Exclusive: Broadway Calls kicks out bassist Matt Koenig

Punknews has been informed that Rainier, OR pop-punk trio Broadway Calls have given bassist/vocalist Matt Koenig the boot. Koenig gave us the following statement verbatim:

"Hello today, it's Matt Koenig here to break the sad sad news that i am no longer in Broadway Calls. I was asked to leave the band on the basis that I was decidedly no longer friends with the other band members, that my playing was "barely passable" and my "lack of song writing contribution". So that's that. People change, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. i find the whole thing unfortunate. My opinion is that i was an equally contributing member of the band i loved so much. I now get to focus on better things in my life.

I'm in no way done playing music, as I've already started a few bands with my friends around Portland. I'll be attending this years Fest in Gainsville, sure I'll see plenty of you there. But for now I'll put the focus of my life on my family and my wonderful new wife.

Over the past 4 and a half years I've met countless amazing people, too many to name but some of which are now my closest friends. Played hundreds of shows. Had dreams come true by touring with some of my favorite bands, and seeing more of the US and Canada then I would have ever hoped. Also, visiting Europe 4 times over was equally astounding as it was humbling. Getting to work with Adeline and Side One Dummy Records as well as Blasting Room Studios was an honor. An especially large 'thank you' to all of the people at those camps, without you this would have been a much different trip. And to anyone and everyone i met along the way, Thank you. I am forever changed. I now leave you with this, a fitting quote that i believe describes my time in BC perfectly, said by a much more well spoken man than myself...

Jeff Goldblum - "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs." Thanks friends."

We reached out to drummer Josh Baird, who confirmed the situation. "That is 100% correct," Baird said, adding that Koenig was actually kicked out in early June. "We talked over phone. We were going to do it in person but decided it would be better for everyone via phone. The main reasons were (1): Matt and I haven't really been friends the past few years--just two guys that happened to be in the same band. And (2): Once we got home from the last tour we were planning on writing a new record and wanted a third member to contribute with the songwriting instead of just [frontman] Ty [Vaughn] and I writing the records. Matt wasn't a part of the writing process."

Koenig has already been replaced with Adam Willis, who played with Vaughn and Baird in Countdown to Life. The band is currently writing for a new full-length.

Koenig was a founding member of the band, having played on the band's debut EP as well as their following two full-lengths, the most recent being Good Views, Bad News in 2009.