Catfish and the Bottlemen is now down to just two official members. Guitarist Johnny “Bondy” Bond has confirmed his departure from the band along with drummer Bob Hall.
Bond joined in 2014 and played on Catfish and the Bottlemen’s 2016 album The Ride and 2019’s The Balance. Hall was a member of the Welsh band from 2010 up until last year, playing on all of their albums to date.
“After much deliberation, I originally parted ways with the remaining band in March 2021,” Bond wrote on social media. “Basically, I felt that I had no choice but to walk away because of circumstances that were beyond my control.”
Bond continued, “I feel that both the professional and personal relationships had become entirely dysfunctional, and as well as behaviour constantly re-occurring that I found to be intolerable, as a band, we were not working in ways to which I agreed.”
Bond said he played four shows with Catfish and the Bottlemen midway through last year as a session guitarist, but has had no further contact with the remaining members.
“I assumed that the band would address the fans from an official and broader point of view about the departure of two long-term band members,” he said, “although as far as I’m aware this has not happened.” Read Bond’s complete statement here.
