After Foo Fighters' strict photography rules became too much to negotiate with, a Canadian newspaper sent a cartoonist to illustrate the band's gig instead.
Earlier this month, the Washington City Paper published a piece titled "Why We’re Not Photographing the Foo Fighters", in which they called the band's photo policy for gigs "exploitation of photographers, pure and simple."
"If we signed it," they wrote, "we would have agreed to: the band approving the photos which run in the City Paper; only running the photos once and with only one article; and all copyrights would transfer to the band. Then, here's the fun part, the band would have 'the right to exploit all or a part of the Photos in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, throughout the universe, in perpetuity, in all configurations' without any approval or payment or consideration for the photographer."
Now, Quebec newspaper Le Soleil have taken their own stand against Foo Fighters' contract, choosing instead to send a cartoonist, Francis Desharnais, to illustrate the gig. See some of the resulting drawings below.
Newspaper protests Foo Fighters’ photo policy by sending a cartoonist to cover their concert: http://t.co/omkiXUJoGg pic.twitter.com/jxwwXQb81i
— Consequence of Sound (@coslive) July 14, 2015
Band issues restrictive contract for concert pix. Newspaper responds by sending a cartoonist. http://t.co/wpzlym0112 pic.twitter.com/F2IfBiydDH
— Mindy Weisberger (@LaMinda) July 13, 2015
"When the Foo Fighters claim rights to pictures of them in concert, they do not do it halfway", explained Le Soleil of their decision. "Not only could accredited photographers at the show yesterday not publish their work once, they had to give up all rights."
Foo Fighters' upcoming UK tour dates are below. Tickets go on general sale at 9am on Friday 17 July. For tickets and more information, visit here.
SEPTEMBER
5-6 - Milton Keynes Bowl*
8 - Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh**
*Supported by Iggy Pop
**Supported by Honeyblood and Royal Blood
