Why did Josh and Zac Farro leave Paramore? Will Haley Williams leave?

Two members of the Haley Williams fronted band Paramore are leaving the band, but the other two members have seen it coming for at least a year.

“A couple of months ago, Josh and Zac let us know they would be leaving the band after our show in Orlando last Sunday. None of us were really shocked. For the last year it hasn’t seemed as if they wanted to be around anymore. We want Josh and Zac to do something that makes them happy and if that isn’t here with us, then we support them finding happiness elsewhere.”

This definitely shouldn’t be a surprise to Paramore fans, because Josh basically quit a year ago. Here’s the message he wrote Sept. 2009:

Hey guys, Josh here. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about everything. Things have changed for me and the band. When we first started out, we were just playing songs in small venues, or on stages on Warped Tour for whoever would stop to listen. Now we have thousands of fans. A lot of our shows on this new tour have sold out already, which is amazing. Our new record comes out in less than a week. But I’ve been thinking, and I’m not sure I want this anymore. It’s an amazing experience, true. But it’s starting to lose its charm.

Paramore will go on – I wouldn’t want the rest of the band to stop playing and doing what they love just because I’m not enjoying it anymore. They will have to find a new guitarist, though, because I’m officially not the lead guitarist of Paramore any longer. I am thankfully leaving the band on relatively good terms.

However, music is what I love and want to do with my life. Even if I am not playing in Paramore anymore, I can’t imagine giving up music as a career completely. That’s why I’m going to do some solo stuff. I’ll be uploading a new song of mine later for you all to hear. I hope you enjoy it, and that you will all support me on it.

I wish good luck to Hayley, Jeremy, Taylor, and of course my little brother Zac.

– Josh

Hayley Williams and the other three members plan to continue forward with the band as they plan to record a new album in 2011.