Whatever Happened to David Desrosiers?

Some celebrities have their careers on an upward trajectory, others fade into obscurity, and others are like a phoenix, rising from the ashes after being beaten to the ground. David Desrosiers is one musician you can’t be sure in which category he falls. He was on a meteoric rise until he was plagued with mental illness and sexual misconduct allegations. Currently, the musician has faded into obscurity because even his band could not deal with the public scandal; thus, he had to withdraw. Only time can tell whether he will make a comeback but until then, let’s take a look at what happened to David Desrosiers.

Joining Simple Plan

Growing up with an optometrist for a dad, Desrosiers was sure he would not follow that path. When the Simple Plan band members all talked about the parental pressure to succeed, the bassist revealed to Faze that his parents were comfortable with his decision to pursue music. Since he was a child, he always knew that music was his life and was lucky to have supportive parents. Unfortunately, he did not get to grow up with both his parents, Andre and Charlotte. They divorced when he was 12 resulting in him being raised by his mother. It took quite a toll on the young Desrosiers, and he became rebellious. The bassist had to be expelled from school due to bad behavior, but they accepted him back due to his good grades.

Desrosiers’ journey towards becoming a renowned bassist started when he joined Reset. The band was formed in 1993 by Chuck Comeau and Pierre Bouvier. They had decided to call themselves Stone Garden but found out another band had taken up the name already, so they settled for Roach before finally changing to Reset. The band recruited Jean-Sebastien Boileau as the bassist, Phil Jolicoeur as a vocalist and guitarist, while Comeau was the drummer, and Bouvier, the lead singer. The two founding members never seemed to agree on anything, so Comeau quit, leaving a spot that Adrian White filled. Later Boileau left too, and Bouvier had to be both the bassist and singer. Bouvier had a problem with White, too, so the founding member quit leaving the band without a bassist. Luckily, Jolicoeur had seen Desrosiers performing and was impressed; thus, he asked him to be the bassist. For six months, he remained a member of Reset. However, when Simple Plan started, with Comeau, Jeff Stinco, and Bouvier, Desrosiers left Reset to join Simple Plan. According to Simple Plan, Desrosiers did not bother informing Jolicoeur and White of his decision to quit; he left because he was not ready to be in charge.

Depression Causes Him to Miss out on Tours

According to Radio Swiss Pop, Simple Plan went on many tours across the continent. From shows around the United States to European tours and even visiting Japan. Simple Plan was at its peak, and promotional tours helped them stay in touch with fans around the globe. They were doing so well that they could even afford to hold free concerts that attracted hundreds of thousands of fans. However, it soon became apparent that one member was missing from most of the tours.

Desrosiers had been struggling with depression for a long time and had preferred to keep his struggles private. It was not until 2017 that the bassist took to Instagram to share his struggles. As published by Photopass Magazine, Desrosiers disclosed he had been battling on and off depression. He added that he would not be joining the band for their European tour because, at the time, he was battling major depression that was preventing him from doing what he loved, including playing music. The band members were very supportive, showing their sympathy and hoping that their friend would join them soon. In 2018, they updated fans on Desrosiers’ mental health, saying he was still at home recovering, and they were not sure when he would rejoin them. It had already been a year without the bassist being present in the tours around the world. They, however, added that they had his blessing to perform as a four-member band until he could be back on stage. In 2019, Desrosiers returned after a two-year hiatus. The band once again informed the fans that they had welcomed him back and were ready to go on stage with him for the show they had planned for that night in Cleveland.

Forced to Leave the Band amid Sexual Allegations

Barely a year had passed after Desrosiers rejoined the band when sexual abuse allegations caused him to leave the band. According to Huffington Post, one anonymous person went on social media saying that Desrosiers had made inappropriate jokes when she was a minor. However, after she was an adult, they had consensual sex. The accuser added that the bassist involved other people for group sex without her consent. The allegations came in the wake of sexual abuse survivors deciding to take a stand to end their silence, and Desrosiers was among the many celebrities mentioned.

Most people denounced the actions of the Simple Plan band member, but it took a while before he could finally admit his wrongdoings. He posted on Instagram, saying he had become aware of the harm he had caused and the consequences. He, therefore, was ready to seek professional help to ensure he acted appropriately in the future. However, that meant stepping aside from Simple Plan. The band released their statement apologizing to fans and victims, saying they would reflect on preventing such actions from happening. It was indeed quite shocking, especially for someone who had to stop consuming animal products due to the cruelty he watched in documentaries. The irony of it all is how he chose to stop cruelty to animals but does not mind being heartless to the plight of young and vulnerable women. Simple Plan did not clarify whether the leave of absence was permanent or not, but given how patient they are with him, they probably will accept him back once he gets the professional help he needs.