Rise Against, Florida Radio Station Trade Barbs Over U.S. Military

Rise Against are in the middle of a controversy regarding this year's Buzz Bake Sale.

The band were scheduled to headline the concert, which was to be held in December and put on by Florida radio station Buzz 103 FM. But Rise Against say they pulled out of the gig after they discovered the stage they were to play on was sponsored by the U.S. Army's recruiting department.

Rise Against say although they've played shows for U.S. Army troops in the past, they've also done a lot of work in counter-recruitment.

"We were surprised that a radio station claiming to be familiar with Rise Against thought we would be ok with the idea that we would play a show and subject our fans to military recruitment tactics in a time of war, a war we adamantly and publicly have opposed since its bumbled inception," the band said in a statement, which can be read in full on their website.

"To be clear, this was not an event to honor the military, this was an event that the US ARMY was interested in recruiting people at, and we felt that our fans should be free from that interference at a rock show on a Sunday night in a time of war. Recruiters are a part of the military that even many members of the military will admit their distaste for their documented unethical tactics.

"We asked if something could be done, and when we told no, we respectfully bowed out of the unannounced show for obvious reasons, and left it at that. We assumed the station was depending on the financial support of the sponsor and so we held no grudge."

In a three-part podcast that can be heard below, Buzz 103 said Rise Against's manager called them earlier in the week about "deep concerns" they had about the U.S. Army's involvement, and reportedly said if Buzz 103 did not tell the U.S. Army they could not sponsor the stage, the band would pull out of the show. Buzz 103 said they did not want Rise Against at the show and were unsure they would play Rise Against's music on air again.

The radio station pointed out the band had also played the Buzz Bake Show in 2007 on a U.S. Army-sponsored stage, "made a big stink about it" and launched "F-bombs" at the Army during the event and "took home a cheque happily."

The station also called Rise Against "un-American" and "anti-American" and said the were "a band that doesn't support our country" in the podcast, which can be heard here, here and here.

Rise Against responded to some of the station's accusations in their statement. They said they'd spent time performing for U.S. troops many times over the last year, and also worked with the United Service Organizations to let U.S. troops and their families see the band for free on their tour with Rancid earlier this year. They also denied launching "F-bombs" at the military at the Buzz Bake Sale in 2007.

"To not respect the decisions and stances of bands across this vast musical landscape puts real music and real musicians in jeopardy," the band said in their statement. "To have radio stations become bullies and threaten the artists they play to conform with their agenda or else face the consequences is something that flys [sic] in the face of not only the scene, but of this country.

"Many of the bands that BUZZ 103 plays on the airwaves carved their name through the stands that they took musically and politically. We need to be wary of those who would bully artists into an agenda set by those who control the airwaves.

"If we were to bow to this pressure, we would not be Rise Against. Shame on you BUZZ103 for even asking us to. Last time we checked, supporting the troops involves more than just accepting their money that you need to put on shows. We are sorry to the Rise Against fans who took BUZZ103s [sic] word as truth and had to spend the better part of the day believing that we are the monsters DJs made us out as."

You can see Rise Against here:

Oct. 23 St. Petersburg, Russia @ Orlandina
Oct. 25 Moscow, Russia @ B1 Maximum Club
Oct. 27 Helsinki, Finland @ Cable Factory
Oct. 28 Tallinn, Estonia @ Rock Cafe
Oct. 30 Stockholm, Sweden @ Arenan
Oct. 31 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
Nov. 2 Zurich, Switzerland @ X-Tra
Nov. 3 Milan, Italy @ Musicdrome
Nov. 4 Bologna, Italy @ Estragon
Nov. 6 Prague, Czech Republic @ Roxy
Nov. 7 Erfurt, Germany @ Thureringen Halle
Nov. 8 Offenbach, Germany @ Stadthalle Offenbach Veranstaltungs GMBH
Nov. 10 Dusseldorf, Germany @ Philipshalle
Nov. 11 Bremen, Germany @ Pier 2
Nov. 13 Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz
Nov. 14 Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera
Nov. 17 Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland Ballroom
Nov. 18 Newcastle Upon Tyne, England @ O2 Academy Newcastle
Nov. 19 Manchester, England @ Manchester Apollo
Nov. 21 London, England @ O2 Academy Brixton
Nov. 22 Cardiff, Wales @ Great Hall
Dec. 4 Richmond, VA @ The National
Dec. 18 Chicago, IL @ Metro
Jan. 15 Auckland, New Zealand @ Mount Smart Stadium (Big Day Out Festival)
Jan. 17 Gold Coast, Australia @ Parklands (Big Day Out Festival)
Jan. 22 Sydney, Australia @ Showground (Big Day Out Festival)
Jan. 26 Melbourne, Australia @ Flemington Racecourse (Big Day Out Festival)
Jan. 29 Adelaide, Australia @ Adelaide Showground (Big Day Out Festival)
Jan. 31 Perth, Australia @ Claremont Showground (Big Day Out Festival)