With Doc Coyle recently calling out former Bad Wolves singer Tommy Vext for his harassment of the band, the guitarist has been sharing of late some of the continued hate that he’s received online through the social media platform X from those who support the group’s former frontman.
Vext and the band parted ways in 2021, with there initially being lawsuits filed that were eventually resolved. But in the aftermath of the split, Coyle recently stated that he and the band had “publicly and serially harassed” and that Vext’s comments and actions seem to be facilitating some of the hatred toward them.
READ MORE: Bad Wolves’ Doc Coyle Calls Out Tommy Vext for Harassing the Band
In a recent string of tweets, Coyle offers up some of the examples of hate that’s come his way while commenting on how it needs to be brought to light.
“This is what encouraged online harassment looks like. This is all from the last day & I couldn’t include them all. None of these people follow me. They were sent here. I’m sharing this to give you all a window into my day to day experience when we are being attacked relentlessly,” explained Coyle, who offered up slides of tweets calling him “worthless,” “a piece of shit” and “a vile Marxist.”
He went on to add, “I don’t blame these people. These are good people who have been manipulated. They are misdirected. Misinformed. Radicalized. Music is supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be joy. Beauty. It should bring us together,” while sharing more hate messages.
“For the most part, the internet isn’t real. Tonight, Bad Wolves played a headline show in front of a packed crowd and it was filled with love. But this stuff still hurts. To be told you’re nothing,” Coyle continued while sharing additional hate messages from Vext supporters.
“I hope this will one day stop,” he continued. “Even in the midst of it, I’m filled with gratitude for all the love and support we’ve gotten. 90% of which been positive. Generally I wouldn’t spotlight this ugliness. But I had to share what it’s like for us on a day to day basis.”
With each tweet, more examples were shared. Coyle added, “And it’s been going on for 3 1/2 years. The goal of online disparagement and harassment is simple: Turn fans against us. Destroy the brand. Make our lives miserable so that we quit. Give up. Change the name. Go away. We need to fail for someone else to win.”
“We’re fucking killing it. This has brought us closer together. A band of brothers on a mission,” adds the guitarist. “I’ve failed before in the music industry. I’m not afraid to fail. If the people decide they don’t like us, I’m ok with that. The band can die, but I won’t have it be murdered.”
He concluded with a Martin Luther King quote, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Coyle also posted another comment in which his comment of “Ouch” about Vext’s recent arrest led to someone responding that Bad Wolves and Coyle supported women’s abuse and pedophilia.
“Look at what they are saying now. There is no low. Saying the worst thing you can say about another person,” commented the guitarist. “I thought y’all were against cancel culture. This is so wild and dangerous. Looks like I’m a target. Last post for a while. Taking a siesta from all this hate. Peace.”
More of Doc Coyle’s Comments on Hate Messages
Coyle made note of one person who commented, “BW is garbage w/o TV,” showcasing their X profile that noted they were “a believer in Jesus Christ,” then noting, “Exactly how Jesus told people to behave to their fellow man. This is so sad. Good people inspired to treat people like crap.”
He also responded to a fan who had shared a Trapt social media post that read, “Such a shame Bad Wolves kicked Tommy Vext out. It’s rare that any band actually makes a career out of what they do. Bad Wolves was one of the few rock bands to make it out of the last decade. Now the new singer berates the fans who want to hear Tommy sing. Not very classy. Pretty sad to see this.”
The fan noted that he had engaged with both Vext and the Trapt singer and was immediately blocked, to which Coyle responded, “When Trapt is coming at you, you know you’re on the right side of history.”
How Doc Coyle Responded to Fan Commentary on the Harassment
When one fan told Coyle, “Giving this guy oxygen is a mistake, anyone with a brain knows he’s a douche; but even acknowledging him is his entire goal,” the guitarist responded, “In general, you are correct. But in this moment, it is important to show the world what it’s like to be in this situation. There needs to be a public record of this behavior.”
When he was told that both sides were acting like “spoilt kids” and needed to “grow up,” Coyle offered, “If someone punches you 1,000 times and you punch back once, is that childish? Is that pathetic? I hope nothing like this ever happens to you. The lack of empathy is unbelievable.”
It was then suggested that he be the better person, to which Coyle offered, “And at least call out the disparity. Don’t say it’s equal when it’s 1000 to 1. If I have to turn the other cheek, at least defend us & not both sides it. It’s not both sides.”
Another fan asked how much of an impact it had on his life, to which Coyle offered, “You should see my DMs. Dozens of people calling me a piece of shit. It’s not fun.”
When the person responded that it was easy to dwell in the bad but that there is support to also counter it, Coyle explained, “The support is alway 90% directly to us. But negative feedback that is filled with hate has a way of hitting you. Especially when it’s based on falsehood. Why would people hate musicians? Unless they were motivated. It’s strange and alien to me.”
What’s Next for Bad Wolves?
Bad Wolves continue to tour in support of their 2023 album, Die About It. They’ll be back onstage tomorrow night (May 17) in Reading, Pennsylvania, with their current tour leg scheduled to run through a June 1 appearance at the So What?! music festival in Fort Worth, Texas. There are also festival dates on the books for the summer. See all Bad Wolves tour dates and get ticketing info through their website.
