Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley accuses former manager of sexual abuse in new memoir

Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley has accused the band’s former manager, Greig Nori, of sexual and verbal abuse during the early years of the band’s career, reported BBC.
These allegations are outlined in Whibley’s newly released memoir, ‘Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell’. The memoir sheds light on Whibley’s traumatic experiences, which reportedly began when he was just 16 years old and Nori was 34.
The accusations come at a time when Sum 41 is on its farewell world tour, marking the end of the band’s 28-year journey. As the punk rock group prepares to disband, Whibley has chosen to open up about the darker side of their rise to fame, exposing the troubling relationship he had with Nori, who was not only a mentor but also Sum 41’s first manager.
The band, which formed in 1996, has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and is considered one of the most influential punk bands of its era.
Grooming and abuse claims
Whibley alleges that the abuse began when Nori, who was also the frontman of the Canadian punk band Treble Charger, took an interest in the young musician’s talent. Nori initially collaborated with Sum 41 as a co-writer and co-producer before officially becoming their manager.
According to Whibley, Nori demanded “total control” over the band’s operations, warning them that the music industry was filled with “snakes and liars,” and insisting that only he could be trusted.
It was during this period that the abuse reportedly started. Whibley recalls that Nori was the first person to serve him alcohol and that their interactions soon escalated to drug use.
In one disturbing incident, Whibley recounts how Nori invited him to a bathroom to take ecstasy. While there, Nori allegedly grabbed his face and kissed him without consent, telling Whibley that the connection between them was “special.”
A four-year abusive relationship
Whibley claims that this incident marked the beginning of a sexual relationship that lasted for four years. Despite his attempts to shut down the physical aspect of their relationship, Whibley writes that Nori continued to pressure him, accusing him of being homophobic when he resisted.
The abuse went beyond the physical, with Whibley also detailing years of verbal and psychological manipulation. He reveals that Nori’s control over him and the band was all-encompassing, creating an environment where Whibley felt trapped and isolated. It wasn’t until a mutual friend discovered the nature of their relationship that the sexual encounters stopped.
Nori denies the allegations
Greig Nori has strongly denied Whibley’s claims, calling them “false allegations” in a statement to The Globe and Mail. Nori has reportedly hired a defamation lawyer and has not publicly commented further on the accusations. When approached by media outlets, including the BBC and Variety, Nori did not provide a response.
Whibley, now 44, has stated that he did not warn Nori about the inclusion of these allegations in his memoir before its publication.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Whibley described an “inner battle” over whether or not he should inform Nori but ultimately decided against it. “He still has this thing over me,”
Whibley said, acknowledging the emotional weight the former manager still holds in his life.
Confiding in Avril Lavigne
One of the most poignant moments in Whibley’s memoir comes when he describes opening up to his former wife, Canadian singer Avril Lavigne. Lavigne, who was married to Whibley from 2006 to 2009, was the first person to tell him that what he had experienced was abuse. Whibley recalls her words clearly: “That’s abuse! He sexually abused you.”
For years, Whibley kept the details of his relationship with Nori a secret, even from his own bandmates. In interviews, he has expressed how difficult it was to come to terms with the trauma and how he had initially planned to take the secret “to the grave.”
However, as he worked on his memoir, he realised that the story of Sum 41’s early success could not be told without confronting the abuse he endured.