Ethan Kath

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ethan Kath

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1977|12|25}}

| image = Ethan Kath, Popped Music Festival.jpg

| caption = Ethan Kath performing with Crystal Castles at Popped! Music Festival, 2011

| landscape = yes

| birth_name = Claudio Paolo Palmieri

| alias = Ethan Deth, Ethan Cawke

| origin = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| genre = {{flatlist|

}}

| occupation = Musician, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist

| years_active = 2000–2017

| label = {{flatlist|

Lies
Last Gang
Fiction
Merok}}

| past_member_of = Crystal Castles, Kïll Cheerleadër, Die Mannequin, Jakarta

| instrument = Keyboards, synthesizers, sampler, guitar, bass guitar, drums, vocoder

}}

Claudio Paolo Palmieri{{cite web |url=http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&fromrow=1&torow=25&affiliation=SOCAN&cae=438189331&keyID=1183066&keyname=PALMIERI+CLAUDIO+PAOLO&querytype=WriterID |title=BMI Repertoire - Songwriter/Composer: PALMIERI CLAUDIO PAOLO |publisher=BMI |access-date=2016-03-16 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/secret_identity_of_crystal_castles_ethan|title=Secret Identity of Crystal Castles' "Ethan" Revealed!|publisher=Exclaim|author=Lindsay, Cam|date=7 March 2008|access-date=2 February 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://vancouverweekly.com/crystal-castles-make-the-ballroom-bounce/|title=Crystal Castles Make the Ballroom Bounce|publisher=Vancouver Weekly|author=Beason, Andrew|date=1 November 2012|access-date=4 February 2016|archive-date=24 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824092627/http://vancouverweekly.com/crystal-castles-make-the-ballroom-bounce/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/technology/caring-for-castles/|title=Caring for Castles|publisher=NOW Toronto|author=Errett, Joshua|date=27 April 2009|access-date=4 February 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.alice-glass.com/cc/|title=Alice Glass Statement|website=Alice Glass|access-date=2017-12-17}}{{cite web |url=http://www.thefader.com/2006/12/12/walking-on-glass |title=Walking On Glass, "I am a decade older than Alice." |publisher=The FADER |access-date=October 22, 2020}} (born December 25, 1977), known professionally as Ethan Kath, is a Canadian musician. He was the co-founder and songwriter/producer for Crystal Castles and bassist of Kïll Cheerleadër and Die Mannequin.

Biography

=Early life and Career=

Kath was born to Italian parents in Toronto, Ontario on December 25, 1977.{{cite web | url=https://www.alice-glass.com/cc/ | title=Alice Glass Statement }} Prior to Crystal Castles, Kath played different instruments in many bands. At age 14, he played drums in Jakarta, an anarchist-hardcore band. Later, he was the bassist in a sleaze metal band called Kïll Cheerleadër under the pseudonym "Ethan Deth", originally "Ethan Cawke".{{cite web | last =Magazine | first =SPIN | title = Kill Cheerleader | date =October 2006 | publisher = SPIN | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=iemUgvxmQcYC&pg=PA50 | access-date =2016-01-03}}{{Cite web |last=Liss |first=Sarah |date=2002-08-08 |title=Cheerleader - NOW Magazine |url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/cheerleader/ |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=NOW Toronto |language=en-US}} He was also in a two-piece folk band.{{cite web |title=Crystal Castles Interview, mp3s, secret show! |work=Sparks vs Space blog |url=http://sparksvsspace.blogspot.com/2007/06/3-newer-cc-remixes.html |date=June 12, 2007 |access-date=25 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516185801/http://sparksvsspace.blogspot.com/2007/06/3-newer-cc-remixes.html |archive-date=16 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}

Crystal Castles were known for the elusiveness of their off-stage lives and identities. Kath was routinely photographed wearing hoodies which obscured some or all of his face and has gone by many different aliases over the years.

