Subscribe to Heretics Clips for raw, unfiltered conversations with artists who tell the truth when it’s hardest to hear. In this powerful interview, Modestep frontman Josh Friend sits down with Andrew Gold to detail what he saw, sensed, and learned while touring around the Lostprophets era — and why he believes Ian Watkins’ crimes represent the darkest kind of evil tolerated by fame and industry mythmaking. Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@hereticsclips/videos

How do predators thrive in plain sight? Josh opens up about the unsettling vibe on the road, the subtle red flags people excused, and the way status, money, and access can insulate the worst behaviour. He explains how fan culture, PR spin and herd mentality let warning signs slide — and why too many insiders keep quiet until it’s too late. You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes pressures bands face: labels, management, and the fear of being blacklisted for speaking out.

Josh also reflects on the fallout — the collapse of deals, the shock inside the scene, and the ethical questions artists still wrestle with today. What did people suspect? What got ignored? And how should musicians respond when admiration turns to disgust overnight? He shares candid thoughts on accountability, separating art from artist, and how to rebuild trust without rewriting history.

This isn’t sensationalism — it’s a sober, first-person reckoning with the cultural blind spots that let evil hide in plain sight. Josh talks about protecting fans and crews, creating real reporting channels on tour, and why artists must model courage, not complicity. He also offers hope: a vision of music culture that rewards honesty, sets hard boundaries, and prioritises safety over celebrity.

If you’ve ever wondered how such horrors can happen around brilliant careers, this conversation pulls back the curtain with clarity and compassion. It’s uncomfortable, essential, and deeply human — told by a frontman who lived close enough to feel the heat and chose to speak.

🎧 Watch the full podcast here:

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

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