Ian Watkins’ odd behaviour reportedly changed the relationship with his Lostprophets bandmates

Before his arrest, former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins had a strained and difficult relationship with his bandmates, according to former colleagues and journalists who followed the group.

Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year sentence for multiple child sex offences when he was killed at HMP Wakefield earlier this month. Two inmates have been charged with his murder.

According to the Daily Record, Tensions between Watkins and his bandmates escalated during a 2012 tour in the United States. Watkins failed to appear at a concert in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And the band continued the show with keyboardist Jamie Oliver handling lead vocals. After the show, Watkins allegedly confronted his bandmates on the tour bus in an aggressive manner. He was described as standing with his “legs spread like blades of a helicopter.”

Bassist Stuart Richardson recalled the confrontation, saying he responded sarcastically, “Nice one, dude,” to which Watkins replied, “What?” Richardson admitted he then “grabbed him and punched him in the face for what seemed like five minutes.” Other band members eventually pulled him away.

“The next day his face looked like the Elephant Man,” Richardson said. “He came up to me crying his eyes out, saying, ‘I’m so sorry. I’m just so sorry.’ I said, ‘It’s OK, it’s just a show.’” Richardson added that at the time he thought, “What the f*** is that all about?” but later realised it was Watkins’ closest moment of admitting guilt.

‘They had grown to hate him’

via South Wales Police

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“The last time I saw him, at Brixton Academy, just months before his arrest, he swooped into the dressing room mere minutes before stage time,” journalist Ian Winwood wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “Seeing the monosyllabic greetings from his bandmates, I intuited then what I now know to be fact. They had grown to hate him.”

Journalist Gavin Allen, who toured with the band, told the BBC that Watkins had begun distancing himself from the group around 2007. Allen said this behaviour appeared to be an attempt to hide his personal issues from the rest of the band.

Watkins’ substance use reportedly affected his appearance. Band members had removed crystal meth and paraphernalia from his bag. And he was described as “bloated, greasy,” with teeth falling out.

Following Watkins’ 2013 conviction, Lostprophets disbanded, and the remaining members later formed No Devotion.

At the time of his death, Watkins was imprisoned at the notorious HMP Wakefield. It was nicknamed the “Monster Mansion,” where he had survived previous attacks before the fatal assault.

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