"Maybe This is Too Cool" - After years of layoffs and pay/resource freezes, Amazon execs treat themselves to a private Foo Fighters concert worth millions
"Maybe This is Too Cool" - After years of layoffs and pay/resource freezes, Amazon execs treat themselves to a private Foo Fighters concert worth millions
Between rounds of shock layoffs, Amazon directors enjoy private rock concert
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To be fair the right boycott things for being inclusive. I like to boycott things for being divisive or shitting on the little guy.
Does it matter? To the companies and people I boycott, probably not. But I know I’m not giving my money to people I don’t agree with.
I guess my point is, in what way is Foo Fighters playing for Amazon divisive?
Amazon was going to pay someone to perform at that show & that performer, regardless of whether it was FF, was not going to convince Amazon to give that money to employees that deserved it.
So what exactly did the Foo Fighters do to earn this level ire? You’d rather Amazon gave that money to another performer?
If everyone really feels that strongly about FF taking this gig, then start a campaign telling FF how you think the money should be spent.
I’d certainly consider that a better use of everyone’s anger.
Divisive. Just look at these comments.
The argument if it’s not them it’ll be someone else is pretty weak.
I may as well rob my neighbours house, if it isn’t me it might be someone else aye?
Yeah I’d rather they give it someone else if it goes against FF morals. I certainly would have turned it down if I were them.
Look, congratulations on being able to turn down a paycheck from Amazon. I myself would absolutely take that paycheck from Amazon.
But I digress… So, back to the topic at hand.
In what way is any of this FF’s fault? What have FF done to divide anyone? Perform?
Amazon wanted a concert. Amazon got a concert. Amazon was going to get a concert, regardless of who performed.
Your argument is that FF are fault because… because why? They should’ve turned it down?
Who should have performed for Amazon then?
If that argument is so weak, you go right on ahead and tell me who the ethical choice would be for an Amazon concert? Dua Lipa? Green Day? Chris Brown?
You know what? Your right. Every single established musical act should have displayed the mental fortitude & character to turn down Amazon’s money.
The key word there is SHOULD, but should isn’t always realistic.
Be mad at Amazon. I’m with you on that. But blaming a band because you don’t like person who signs their check is pretty self defeating in my opinion.
The Foo Fighters don’t owe any of us shit & our opinions on their income streams are irrelevant.
Thank you. I really do turn down money for what I believe in and I’m not rich, I just think there is more to life than money. As a software developer I could earn a lot more by working for say a gambling company, but I wouldn’t do that as I find the industry particularly morally bankrupt.
You’re conflating what they have done wrong with what I finding morally acceptable. FF can do whatever the fuck they want and be fine, but they can’t do whatever the fuck they want and still receive my money or attention.
It’s not that deep. FF don’t even know I exist, and they’ll continue to be rich and successful. Just without me compromising my beliefs.
I don’t know if the devil performs these days but I think he would be quite fitting. Perhaps if Hitler was alive he could paint them some pictures.
I’m not trying to dictate who performs for the Amazon execs, just that whoever it is isn’t getting my money.
You know who does get my money, based on their moral fortitude and beliefs. Someone like Macklemore. I will support people whose beliefs align with mine.
I really don’t know how I can be any clearer than that and I find it staggering that I have to defend myself in here, but you are fine with FF performing for execs from one of the most parasitic companies in the planet. If FF and Amazon can do what they want without recourse then so can I no?
Let me ask you this. Do you just not care if you contribute to the worst aspects of society? Would you ever not give a company your money if it’s something you want?
I forgo a lot of purchases as I can only find them on Amazon. I’ll pay more to buy things elsewhere. I don’t support McD, I try to avoid nestle as much as humanly possible. I left Facebook over a decade ago when they did nothing about rampant misinformation. I don’t support Weatherspoons in the UK over how they treated staff during Covid. I wouldn’t bank with Barclays as they invest in Israel etc.
You’re standing a moral trapdoor. If you’re going to blame Foo Fighters for taking Amazon’s money, you’re going to have hold morality against every other artist on Amazon Music. Every artist selling physical media on Amazon. Every artist participating in any Amazon sponsored summer music events. Every last one of them.
Provided you manage to do that, rid your musical world of every artist attached to Amazon, go for Ticketmaster next.
Then go for the ones who allow Budweiser, Miller Lite, or Deathwater to be sold at their venues. All of them are produced by corporate behemoths killing this planet.
Moving forward from there, we could start breaking out all the shitty record labels you should have issues with, before going onto any band that has performed with an instrument made from a questionable source of wood (ahem…).
