Faker frontman ‘king hit’
** UPDATE Wednesday, June 29 2011**
A statement from Nathan Hudson
There are a number of discrepancies between my claim and the story offered on the website of the Hotel New York. This is not entirely unexpected, but I do have some aversion to making this event, which was quite painful to me, into a public dissection.
On this occasion I will manage to cope with having been assaulted, it鈥檚 happened to me before, on other occasions, in different circumstances. What I do have real trouble with, is the possibility that the fight against homophobia could be tempered by the reporting of an incident which may appear to be less substantial due to the involvement of alcohol. For this reason I鈥檓 choosing to bow out of further public comment on this incident. Thank you to all of the people who have sent through or given their support.
– Nathan
**UPDATED**
The openly gay lead singer of Faker, Nathan Hudson, was allegedly attacked after performing at a gig at the Hotel New York in Launceston at the weekend.
The Sydney-based singer took to Twitter on Sunday morning, stating: “My recollection of last night is that I got beat up … It felt homophobic and it felt backward”. He later confirmed that the tweet was authentic.
“We signed a tour poster for the venue and I made a reference about celebrating equal marriage rights in New York, given the hotel name, which the manager was visibly unimpressed about,” Hudson told the Star Observer.
Hudson said he was later dragged out of the bar by a man who asked if he wanted to fight, telling him “you’ve been shitting me all night”. He said he refused but was “king-hit”.
“It was plainly aggressive, but felt connected to a candidness about sexuality,” Hudson told the Star Observer.
“As someone who has grown up being called ‘fag’ before I even knew what it meant, I’m hesitant to draw a parallel between aggression and homophobia, but that’s what I felt this to be,” he said.
Hudson said he had a bruised cheekbone but was otherwise ok. He was yet to decide whether he’d contact police about the incident.
Hotel New York released an official statement this afternoon saying they were shocked to hear Hudson’s recollection of events, saying it was “somewhat different to what happened” and what is recorded on their surveillance.
“After Mr Hudson performed he disappeared from the venue for numerous hours and when he returned at 3:30am he showed signs of being extremely intoxicated. He was refused entry to the nightclub but told he could retire to his room on the premises,” it read.
“Mr Hudson initially agreed but then insisted on going back into the club. He was then escorted back out to the front of the premises where he was monitored by our crowd controllers. Under Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming legislation, it would have been an offence to allow Mr Hudson into a licensed area whilst showing signs of intoxication.”
Management then alleges that Hudson returned at 5.50am and insisted on being served despite the venue being closed.
“After getting into a verbal argument with the venue鈥檚 manager they pushed each other and Nathan fell over. Nathan was then helped back up and assisted by other staff members to his room.”
They also claim that at no stage during Hudson’s time at Hotel New York was there mention of his sexuality.
“We are disappointed that Mr Hudson feels a homophobic attack took place… and we are currently in contact with Mr Hudson’s management to rectify this situation,” the statement concluded.
Hotel New York is popular with touring musicians and DJs in Tasmania.聽Faker’s performance at the venue was one of the first for the band since they began promoting their new album, Get Loved, which is released later in the year.
In May, the Tasmanian Government announced it was giving a $30,000 grant to three community organisations to help fight discrimination and abuse against the state’s LGBTI community.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesman Rodney Croome said the funding would contribute to a more accepting and safe Tasmania for everyone.
鈥淣ational surveys indicate that discrimination, prejudice and abuse against LGBTI Tasmanians is worse than the national average, making it crucial that we have robust, reliable data upon which to build effective anti-discrimination programs,鈥� Croome said at the time.
Earlier this month, an anti-equality meeting convened by the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Christian Lobby was held in Launceston to ‘save marriage’.
It’s interesting to note that nathan hasn’t Tweeted anything since…
Damage control much?
