{"id":378016,"date":"2025-08-27T16:04:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T16:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/378016\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T16:04:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T16:04:15","slug":"cradle-of-filth-members-cite-low-pay-and-stress-for-exit-as-well-as-slamming-upcoming-ed-sheeran-collaboration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/378016\/","title":{"rendered":"Cradle Of Filth members cite “low pay” and “stress” for exit, as well as slamming upcoming Ed Sheeran collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Cradle Of Filth<\/a> members Marek \u201cAshok\u201d \u0160merda and Zoe Marie Federoff have alleged that \u201clow pay\u201d and \u201cstress\u201d are the reasons for their departures.<\/p>\n

Frontman Dani Filth recently took to social media to announce that the metal band had fired guitarist \u0160merda with immediate effect. It came shortly after \u0160merda shared his own posts, announcing that he would be leaving Cradle Of Filth at the end of their current tour.<\/p>\n

\u0160merda\u2019s wife and the group\u2019s keyboardist, Zoe Marie Federoff, also left the band mid-tour a day before \u0160merda\u2019s update<\/a>. The couple initially cited \u201ccertain events\u201d within the band as their reasons for wanting to quit.<\/p>\n

\u0160merda explained in his post that the pair \u201cdo not feel like Cradle can provide for our future, and in fact hinders it\u201d.<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cAmong other reasons it is a lot of work for relatively low pay, the stress is quite high, and we haven\u2019t felt for a while like this band actually prioritising\/caring about members. It has been years of unprofessional behaviour from people above us that led to our decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The musician went on to say that he had asked for \u201call compositions of mine [to be] removed from upcoming releases\u201d, including Cradle Of Filth\u2019s long-awaited collaboration with Ed Sheeran<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Criticising the team-up with the singer-songwriter, \u0160merda said: \u201cThis song feels like foolish clown antics for me at this point anyways \u2013 first it was charity single for kids, then for profit single, then on next album, and now who knows, and I just do not want to be involved anymore, no disrespect to Ed Sheeran.\u201d<\/p>\n

He then addressed online speculation about \u201cpersonal affairs\u201d regarding his marriage, adding: \u201cJust stop this, please. We are trying to start [a] new chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u0160merda promised to \u201cfinish this tour strong\u201d, albeit without his wife. However, Filth later shared a statement in which he fired \u0160merda with immediate effect. Additionally, he hit back at what he described as \u0160merda\u2019s \u201cattempts to illegally defame and derail the band\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rest of the band are cool, even if taken aback, and accusations toward management, who work very closely with me and the band are completely unjust and unfounded,\u201d he wrote. \u201cPatience is a virtue and the truth will always come out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Federoff, meanwhile, has updated a statement about the situation on Facebook<\/a>. \u201cThis is our final account of what\u2019s happened and why,\u201d she captioned the post, which alleged that the couple \u201cmake [\u00a3]150\/day currently and [\u00a3]25K a year roughly in this band, to clarify the math\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Please read the statement from Marek Ashok Smerda too.This is our final account of what\u2019s happened and why.*edit* We make 150\/day currently and 25K a year roughly in this band, to clarify the math.<\/p>\n

Posted by Zoe Marie Federoff<\/a> on\u00a0Tuesday, August 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

She also attached what she described as her contract from the band, appearing to show \u201cthe terms of the agreement\u201d for her \u201cservices as a performer and recording artist with the group professionally known as \u2018Cradle Of Filth’\u201d.<\/p>\n

The document sets out \u201cthe sum of \u00a3200.00 per day for all days upon which you are required to perform, record, rehearse, or attend other activities with or on behalf of the Artist\u201d, as well as \u201c\u00a3150.00 for days spent travelling\u201d, and a \u201c\u2018per diem\u2019 of \u00a325.00 per day for each day upon which your services are required by the Artist\u201d.<\/p>\n

It also mentions \u201can annual payment of \u00a31,000.00 for the use of your image and\/or performance in videos, merchandising, photographs, other such promotional materials to be paid prior to each 31 December that you perform with the Artist\u201d.<\/p>\n

Federoff said: \u201cWe planned this transition out of Cradle of Filth months ago. Management is dishonest, manipulative, and tries to take money that belongs to us with no contract between us session musicians and him.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also made an allegation that unnamed \u201cmanagement\u201d had attempted to \u201csteal\u201d album advance money from their 2025 record, \u2018The Screaming Of The Valkyries\u2019<\/a>, and that she had been threatened with dismissal.<\/p>\n

The musician went on: \u201cThe frontman does nothing to stop them and hides behind them while they belittle and steal. We hold the frontman responsible for hiring this management and never advocating for his team, only himself. Other ex members try to tiptoe around this and only blame management management works for the frontman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelsey Peters will be taking over on backing vocals and keyboard duties for the remainder of the tour. In his statement, Filth told fans that \u201cAshok\u2019s temporary replacement is [being] flown out to join the tour in a few days\u201d.<\/p>\n

He promised that the group \u201cWILL NOT cancel any of our South American shows\u201d, but asked his followers to \u201cbear with us\u201d as they continue \u201cwith only one guitarist live\u201d in the meantime.<\/p>\n

In a previous update, Filth said<\/a> \u201cthe mood in the camp is very upbeat and positive\u201d. He also thanked fans for their \u201ccontinued support and for not listening to all the bullshit rumours and sickly worms presiding over the internet\u201d.<\/p>\n

NME has contacted Cradle Of Filth\u2019s representatives for comment.<\/p>\n

Filth revealed that Cradle Of Filth\u2019s team-up with Sheeran was \u201cdone and dusted\u201d<\/a> at the start of this year, but later confirmed that it would not appear on \u2018The Screaming Of The Valkyries\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Earlier this summer, Dani Filth proposed to his long-term girlfriend Sofiya Belousova during Cradle Of Filth\u2019s performance at Download Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n