Rolling Stone named Crystal Castles icons of 20 Years of Lollapalooza.{{cite web|title=Lollapalooza Through the Years|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/lollapalooza-through-the-years-10-iconic-moments-in-style-20110809|work=rollingstone.com Celebs|date=9 August 2011|publisher=rollingstone.com|access-date=21 August 2011}} Kath and his band Crystal Castles received the John Peel Award For Innovation at the 2011 NME Awards.{{cite web|title=Crystal Castles get John Peel Award For Innovation at Shockwaves NME Awards |url=https://www.nme.com/news/crystal-castles--2/55118|work=NME.com Celebs|date=26 February 2010|publisher=NME.com|access-date=21 August 2011}} Crystal Castles' debut album was included in NME's "Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade" list at #39.{{cite web | last =Magazine | first =NME | title = The Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade | date =11 November 2009 | publisher = NME | url =https://www.nme.com/list/the-top-100-greatest-albums-of-the-decade/158049/page/7 | access-date =2011-08-21}}

=Sexual misconduct allegations=

On October 24, 2017, Alice Glass posted a statement on her official website explaining her departure from Crystal Castles, accusing co-founder Ethan Kath of sexual, physical and mental abuse. The accusations detail the alleged abuse starting when Glass was 15 and began recording with Kath, and escalated until her eventual departure from Crystal Castles.{{cite web |url=http://www.alice-glass.com/cc/ |title=Alice Glass Statement {{!}} alice-glass.com|last=alice-glass.com |website=alice-glass.com |language=en-GB |access-date=October 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217033750/https://alice-glass.com/cc/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |url-status=live }} Kath responded the same day in a statement issued to Pitchfork through his attorney, where he called the accusations "pure fiction" and said he was consulting with his lawyers as to his legal options.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/alice-glass-accuses-crystal-castles-co-founder-ethan-kath-of-rape-and-assault/ |title=Alice Glass Accuses Crystal Castles Co-Founder Ethan Kath of Rape and Assault; Kath Responds |publisher=Pitchfork |date=24 October 2017}} Kath subsequently sued Glass for defamation, which was dismissed in February 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1970507/crystal-castles-ethan-kath-sues-alice-glass-for-defamation/news/ |title=Crystal Castles' Ethan Kath Sues Alice Glass For Defamation |publisher=Stereogum |last=Rettig |first=James |date=2017-11-03 |access-date=2017-11-03}}{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/alice-glass-says-ethan-kaths-defamation-suit-is-dismissed/ |title=Alice Glass Triumphs in Ethan Kath's Defamation Suit |publisher=Pitchfork|last1=Strauss |first1=Matthew |last2=Minsker |first2=Evan |date=23 February 2018|access-date=23 February 2018}} Police Constable Allyson Douglas-Cook of the Toronto Police Service confirmed on December 21, 2017, that Palmieri was the subject of a currently open Sex Crimes unit investigation.{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/ethan-kath-of-crystal-castles-being-investigated-for-sexual-assault-police-confirm |title=Ethan Kath of Crystal Castles Under Sex Crimes Investigation, Police Confirm |publisher=The Daily Beast Company LLC |date=21 December 2017}}

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Glass and four other women came forward alleging that Kath had sexually preyed on them when they were teenagers and he was in his mid to late twenties. With Kath using his fame in Crystal Castles and Kill Cheerleader to get in contact with them at a young age, the alleged victims stated that he took advantage of their naivety and supplied them with drugs and alcohol in order to coerce them into sexual acts.{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-indie-rocker-accused-of-sexually-abusing-young-fans |title=The Indie Rocker Accused of Sexually Abusing Young Fans |publisher=The Daily Beast Company LLC |last=Zimmerman |first=Amy |date=February 16, 2018 |access-date=November 21, 2021}}

Glass later gave an interview with The Guardian and further elaborated on Kath's behavior towards her, commenting that he had thrown her phone out of a moving car, torn her hair out, lied about the nature of her rib injury, and had at several points gone against doctor's orders and made her perform after she received a concussion. Kath also held onto Glass's passport and controlled her finances, preventing her from having her own cell phone or credit card until a couple of years before she left. Glass also mentioned that if she ever thought of leaving Crystal Castles, Kath would threaten to replace her with someone "who's a better singer and who would put up with a lot worse than [she] would". After discovering that Kath had behaved similarly towards other women, Glass felt it was her responsibility to come forward.{{Cite web|last=Snapes |first=Laura |date=June 15, 2018 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/15/alice-glass-on-leaving-crystal-castles-the-cruelty-never-ceases-to-amaze-me |title=Alice Glass on leaving Crystal Castles: 'The cruelty never ceases to amaze me' |website=The Guardian |access-date=November 13, 2021}}