This is a pretty unbalanced story. Nathans post hang over twiiter comment:
“My last comment was authentic. I’m kind of sore (bruise on my left cheekbone) so I’m gonna be quiet while I try and figure out what happened”
Sounds to me like he has no idea what happened, and its disppointing you let this run being so unbalanced. Just you wait, he’s going to regret this storm in a tea cup
Isn’t it Ironic that this guy, Nathan, is obviously so susceptible to negative sterotypes by calling Tasmania homophobic and backward? It appears to me that the only one bringing homophobia to this issue is Nathan. As for being backward – Faker’s management obviously thought that Tasmania wasn’t too backward otherwise they’d not have covered Tassie in their tour.
Should I ever find myself in the same situation I unfortunately can’t blame homophobia – I’ll have to think of something else, like maybe that I’m white or short or just maybe that I’m too pissed and should find the nearest souvalaki and head home!
Last question – How can a fight feel homophobic?
Were the weapons of choice dildo’s and KY?
I live in Launceston, I have alot of gay friends and I know they feel as comfortable being who they are as they would other places they’ve been.
Tasmania is such a poorly judged place which hardly anyone gives any attention to, I think it’s sad that this one incident is slowly ruining any respect we had left.
Logical view point: As a small city in a small state that barely has anything entertaining to do on a regular basis, why would someone who would clearly want popularity, tourism and a good repuatation for treatment of live acts, potential ruin his future business oppurtunities?
I live in Launceston and although this incident may have happened (I wasn’t there but I don’t believe it did)and this is not the mainstream consensus toward homosexuality. As a resident, I know that homophobia is not a widespread opinion. I have alot of gay and lesbian friends, all of which are open and frank about their sexuality attend New York without any problems what-so-ever.
It sounds like a definite publicity stunt to me. Haven’t those guys been out of action for a while? (This is how a lot of people have been finding out he was gay to begin with! Probably manager included, lol) I’ve been to that hotel including with openly gay mates, male and female) quite a few times, and there’s never been a problem. Sounds like he’s sour because they didn’t let him behave however he wanted. Faker indeed!
@ DGrace
Yep, believe the ‘recollections’ of a drunk guy rather than multiple sober staff who are willing to share CCTV footage with the public. Makes lots of sense. Nathan Hudson was just sour and made the whole thing up- if he didn’t and it really happened, there’s no way he wouldn’t go to the police.
Based on the level of homophobia that still exists in this backward country, and having witnessed blatant homophobia at other hotels, even in Sydney, i know who i believe…
Why is it when ever a homosexual is involved in an incident like this, it’s considered a hate crime. Gays can be assholes when drunk. You can’t go in to a pub drunk, it’s a simple as that. I’ve been hassled by security trying to get in to a venue drunk many of times and I have been shoved because I was drunk and running my mouth off, not because I was gay #getoffthebandwagon
To all those generalising about Tasmanians… Queensland gave us Pauline Hanson, NSW gave us Tony Abbott, Victoria gave us Steve Fielding … but Tasmania gave you Bob Brown!
Wow, that is two very different stories! Someone is telling porkies…
@John 5:01pm
Your clear personal dislike of Nathan is kind of discrediting your side of the story.
[…] gave an interview with gay and lesbian publication Star Observer, in which he said, 鈥淲e signed a tour poster for the venue and I made a reference about […]
Any reason why this website has not allowed our previous comment – our official statement on the matter – to be posted?
Ed’s Note: Your statement is included in the story.
Nathan was pushed over after trying force his way into a Venue intoxicated! He hit his head on the ground and was never punched. I witnessed him in Hotel New york being an arrogant pig, stealing peoples drinks and pumping in to everyone. I wonder how much he really remembers about that night, or is this just a publicity stunt at the venues expense!! I wouldnt be surprised if he retracts the statement soon, because it is total lie!!
Wow are you people so naive to believe without corroboration, the evidence of a touring band member, with one suspect hit on their CV, a fat ego (have you ever heard them being interviewed), and an atrocious new single! This is a publicity grab, completely and utterly.
I’d put my money on the hotel CCTV telling a very different story.
What a loser.
Did it every occur to anyone that the hotel manager may be telling the truth.
HHHmmm this is a very different recollection of events to the venue official statement, everyone out there bagging “rural Australia or Tasmania” about being Homophobic or violent should at least read the official statement, it might just change your point of view.
link:
Bianca is right. Everybody, please don’t jump to conclusions about HNY, Launceston or Tasmania based on a one sided media release. The whole story is yet to come out.
