In his explosive new memoir, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, Deryck Whibley, the frontman of the legendary pop-punk band Sum 41, sheds light on the harrowing abuse he endured from his former manager, Greig Nori. Released alongside the band’s farewell tour, the memoir delves deep into Whibley’s rise to fame and the trauma that shadowed his success.
Whibley reveals that Nori, who was both a mentor and manager, began grooming him at the age of 16, isolating him from his family and manipulating him into a toxic and abusive relationship. According to the memoir, Nori exploited his power to control the young musician, pressuring Whibley into unwanted sexual interactions, all while using his influence in the music industry to keep Whibley under his control.
Despite the ongoing psychological and sexual abuse, Whibley felt he couldn’t speak out, even to his closest bandmates, out of shame and fear. It wasn’t until later in life that his ex-wife Avril Lavigne and current wife Ariana Cooper helped him realize the full extent of Nori’s grooming.
Nori, who managed Sum 41 during their early rise to fame and produced some of their most iconic albums, including All Killer No Filler and Chuck, has denied the allegations and hired a defamation lawyer. Still, Whibley’s courageous decision to speak out offers a sobering glimpse into the darker side of fame and the manipulation often present in the music industry.
Whibley’s memoir also touches on the emotional scars left by years of psychological abuse, as Nori attempted to keep him from family and friends, demanding complete control over the band. The memoir serves not only as a personal revelation but as a cautionary tale of the dangers young musicians can face when entering the music industry.
Sum 41 fans and music lovers alike will be shocked by the raw honesty in Walking Disaster, as Whibley leaves no stone unturned in his journey to reclaim his story and set the record straight.