Guttermouth & Aussie Publicist Fake Fallout 'For The LOLs'

US punk band Guttermouth have always had a reputation for mischief, but their latest apparent prank went a step or several further when they released the contact details of their Australian publicist, Rob Carroll, on their Facebook page yesterday, claiming that they were trying to get in contact with him to sack him.

The saga started when Guttermouth, who are presently in the country for a national tour, took to their Wall with Carroll's mobile number and a request for their fans to attempt to get in touch with the publicist "and tell him he's fired".

"Maybe he will respond to you guys cause he doesn't wanna take our calls," the band wrote.

The band's fans seemed to respond with gusto as Carroll — who works as a publicist with local companies Various Artists & Rare Finds — was then bombarded with calls and messages eager to pass on the verbal pink slip, before the band upped the ante again with a video, in which frontman Mark Adkins appears to be chastising Carroll on the phone after "finally" touching base with him.

"What's goin' on, Rob? I hear we've got some problems; I hear we've got a little drug problem goin' on," Adkins says in the clip. "You're fuckin' dropping the ball. You can laugh all you fuckin' want, but you're dropping the ball. I hear we got no fuckin' barbecue today, and you want me to work in a fuckin' kitchen like a short-order cook, making toast for gypsies. That sounds pretty fucked.

"So you go off on your little hippie escapade, doin' fuckin' Jimi Hendrix drugs, and leave us fuckin' hanging. No wonder we fired you."

A few hours later, though, Guttermouth followed up to dismiss the entire thing as just a big joke, evidently at the expense of Carroll, who might want to get a new phone number.

"Well, we had fun with our Australian publicist Rob Carroll," Guttermouth wrote. "He still works with us and the whole thing was a joke to have some fun … thanks for having a good sense of humor Rob."

Carroll, too, stepped forward after all was said and done to peg the fallout as nothing but a giant prank, apparently just for kicks, writing on Facebook, "Props to all my friends who came in to defend me with this whole Guttermouth saga... however, just so you know its all just for LOLS - so please stop sending them strongly worded messages - I am ok and still in a job ... my phone hasn't stopped ringing you bastards."

Guttermouth next play in Brisbane this Friday, 17 April, at Crowbar. For more details about the remaining shows on their current tour, head to theGuide or see The Music App for more information.