According to several accounts from local musicians, his behaviour was shocking. He wasn’t king hit, but was subdued due to his behaviour. Anybody, gay or not, would be treated the same way. It appears he is using being Gay as an excuse for his behaviour.
While I feel sorry for Nathan Hudson, this sort of nonsense happens all of the time in rural areas of Australia. Transpeople in particular get treated like this regularly, if not worse.
Why is it that it takes a white, gay male to be treated like this for the bigotry of a lot of Australia’s rural areas to be exposed in both the gay and mainstream media? Why not events where people have been inarguably way worse hurt?
Violence at anytime is disgusting.
As a born Tasmanian I have found amazing support and love from the local people’s. I heard the Faker show was a joyous triumph.
This angry fool who decided the express his homophobia via punching is in the minority in beautiful Tasmania. I can’t imagine the venue supporting his behaviour at all. Nor the special locals. Don’t let this one wanker spoil Tasmania.
For a fellow Tasmanian who is of Asian appearance (lived here my entire life) knows what prejudice many locals hold. I’ve been at the end of many racial slurs and comments so I definitely understand how backwards Tasmania can be. But one incident where only one of the parties has spoken out is a little unfair to judge a venue and state by. I don’t know any more details than what is in the media or from his twitter account but no one really knows the full story.
What also irritates me is people who have made comment above about judging our beautiful state and not coming here because of one incident at a venue that they were most likely not going to visit anyway. That to me is judgmental and the same as the ‘manager’ in question. It’s generalizing and unfair.
Like someone has said above 90% are forward thinking and open minded. And whatever actually did happen in this situation, if in fact it was gay related, there is only a small percentage anywhere in the world that has to ruin it for other people.
I’m with Sarah (and kind of the Ed to note similarly), as a fellow sensible Tasmania dweller.
At the ‘save marriage’ meeting I met lovely young people of Shield Tasmania who are working to get LGBTIQ-friendly social events going in Launceston, in response to what they described to me as a ‘general feeling of unease’ about the city’s night life.
It’s simple. If Nathan was pissing this guy off so much, why stick around to watch him? The small amount of people who like to ruin opportunities such as this, just make Tassies reputation so much worse. It’s like Lisa Mitchell who got things thrown at her head and booed off stage at MS Fest this year..its just plain selfish and down right embarrassing for the 90% of us who actually appreciate the fact that we get great Talent in our state.
Luscious Lani, do you appreciate the irony in your wholesale dismissal of an entire state’s population based on a stereotype?
I’m Tasmanian born and bred, and I think this attack (and discrimination in general) is completely abhorrent. I can also say quite confidently that all of my friends and family would agree.
I’d appreciate it if people wouldn’t generalise based on the disgusting actions of a small number of violent idiots.
Disgusting.
Nathan is a total babe and lovely, sweet, talented man. He kills himself with work to make his music and his audiences experience incredible.
The venue has not only seen fit to not see Nathan as an artist and a person, but has also decided to alienate and spread hatred about a very important issue to boot.
I won’t be attending Hotel New York again and I’ll tell everyone I know about this homophobic hateful place!
God, this makes me so damn angry. I have lived in Tasmania all my life and there are so many narrow-minded, idiotic people who make Tasmania seem like a breeding ground for intolerance. Please be assured we are not all intolerant fools. On behalf of all sensible Tasmanians I am so sorry this happened :(
Ed’s Note: Don’t worry Sarah, we certainly don’t …
Was going to have a nice weekend away in Tassie with my boyfriend, we might head to Adelaide now after reading this.
This really doesn’t surprise me. Intolerance seems to be Tasmania’s thing. I was treated terribly based on my occupation during a visit last July, and a Portuguese friend of mine was beaten up because his olive complexion and beard apparently make him a terrorist.
I feel very sorry for anyone who both lives there and doesn’t fit into the narrow minded mould Tasmania thinks is proper.
Will definitely no longer allow any of my artists anywhere near Hotel New York.