A Musical KFC Protest
Say you’re an edgy, rabble-rousing punk band and you want to make a statement against cruelty to animals. What would you do? One band that had a bone to pick with KFC took a musical approach to get its message across.
The toe-tapping tune was performed by the Phoenix, Arizona, “punkgrass” outfit Haymarket Squares—all of whose members are vegan or vegetarian—and written by bassist Marc Oxborrow. “He is a big animal lover and he wanted to express his disgust with factory farming practices and peoples’ connection to those practices when they choose to work around, buy, and eat meat,” says guitarist John Norris. “Our song about/against factory farming seemed like a great fit for a fast food restaurant.”
The management didn’t agree and attempted to eject the band mid-performance. But the customers were transfixed—look closely and you’ll see a little girl clapping in time to the music.
If you live in Arizona, you can catch the band’s next performance in Mesa on July 22. This time, they’ll be performing at a more conventional venue, the Hollywood Alley—I just hope that it doesn’t make the mistake of having fried chicken on the menu.
Written by Alisa Mullins
