Modestep's Josh Friend - Touring with Lostprophets & Ian Watkins: RED FLAGS Were There!

Subscribe to Heretics Clips for fearless, unfiltered conversations with artists who’ve lived through the chaos and come out the other side. In this chilling yet eye-opening episode, Modestep frontman Josh Friend joins Andrew Gold to reveal what it was really like touring with Lostprophets and Ian Watkins — and the disturbing red flags that were ignored long before the truth came out. Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@hereticsclips/videos

Josh gives a first-hand account of the strange atmosphere that surrounded the band at the time — the whispers, the unsettling energy, and the sense that something wasn’t quite right. He explains how fame, money, and loyalty can create a bubble where predators go unchecked and why no one in the industry wanted to look too closely. Was it denial, fear, or complicity? This is the uncomfortable reality of what happens when image becomes more important than morality.

In this unflinching conversation, Josh and Andrew dig into how power, ego, and blind fandom can warp entire industries. They discuss how some artists are shielded by PR machines and record labels more interested in protecting brands than people. Josh also shares his thoughts on accountability in music — and why speaking out about abuse and corruption still feels risky for many performers today.

Expect dark truths, moral questions, and moments of gut-punch honesty. Josh reflects on how the scandal reshaped his view of the industry, the collapse of Lostprophets’ label, and how other figures — from Bob Vylan to Diddy to Jimmy Savile — expose a deeper sickness in celebrity culture. But there’s hope too: he believes a new generation of musicians can build something better by being braver, louder, and more human.

This isn’t gossip — it’s a warning. A raw look at the rot behind the spotlight, told by someone who saw the cracks before they split open.

🎧 Watch the full interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jfQJMc_5-4

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