has no interest in engaging in an online war of words.
Taking to social media, Birch expressed his frustration at the intrusion into his personal life, stating, “I’m extremely disappointed that I even have to write this, but here we are. I find the sharing of my personal life online to be disgusting.”
While Birch didn’t address the specifics of the dispute with Stringer or The Amity Affliction’s internal struggles, he did reflect on his personal battles with alcoholism, revealing that he stopped drinking nine years ago and has dedicated himself to personal growth.
“I am still an alcoholic. I still can’t drink, but the person I left behind nine years ago is not the person I am now,” Birch wrote, adding that he will not be speaking further on the matter. “I know who I am, as do my friends who have watched me grow into a much better person than I was while drinking.”
The Business Side of the Fallout
While the public focus remains on the personal split between Birch and Stringer, the real storm behind the scenes isn’t just about the music—it’s about the business of The Amity Affliction.
As previously reported, Stringer may be out of the band, but he still owns half of the company that controls The Amity Affliction. Official records from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) confirm:
- Joel Birch owns 25 shares outright.
- Ahren Stringer owns 25 shares outright.
- The remaining 50 shares are jointly owned by both Joel and Ahren.
This joint ownership means that despite the personal and professional divide, Ahren is still financially tied to The Amity Affliction and its operations.
What Happens Next?
With the band moving forward without Stringer, questions remain about how this tangled business structure will be resolved. Possible outcomes include:
- A Negotiated Buyout – Birch and the remaining members could attempt to buy out Ahren’s stake, but this depends on whether both parties can agree on a price.
- Legal Action – If an agreement can’t be reached, the band could try to remove Stringer through the courts, but that would be a long and costly battle.
- Deadlock & Business Stagnation – If neither side backs down, The Amity Affliction’s company could become paralysed, with Stringer still entitled to a share of the profits despite no longer being in the band.
- Dissolving & Restarting – The band could shut down the current company and start a new one, but this would require untangling contracts, trademarks, and other legal hurdles.
Birch’s statement today signals that he wants to move forward and isn’t interested in engaging in further public drama—but behind the scenes, the situation is far from settled.
For fans, The Amity Affliction may be pushing ahead musically, but legally, this battle is still just beginning.
Full Statement by The Amity Affliction frontman, Joel Birch
“I’m extremely disappointed that I even have to write this, but here we are. I find the sharing of my personal life online to be disgusting and so this will only be a short post, I won’t be discussing anything about anyone else but myself, it’s not who I am.
Nine years ago almost to the day I was confronted by my ugliness in the grips of alcoholism. I chose to seek therapy over the course of the next couple of years, spend a year in Alcoholics Anonymous, and completely turn my life around and stop drinking. I am still an alcoholic. I still can’t drink, but the person I left behind nine years ago is not the person I am now.
Alcoholism is soul destroying, but there is always a hard choice to be made when you are facing down your addiction, and I made that hard choice and changed my life for the better.
That’s it. I won’t be saying another word about anything or anyone, I know who I am, as do my friends who have watched me grow into a much better person than I was while drinking. Thank you in advance for understanding.” – Joel Birch, Via Facebook
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