Brighton based Metalcore band, Architects, has recently been embroiled in controversy since one of the band’s guitarists, Adam Christianson, retweeted a homophobic and transphobic post from online commentator Tim Pool. For those unaware, Tim Pool is a far-right online commentator who began his career through coverage of the 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests.
Since 2011, Pool has taken a significant shift right, choosing to focus his work on American culture-war issues like LGBTQ rights. Tim Pool hosts a daily podcast on YouTube and is well known online for his inflammatory and discriminatory comments surrounding the LGBTQ community. One of Pool’s largest talking points surrounds a conspiracy theory that suggests that LGBTQ community deliberately recruits children into their movement for political purposes. This conspiracy also implies that there is a sexual element to this recruitment process. In the wake of a 2022 shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ club in Colorado, Pool attempted to justify the attack by saying “Club Q had a grooming event”.
We shouldnt tolerate pedophiles grooming kids
Club Q had a grooming event
How do prevent the violence and stop the grooming? https://t.co/loVoG3A3ot
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) November 22, 2022
As reported by Loudwire, the post shared by Christianson was a quote tweet by Pool regarding an interview with mixed martial arts fighter, Sean Strickland. When asked whether he would accept having a gay son, Strickland returned the question to his interviewer who said that he would have “no problem with it”. In response to his interviewer, Strickland said: “You’re a weak f*****g man”. The fighter then went on to say that: “ten years ago, to be trans was a mental f****n’ illness and now all of a sudden, people like you have f****n’ weaselled your way into the world… you [Strickland’s interviewer] are an infection”. On January 17th, Tim Pool replied to Strickland’s interview, saying “F*****g A+ guy right here”. Evoking far-right sentiments of social disease with regards to LGBTQ people, both Pool’s and Strickland’s comments are intensely derogatory.
HOLY FUCK Fucking A+ guy right here Thanks bud light for bringing us this message on the infection that is the woke left https://t.co/G17Drog39b — Tim Pool (@Timcast) January 17, 2024
This thread was reposted by Architects’ Adam Christianson for a brief period, before being promptly removed. On January 19th, Christianson apologised for his actions, saying: “that retweet was a total accident!”. However, some online are sceptical of Christianson’s backpedalling, citing his history of reposting and liking tweets that share similar sentiments to those of Pool. Christianson has previously liked and retweeted content from other commentators like Zuby Music who has previously evoked conspiracies reminiscent of those pedalled by the likes of Tim Pool.
Shit! That retweet was a total accident!! I don’t endorse anything that guy says other than fuck Trudeau. Sorry for the panic everyone! Complete all-thumbs moment.
— Adam Christianson (@adamarchitects) January 19, 2024
Speaking at a gig in Paris yesterday the band’s frontman, Sam Carter, said: “nobody on this stage judges anybody for their gender, their race, and whoever they are in love with. We never have, we never will”. Although the video does not explicitly mention Christianson’s online activity, many online have drawn a connection between the two events.
Sam Carter has spoken on stage about Architects views in lieu of a recent post shared by guitarist Adam Christianson. “No one on this stage judges anyone for their gender…” @therottendoll_pic.twitter.com/5B1xcD7P1Z — State of the Scene (@SOTSPodcast) January 24, 2024
After announcing a US tour, starting in May of this year, Architects are currently on their European tour that will run until February.