If this what you’re willing to burn your fandom over, I feel sorry for you. I hated that Pearl Jam caved to Ticketmaster, but it didn’t change my opinion of their music.
It’s the music that speaks to you. You’re the one allowing some odious sense of morality about corporate contact take it away from you.
What in the hell is rock & roll about that?
And for the record, I don’t even like the fucking Foo Fighters. They sold out long ago.
I give money to musicians who make music that speaks to me & I'm for sure as shit not going to let a corporation get in the way of that.
If Jeff Bezos wanted to give Widespread Panic $50k for a show, I’d support it. Why? Because John Bell directly supports Hannah’s Buddies, Dave Schools & Jerry Joseph have supported an organization bringing guitars and lessons into war torn communities in the Middle East, because JoJo supports musicianship rebounding from Katrina, especially in communities of color.
If Jeff Bezos wants to give a band I like a metric shitton of money, I feel relatively at ease in assuming they’ll do something better with that money for society than Bezos ever will.
But go on you. You keep fighting that good fight… hope you can still a find a band that isn’t tainted.
So you’re saying if you can’t completely remove yourself from society then what’s the point taking a stand on anything?
Like if we can’t stop all murder what’s the point in prosecuting any murders.
I never said anything about not listening to any bodies music. I said I want give them my attention on platforms that do reward them with money. I won’t buy merch etc.
I’ll give my money and time to things that I actually care about. Like taking direct action against companies killing Palestinians.
I didn’t say that at all, but what stand are you taking? Because right now?
Right now, the only thing you’re mad at is that your band took a pay day from someone you don’t like. Now you have an easy target & easy answer to your disappointment: boycott.
But boycotting the Foo Fighters ain’t gonna do shit & you fuckin know it. It’s an easy & that’s all you needed to start typin’ away.
The Foo Fighters aren’t the problem, Amazon is. The Foo Fighters didn’t support Amazon, quite opposite. The Foo Fighters didn’t do shady shit to receive the money they were paid, Amazon did.
That money was leaving Amazon for musician or band. Full stop.
You’ve decided since it was your band, BBOO MY BAND.
But your band can do a whole hell of a lot of better with that money than Amazon can.
Arguably, the band you like would do better things with that money than other bands or musicians who might have received that money, if your band had declined.
In my mind that is a net positive out an inevitability shitty situation.
It’s not the best positive, neither your actions nor the Foo Fighters’ can give you the result want here.
So you have a decision:
- Currently, your decision is scorched earth against the Foo Fighters, standing up for your ultimate morality by letting Jeff & Amazon take away something you’ve cared about in the past.
You claim it’s because you can’t support a band that takes money from Amazon, but you willfully ignore that bands really don’t have the ability to avoid Amazon any more, at least not if they want to reach their fans where they are.
- An alternate decision is realizing that in the grand scheme of things, while this is not a great moment in the band’s history, it might still result in some form of a positive. If not directly for the fans of the band, for the wellbeing of a band you considered your self a fan of.
And given that you haven’t even begun to speculate what the Foo Fighters might use that money for, give this some consideration…
A little over two years ago, the band lost Taylor on the heels of the pandemic, mid-tour.
Now, I don’t know a ton about the Foo Fighters financial situation, but I’d guess that the loss of their drummer after a global pandemic had an impact on the band’s debt to cash ratio. I’d also wager that death makes the touring insurance conversation a bit different this round & could present some other logistical challenges getting another tour off the ground.
Maybe they’re trying to cover some of that debt so they don’t have to pass it along to their fans. Maybe they’re going to help Taylor’s family with some of it.
Fact of the matter of is, you and everyone else on this thread has jumped on the hate wagon without even considering what that money might be used for. It’s reactionary bullshit & it’s sad.
You think you’ve found a cause, but you’ve only heard half of a story & you’re willing to let Jeff Bezos take the Foo Fighters away from you over it. You’re too impatient and angry enough to let the dust settle & the whole story unfold.
So again, go on you. Fight that good fight.
You don’t know me and you don’t know how many companies I boycott on moral grounds.
You don’t know what direct action I take against companies I don’t agree with, nor the activism I do IRL to further causes I support.
This is one thing in a large and growing list of causes.
I’ll end the conversation here as there is nothing more to be gained.
I do hope you have a great weekend though.
There’s that self righteous indignation. Quit on something you care about because it touched something dirty… brilliant outlook.
End the conversation friend & have a good show. That’s if you can find one that’s not tainted.
You sure have shown the world your merit by turning your back on the Foo Fighters because, well, Amazon.
Those evil evil Foo Fighters destroying your planet with all that Amazon money…
You stand for your own sense of self morality & nothing else. Some fucking fan you turned out to be.