Dead Boys singer quits over proposed use of AI on new album
Jake Hout, the singer of the punk band Dead Boys, has quit the group. The vocalist is reportedly refusing to be part of their next album due to their record label’s interest in using artificial intelligence.
Dead Boys are a historic troupe. The band began in 1975 and are noted as one of the first punk bands alongside the Ramones, who were also their friends and peers. From the beginning, Stiv Bators was the band’s vocalist and set the tone of the group with his instantly recognisable voice.
Although Bators briefly returned when the group reunited in 1987, after calling it quits at the end of the 1970s, the singer sadly died in 1990 at age 40. Therefore, when the group decided to reunite again in 2017, they needed someone new to step up to the mic.
Jake Hout was invited into the fold, having caught the band’s attention in a zombie-themed Dead Boys tribute act, the Undead Boys. However, after years now of touring and working with the band, Hout has taken a stand and quit the group.
On November 25th, 2024, Dead Boys announced a new album, with original member Cheetah Chrome taking vocals and guitar with help from Blondie’s Clem Burke and Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock. However, Hout released a statement making it clear that he wasn’t involved in the album due to Cleopatra Records’ interest in using AI to recreate Stiv Bators’ voice.
“The shortest I can get this story is this: Cleopatra said it would be an A.I. record but Cheetah assured me it would NOT,” Hout shared on Instagram. “But the opening line of the contract reads…’Artist has agreed that such Performances shall be Vocal performances (the “Performances”) utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for purposes of creating works based on the original voice of Stiv Bators, to be used on Company’s master recordings of the songs’ ….So I said No.”
He continued, “I told Cheetah immediately I would be forced to quit publicly. And tell everybody why. And that it would probably go off like an H-bomb. This was in August. I reminded him frequently. Daily by the end. To no avail. I know that there are grey areas with line-up changes and artistic tools etc.”
As a member of the band that was already on complex ground following Bators’ death, Hout acknowledged his strange position in the group. He said, “There’s a massive irony here, I actually sympathize w the ‘no Stiv no Dead Boys’ crowd. -I get it! I always have! But, for me personally, A.I. is the bridge too far. I always tried to do right by Stiv and bring his music to life with heart and blood and passion and spirit. A.I. ain’t got none a that stuff.”
A press release for the record claims that the album is “artfully ‘dusted’ with Stiv’s iconic presence, ensuring the new material retains the raw, visceral energy that defined the Dead Boys’ sound”.
The band themselves seem to have no issue with the use of AI and put out their own statement about Hout’s departure. “It became clear that fans were unwilling to embrace him as a replacement for the late, great Stiv Bators, whose legendary presence remains irreplaceable,” they said.
They continued, “Since his departure, the former member has unleashed venom and anger against Dead Boys founder Cheetah Chrome and Cleopatra Records, spreading a storm of misinformation and untruths across social media. Despite these actions, the band remains united and focused on the future, urging fans with a clear message: “Wait for the record. You won’t be disappointed.” While the situation has been challenging, we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
The issue with AI in music
For years now, AI has been perceived as a threat in the entertainment world. In 2023, the SAG-AFTRA strike was the union’s longest strike in its history as actors demanded better protection against the threat of studios using their AI likeness without consent or compensation.
The same fear spreads into music as in April 2024, more than 200 artists signed an open letter to the Artist Rights Alliance, calling on all AI developers to “cease the use of artificial intelligence to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists.” Billie Eilish, Jon Bon Jovi, R.E.M and even the estate of Frank Sinatra were amongst the hundreds to sign it, making it clear that musicians too are concerned about the technology encroaching on their rights, worth and freedom.
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