Despite being keen to perform at the 67th prime-time Emmy Awards in Los Angeles over the weekend, Foo Fighters say they refused to get on stage because the Awards’ broadcaster wanted the band to play shortened versions of their songs.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Foo Fighters say they were approached by the Television Academy and agreed to play a Sonic Highways track at the Emmys, but the performance was cut short by broadcaster Fox.
“The band and the Academy were extremely happy and excited to have Foo Fighters play as the first ever rock band on the Emmys. Fox then refused to allow the band to play a full song from the Emmy-winning Sonic Highways,” the statement reads. “That is why the band decided not to perform.”
TMZ reports that Fox wanted Foo Fighters to play half of their Sonic Highways track and then part of their hit single Learn To Fly, but the band refused to cut their songs short.
Initially, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl said his band was “kicked” from performing at this year’s Emmys even though they had agreed to perform during the ceremony.
When Grohl didn’t attend the Emmy Awards on Sunday night, TMZ tracked him down and asked him why. “You know what, we were supposed to play on the Emmys, and we were gonna play on the Emmys, and then they kicked us off,” Grohl said, but wouldn’t comment on why the band’s slot was allegedly dropped.
It’s not all bad Emmy news for Foo Fighters, though, with the band’s HBO series Sonic Highways winning two Creative Arts Emmys earlier this month in the Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming categories.
Without a Foos performance lined up, this year’s Emmy Awards saw host Andy Samberg share his own comedic song as the ceremony’s opening number.
Catch Dave Grohl’s initial comments regarding this year’s Emmy Awards, below.
Watch: Dave Grohl Claims Emmys Pulled Plug On Foo Fighters
https://youtu.be/xjpP3MUwqZ4
Gallery: Foo Fighters @ ANZ Stadium, Sydney 26/02/15 / Photos by Paul Cush
Foo Fighters, Rise Against, Delta Riggs - Sydney, ANZ Stadium 26/02/15
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