The back-and-forth between Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley and his former manager Greig Nori continued this week, with Whibley challenging Nori to settle things in court.
Earlier this month, Whibley accused Nori of coercing him into a sexual relationship when Nori was in his 30s and Whibley was a teenager. The explosive allegations were shared with the Star and detailed in Whibley’s memoir “Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell.”
Nori, who initially did not respond to the Star’s requests for comments, issued a statement last week, denying Whibley’s allegations. In Nori’s statement, he said that it was Whibley who initiated the relationship, which he describes as consensual.
On Tuesday, Whibley posted a video on Instagram responding directly to Nori.
“I take no pleasure in coming out with the truth about what happened between me and my ex-manager, but it was something that I just couldn’t keep in anymore, and I had to let it out,” Whibley said. “It’s come to my attention that Greig Nori has now called me a liar. I tell you right now, I stand behind every word that’s in my book, 100 per cent. I’m not a liar.”
Whibley also stated that he was willing to defend himself in court.
“Greig Nori, if you think I’m a liar, there’s only one way to settle this,” Whibley said. “Under oath, in front of a judge, in front of a jury. Anytime you want. I’m ready. Whenever you are.”
At the end of the short video, Whibley thanks his friends, family and band for their support. “We’ll get through this like we get through everything else.”
The initial allegations by Whibley, now 44, sent shock waves throughout the Canadian music industry.
During the 2000s, Nori, now 61, was an established figure in the country’s rock scene. He was a host of the MuchMusic reality show “Disband,” and produced music for Canadian rock acts including Hedley and Marianas Trench. He was also the frontman of the band Treble Charger.
In Whibley’s memoir, he wrote that Nori pressured him into a “toxic” relationship that was all-consuming. Whibley wrote that Nori offered advice, gifted him with musical equipment and allegedly introduced him to ecstasy.
Prior to Nori’s denial, Whibley expressed his confidence in taking his accusations to court.
“You can’t sue (someone) for telling the truth,” Whibley told writer Nick Krewen in an interview with the Star. “If he wants to challenge it, I welcome that. Let’s go to court. Let’s go under oath. That would be f — king 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 f — king perfect! Finally, let’s get it on record!”
The arrival of Whibley’s memoir comes 27 years after Sum 41 broke onto the music scene. Buoyed by hits like “Fat Lip” and “In Too Deep,” the band went on to sell over 15 million records worldwide.
Last fall, the band announced that it plans to call it quits following their farewell tour through North America, which concludes with a pair of dates at Scotiabank Arena on Jan. 28 and 30.
With files from Nick Krewen.
