Fullerton label Burger Records have made structural changes, including changing their name, after it was revealed that company insiders had been cultivating an environment of toxic masculinity that allowed members of the Buttertones, the Frights, the Growlers, SWMRS and Cosmonauts to engage in truly awful behavior.

The Instagram page Lured By Burger Records saw numerous people come forward with disturbing stories of underage girls being lured into backrooms and storage sheds.

“I was going to Burger Records shows starting at age 14,” reads one post. “Full statement on my page. All my friends who went to Burger shows, even online friends who lived across the country, experienced predatory behavior on behalf of those affiliated with Burger Records. With that being said, Burger Records is responsible for curating a culture built on pedophilic tendencies and teenage fetishization, allowing predators access to the thousands of teenagers paying $$$ to go to their nearly-daily shows being held. Men of Burger Records lured teens in vans, the back room of Burger Records, and a storage unit someone was living in within the Burger Records lot. These people will be held accountable, and there will be silence no longer.”

Lydia Night of the Regrettes and Clementine Creevy of Cherry Glazzer both came forward with sickening accounts of grooming and predatory behavior regarding musicians within the Burger fold.

A statement released by Burger Records reads: “We understand that we will never be able to comprehend the trauma that women have experienced while trying to find a place in the music scene. We are profoundly saddened and sickened by the pain suffered at the hands of a toxic male music culture that does not value women as equals. We extend our deepest apologies to anyone who has suffered irreparable harm from any experience that occurred in the Burger and indie/DIY music scene, the latter of which we take part. We are also deeply sorry for the role Burger has played in perpetuating a culture of toxic masculinity.”

They go on to detail some of the changes they’re making: “To begin, Burger Records co-founder Sean Bohrman will move into a transitional role with the label. Label co-founder Lee Rickard will immediately step down from his role as label president, and fully divest all interest in the label. Jessa Zapor-Gray will assume the role of interim label president. Jessa comes to Burger with extensive experience in the music industry and an extensive familiarity with the Burger catalog. We look forward to having her take the helm at the label.”

They’re also changing the name to BRGR RECS, while adding an all-female imprint called BRGRRRL. They’re going to be working with experts in trauma and sexual assault, and setting up a counseling fund. The shop will be changing its name and will no longer be associated with the label.

But for many, its too little too late. A post on the Lured By Burger Records Instagram reads, “The new interim president of Burger Records is a PR person working to re-brand a company built on predation. She tried and failed to silence us over the last two days. Their first ‘substantive’ change was to rebrand the company as BRGR Recs.”

L.A.’s Alice Bag was quick to pull out of her planned appearance at the 2021 Burger Boogaloo, stating on Facebook: “In light of the information that has recently surfaced about Burger Records and some of their artists and employees, the Alice Bag Band has decided to cancel our planned appearance at Burger Boogaloo. We commend the bravery of the survivors who have shared their stories and hope that their voices will be a catalyst for change.”

We suspect this story is far from over.

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