Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, the first memoir by Deryck Whibley of Sum 41, is out today (October 8). In an interview with the LA Times, the frontman discussed the book’s allegations of sexual and verbal abuse against Treble Charger vocalist Greig Nori, who was Sum 41’s former manager.
Whibley started working with Nori when Whibley was 16 and Nori was 34. Nori had been a hometown hero to Whibley, and he became the first person to serve Whibley and his bandmates alcohol. Whibley claims that, when he was 18 and intoxicated at a rave, Nori grabbed his face and “passionately” kissed him while they were in a bathroom stall doing ecstasy. Whibley says that he was stunned and that Nori claimed that he had never experienced same-sex attraction, but that what the two of them had “was so special.”
Whibley claims that Nori persuaded him to explore what they had because “so many of my rock star idols were queer. … Most people are bisexual; they’re just too afraid to admit it.” When Whibley tried to end things, Nori would allegedly accuse him of being homophobic and said that Whibley “owed” him for helping the band’s career.
Whibley told LA Times he never told anyone about his relationship with Nori. When Whibley started dating Avril Lavigne in 2004, he opened up to her and she said, “That’s abuse! He sexually abused you.” Whibley said that his current wife, Ariana Cooper, had the same reaction.
Whibley writes that the sexual encounters stopped after a mutual friend discovered what was happening and said that it was abusive. According to Whibley, however, the psychological and verbal abuse continued, with Nori insisting on being credited as a co-writer on most of Sum 41’s songs, claiming that the music industry would take them more seriously if he was involved. In 2018, Whibley reportedly won back a share of ghostwritten copyrights from Nori in an out-of-court settlement.
Nori also allegedly discouraged the members of the band from being in touch with their own parents. “He wouldn’t let our parents know anything,” Whibley told LA Times. “He tried to keep them away all the time. Now it makes more sense. Because he was the same age as our parents, and we didn’t know that at the time. He knew they would get suspicious of the way things were running. … He would always be like, ‘You can’t have a relationship with your parents and be in a rock band. It’s not cool. It’s going to hurt your career.’”
Sum 41 fired Nori in 2005. Speaking with Toronto Star, Whibley said that Nori has yet to read the book. About his decision to come forward, Whibley said, “You can’t sue [someone] for telling the truth. If he wants to challenge it, I welcome that. Let’s go to court. Let’s go under oath. That would be fucking great! I welcome that part. Let’s get into discovery. I’ll have my lawyers grill you. They can grill me all they want. I mean, that would be fucking perfect! Finally, let’s get it on record!”
Nori has not yet addressed the allegations.