The lead singer of Hands Like Houses, Trenton Woodley, has left the band.
Woodley has been a key figure in the band for more than a decade, having been part of their formation in Canberra, Australia in 2008.
In a post to social media, Woodley explained that his time with the band had come to an end, whilst also citing some of the “differences of perspective” with the rest of Hands Like Houses.
Hands Like Houses shared their first new music in two years in December, with single ‘Hurricane’ being their first release since their self-titled 2020 EP.
The band have achieved two Top 10 ARIA-charting albums: 2016’s Dissonants and 2018’s Anon, and attained more than 130 million Spotify streams.
Here’s Woodley’s statement in full:
“It breaks my heart to say it, but my time with Hands Like Houses has come to an unexpected end. I’m still sorting through some very mixed emotions, but ultimately I’ve accepted that there’s a future for HLH that I’m not a part of, and wish the band success in however they choose to pursue it.
“I’ve included some further context for those it matters to. Thank you to all who have made this chapter of my life possible.
“Over the years, differences of perspective in how we create and operate have inevitably slowed us down. I always believed those differences made us more deliberate, more patient, and more confident when things ultimately came together. But even healthy friction is still friction.
“I wholeheartedly accept a share of responsibility for some of our dysfunctions – it’s a natural part of being in something you care about for as long as we all have. But I’ve been unexpectedly singled out by the rest of the band as the necessary chance to move forward.
“As a new dad, I completely acknowledge that my priorities have led me to pursue and maintain a more stable and sustainable career outside of music to support my family.
“Neither parenting nor my day job precluded me from continuing to contribute creatively but it’d be dishonest to suggest it had no impact whatsoever on my ability to commit the kind of time and energy the band seemed to expect of me in reaching this decision.
“For those reasons, I’ve made peace with the idea that there’s a future for HLH that I’m not a part of. I always saw HLH as more than the sum of its parts, belonging to all of us and none of us. But that never meant any of us were disposable.
“I asked for an opportunity to tie up some loose ends creatively and play some final shows for closure – for myself family, friends and fans alike – and in the process, help smooth the transition for everyone. It seemed like a completely sensible, respectful and mutually beneficial way to close a chapter.
“The answer was no.
“I don’t expect anyone to pass judgment on my behalf. However the band continues, I wish them success. But it feels unfair – to myself, and to anyone that has cared about who we are as individuals making up the whole – not to express my sadness at the suddenness and totality of this change.
“Given recent circumstances and the nature of social media, I also need to state categorically and definitively that I am not the subject of the unfound allegations referred to in our statement made in July last year.
“Acknowledging this is only to prevent speculation, and is not intended to suggest or imply any misconduct by any member of HLH, past or present. I continue to stand by both that statement and the process by which it came about, and I want to deeply, humbly and wholeheartedly thank the many people who shared with me their vulnerability, expertise and personal experiences. Your insight and compassion guided every decision we made along the way.
“To anyone that has supported us and our music to date, thank you for making everything not just possible, but a defining element of who I am. I will forever be grateful for the experiences I’ve had over the last 14 years.
“Music will still be a part of my life, but what shape that takes will take time and healing to discover. At very least, I’m looking forward to the journey. Thank you for the opportunity to be seen, heard and appreciated. It means more to me than I could ever say.”
