Wolfmother send smoke signal

Thu 23rd Sep, 2010 in Local News

Much like their musical heroes Spinal Tap, when Wolfmother aren’t auditioning new drummers or discovering exotic yoga poses, they are thinking of increasingly better reasons to cancel festival appearances.

According to ABC news online, Wolfmother has pulled out of one of Indonesia’s largest ever music festivals Java Rockin’ Land in protest against the event’s major sponsor, Gudang Garam cigarette company.

Stockdale posted a message on the band’s website earlier today stating that he had not previously known that the tobacco company was a major sponsor of the event and that he didn’t want to use “the tobacco industry’s money to line [his] pockets.”

This cancellation comes only months after the band pulled out of numerous European Festival dates, including appearances at both Oxygen and Download Festivals.

Unlike Wolfmother’s last cancellations in which they cited ‘illness’ as the reason for the premature termination of their tour, the band is being praised for their stance with the professor of public health at Sydney University stating: “The industry knows the pulling power of music … so it’s just absolutely full credit to Wolfmother for doing this.”

The Smashing Pumpkins, Stereophonics and Data Rock don’t seem to mind getting a little cigarette company cash in their hands and will still be appearing at the festival which takes place over three days in early October.

Photo credit: SharpShooter