Couple Refused Apartment in Toronto Because He's in a Metal Band
Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 11:11AMIf you're into metal, you may be aware of Vilipend. Mike Crossley is the bass player.
A while ago, he and his wife, Lara, arranged a verbal deal to rent an apartment from a landlord known only as Suzanne. Things were going fine until Suzanne did a little reading up on Vilipend. That's when everything went all pear-shaped.
Here's a quote from an email from Suzanne and Mike:
We were quite ready to make a decision in your favour the other night. However, upon investigation of the band Vilipend, it has brought forward some concerns for us. We are uncomfortable with the energy that this music manifests.
Mike and Lara look at this as discrimination. From Classic Rock:
The point is not that a couple of twenty-somethings missed out on a decent apartment. If Lara and I were discriminated against as a dual full-time income, caucasian, middle-class, heterosexual couple with good references and credit checks, imagine the difficult somebody who doesn’t have those advantages must experience.
This could get interesting. Read more here. Then check out Lara's blog post.
As far as the "energy that this music manifests," judge for yourself.
Reader Comments (6)
I'd venture to guess this metal band has a new album coming out and this reasoning is being used as 'promotional material'. I find it very hard to believe this type of discrimination is legitimate.
To this that this type of discrimination was "staged" as a publicity stunt needs to get their head out of their fucked up asshole.
Seems to me this boils down to "are these two gonna make a lot of racket at night?" Landlord thought yes... who cares! There are REAL problems in the world. Like where is the pizza I ordered 45 minutes ago!!!!
Did you listen to that sound clip? I'd turn them down too. I love my metal, but that was awful.
Seriously though, turning them down because of musical preferences? As ridiculous as turning them down for sexual orientation or colour.
Scot, don't be such a cynic! Your comment is actually pretty apropros; your assumption that Mike can't possibly be facing such 'real issues' as trying to find an apartment, and this is just a ruse for band publicity passes judgement on us as everyday people, which is pretty much what the landlord did. Take off your tinfoil hat.
Yes, it is true that people are now consequently talking about the band, but this story has spread far beyond what we expected or even intended. An initial post on Mike's personal Facebook, followed by a post on my personal Tumblr (with a meagre 42 followers at the time), were merely to vent frustration, we did not expect so many people to take notice. Actually, the supposition that this is a publicity stunt could also be applied to my Tumblr, since I'm up 20 followers! I'm aiming for an even 70 now so keep sending those followers my way, Alan!
But seriously, this actually happened and we're surprised by the feedback. All we want to do now is draw attention to the fact that the rental landscape in Toronto is barren and discrimination happens to all kinds of people everyday. Like Mike said on the FB band page: "Thanks for the positive feedback, everyone! If we're being discriminated against as a dual full-time income, white, middle-class, heterosexual couple with good references just because I play in Vilipend, imagine the difficulty somebody who doesn't have those advantages must experience. - Crossley". Now start pre-ordering that new album! It's being renamed to "Let Us Live With You, We Do Our Dishes"
Edit: the landlord knew right from the beginning that Mike was in a band, that they have a rented rehearsal space, and that no loud music would be played at the apartment, which she was satisfied and comfortable with.
Lara,
Count your blessings and move on. The landlord sounds like a fruit-loop. Renters are discriminated against for all manner of subjective excuses, law or no law. Landlords like this one can make the nicest rental unit into a nightmare on elm street. Sounds like you dodged a bullet. Good luck!