Chicago alt-country label Bloodshot Records has issued a statement in response to allegations made this weekend by Bloodshot artist Lydia Loveless. In her posts, Loveless claimed shewas sexually harassed by Mark Panick, the domestic partner of the labels co-president Nan Warshaw. Panick is not an employee of the label.
Loveless, the singer-songwriter who has been one of Bloodshots premier artists since signing with the label in 2011 at 19, wrote on Instagram: Nan Warshaws domestic partner Mark Panick has long been a source of strife for me I do not think I am alone in experiencing his casual predation.
In her post, Loveless alleged a history of inappropriate behavior and comments from Panick. In 2015, at a label anniversary party, she wrote, He approached me and while resting his hand between my butt cheeks, told me he loved my messy hairdo because it reminded him of the way girls hair in high school would look after they blew him.
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I feel like Im going to break into a million pieces and this was hard to write. However I made an angry tweet yesterday and felt this was necessary. I know its going to cause problems for myself and a lot of other people but I am tired of carrying it around.
Warshaw responded with a letter on the labels Facebook page. I apologize for any hell or even awkwardness I put Lydia or anyone through, due to my actions or inactions. No one, and especially no one within the Bloodshot community, should ever have to tolerate sexual harassment; feeling safe and comfortable should be your right, wrote Warshaw, adding that shes taking some time away from the company. To be clear, my life partner, Mark Panick, does not work for Bloodshot in any capacity and has never been an employee of Bloodshot. Rob Miller co-owns Bloodshot with me. Because I dont want my personal decisions to be a negative distraction from the amazing work the bands and staff are doing, for the moment Im going to step away from Bloodshot.
Miller also issued his own lengthy statement, writing, in part, Mark Panick is not now, nor has ever been, an employee of Bloodshot Records Therefore, he is also not someone I can fire.
The shame, humiliation and rage I feel over this is, I fully understand, a fraction of what [Loveless] feels, he continued. To know that I did not see her discomfort as it was happening is something that I will forever regret. I have also learned a great deal about the larger problem and how I fit into it in the process, he wrote. I can assure everyone, it will not happen again.
Three-part statement from Co-Owner/Co-Founder Rob Miller pic.twitter.com/EzCB6JqvHS
Bloodshot Records (@BSHQ) February 18, 2019
According to Loveless, the label did not take proper action to prevent Panicks behavior from continuing. I dont think Bloodshot has maliciously encouraged this behavior but instead quieted it to protect their brand, she wrote.
Prior to Loveless accusations, Bloodshot Records also issued a statement this weekend about Ryan Adams, who released his breakthrough debut album Heartbreaker with the label in 2000. Last week, Adams was accused of sexual misconduct and emotional abuse by seven women. The Ryan Adams we have been hearing about over the past few days bears no resemblance to the one we knew back then, the statement read. To be emphatically clear, we never saw or heard a hint of the appalling behavior now coming to light.
We resolutely stand by his accusers, it continues. There is absolutely no room in the entertainment world for this behavior.
Loveless released the EP Boy Crazy and Single(s) in 2017. Her last full-length for the label was 2016s Real.