LeCompt fired and Gray quits

On May 4, 2007, guitarist John LeCompt announced that he had been fired from Evanescence, and also stated that drummer Rocky Gray had decided to quit. Former Evanescence player David Hodges commented on LeCompt and Gray’s attitude, stating: “The only thing I would have done differently than Amy in the last two years is distance myself sooner from [them].” Lee stated that LeCompt and Gray had joined as tour players after Fallen was made, and were treated as full members with their picture on album images. When it came to making the second album, she and Balsamo tried writing with them but they were ultimately not compatible. Lee said LeCompt and Gray disliked the music, were vocal about not caring about the band, and had been working with their other bands but stayed as Evanescence live players for the money while planning to leave at a later time. She added that she “knowingly let this negative energy grow within my band for a very long time because I was afraid of the appearance of falling apart when in reality trying to hold on to these guys is what was holding us back.” In 2010, LeCompt said of his time in the band, “[Evanescence] was so big and important to my career and my life so I look back on it with fondness. We left the band but that doesn’t say anything about my time in that band.”