Burger Records President Resigns as Label Addresses “Culture of Toxic Masculinity”

Burger Records—the Fullerton, California garage rock label, record store, and festival organizer—released a statement tonight announcing “major structural changes,” including the resignation of co-founder and president Lee Rickard. The label said in the statement that the restructuring is coming in response to “a good deal of accusations [that] came out over the weekend.” Since Saturday, multiple anonymous allegations of sexual misconduct have been leveled against Burger Records’ artists and employees on social media.

In addition to Rickard’s departure, Burger co-founder Sean Bohrman announced plans to “move into a transitional role with the label” as Jessa Zapor-Gray becomes interim label president. Bohrman clarified to Pitchfork that he plans to eventually step down from his “temporary non-administrative role” to help Zapor-Gray transition into taking over label operations.

The label has also announced plans to rename itself to BRGR RECS and start an all-woman imprint called BRGRRRL. They’ve pledged to start a counseling fund “to help pay for counseling services for those who suffered such trauma while engaging in the Burger scene” and create safe spaces for women and minors at BRGR events. The label addressed its artists in the statement: “If you wish to leave the label, we will not stop you.”

“We extend our deepest apologies to anyone who has suffered irreparable harm from any experience that occurred in the Burger and indie/DIY music scene, the latter of which we take part,” the statement reads. “We are also deeply sorry for the role Burger has played in perpetuating a culture of toxic masculinity.” Find the label’s full statement below. On Saturday, Burger also shared a “zero tolerance” abuse policy.

We understand that we will never be able to comprehend the trauma that women have experienced while trying to find a place in the music scene. We are profoundly saddened and sickened by the pain suffered at the hands of a toxic male music culture that does not value women as equals.

We extend our deepest apologies to anyone who has suffered irreparable harm from any experience that occurred in the Burger and indie/DIY music scene, the latter of which we take part. We are also deeply sorry for the role Burger has played in perpetuating a culture of toxic masculinity.

We are sorry that we did not actively monitor this behavior well enough to make the Burger music scene safer for you. You should never feel you have to sacrifice your personal space to be able to enjoy music, for your career or in pursuit of your art; you shouldn’t feel you have to choose between music and your comfort.

But words can only go so far in repairing any damage that has been created. It is the ability to put past behaviors under a microscope, and to fully listen to those who have suffered as a result of such behaviors, in order to be able to truly make meaningful changes so that not only do those behaviors no longer occur, but real positive change can be made to meet the moment.

It is with this in mind that we have decided to make major structural changes to the label and create and implement active policy measures to address the culture that allowed such harm to occur.

To begin, Burger Records co-founder Sean Bohrman will move into a transitional role with the label. Label co-founder Lee Rickard will immediately step down from his role as label president, and fully divest all interest in the label. Jessa Zapor-Gray will assume the role of interim label president. Jessa comes to Burger with extensive experience in the music industry and an extensive familiarity with the Burger catalog. We look forward to having her take the helm at the label.