[Shaun]

Guitarist Josh Farrow and drummer Zac Farrow have left Paramore.

The three remaining band members, Hayley Williams, Jeremy Davis and Taylor York, made the announcement today (December 18) in a post on the band's official website, Paramore.net. They explained that the two brothers had announced they would be leaving some months ago.

"A couple of months ago, Josh and Zac let us know they would be leaving the band after our show in Orlando last Sunday [December 12, at the House Of Blues venue]," they wrote. "None of us were really shocked. For the last year it hasn't seemed as if they wanted to be around anymore."

They added: "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."

They went on to explain that there was never any question of the band splitting despite losing two of its five members. "We never for a second thought about leaving any of this behind," they wrote. "We really hope that you can be encouraged by the fact that the three of us who are still here are ready to take on another chapter of our journey together."

They have not announced if the Farrow brothers will be replaced. They are set to return to gigging action on a tour of south America in February and March 2011.

Paramore recently talked about how close they were to splitting during the recording of their 2009 album 'Brand New Eyes'.

-fingers crossed for a breakup-