Months after abuse allegations made by a former partner forced him out of Bilmuri, guitarist Reese Maslen is back in the fold. Whether or not the court of public opinion has fully let go of those allegations has yet to be seen.
Maslen originally quit Bilmuri by releasing a statement that suggested he was walking out of the spotlight in order to try to become a better person.
“I exhibited behavior on several fronts during a previous relationship that I deeply regret.
“I am so sorry not only to her, but to anyone else these behaviors have affected. At this point, I can only apologize and take the steps to be a better person for myself and everyone else in my life. Effective immediately, I am stepping down from Bilmuri. I loved every second of my time with them, but it’s important that I take this time to work on myself.”
It’s unclear if four months is enough time to really reflect on your alleged poor behavior and turn things around, but here we are. News of Maslen’s return to Bilmuri actually cropped up before the band’s April 17 show. He personally confirmed that he was back in the band ahead of that gig, admitting that the chance to redeem himself within the band came about suddenly.
“Since stepping down from Bilmuri last December, I’ve been doing the work to be better for myself and everyone around me. I assumed I would not be asked to rejoin the band, so I acted and spoke publicly as such.
“On Sunday, I was laying in bed when I got a call from Johnny; I’m coming back for the Kinda Hard tour. See you 2nite Denver”
Only time will tell if the amount of “work” he’s done will be enough for the people he allegedly affected and hurt.
If you want to catch Bilmuri with Maslen live, you can do so at any of the shows listed below. You can get your tickets today.
4/21 San Diego, CA SOMA
4/24 Dallas, TX South Side Ballroom
4/25 San Antonio, TX Boeing Center at Tech Port
4/26 Houston, TX Bayou Music Center
4/28 Oklahoma City, OK The Criterion
4/30 Minneapolis, MN The Armory
5/1 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom
5/2 Madison, WI The Sylvee
5/3 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit
5/5 Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola Roxy
5/7 Charlotte, NC Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
5/8 Raleigh, NC The Red Hat Amphitheater
5/11 Moon Township, PA UPMC Events Center
5/12 Cincinnati, OH The Andrew J Brady Music Center
5/13 Nashville, TN The Pinnacle
5/15 New York, NY The Rooftop at Pier 17
5/16 Washington, DC The Anthem
5/17 Boston, MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway
7/18 Grand Rapids, MI Upheaval Fest
9/4 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
9/5 North Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
9/6 Birmingham, AL Avondale Brewing Company
9/8 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre
9/10 Philadelphia, PA The Fillmore Philadelphia
9/11 Philadelphia, PA The Fillmore Philadelphia
9/12 Buffalo, NY Buffalo RiverWorks
9/13 Toronto, ON HISTORY
9/15 Milwaukee, WI Landmark Credit Union Live
9/18 Columbus, OH KEMBA Live! Outdoor Amphitheater
9/20 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
9/22 Omaha, NE Steelhouse Omaha
9/23 Fayetteville, AR Ozark Music Hall
9/25 Albuquerque, NM Revel Entertainment Center
9/26 Phoenix, AZ The Van Buren
9/27 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
9/30 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
10/1 Portland, OR Theater of the Clouds
10/3 Reno, NV Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
10/4 San Francisco, CA The Masonic