Nick Cave shares advice for artist considering boycotting The Great Escape in solidarity with Palestine: “Play”

nme.com:

Nick Cave has shared his advice with an artist who reached out, saying that they are considering boycotting The Great Escape in solidarity with Palestine.Dozens of artists who were lined up to play at the 2024 edition of the festival have now pulled out as part of a political stance.

This comes as The Great Escape is sponsored by Barclays, which has been a source of controversy amid the events in Gaza because of the bank’s financial investment in companies that supply arms to Israel.Now, an artist who is booked for this year’s bill has reached out to singer, songwriter and Bad Seeds frontman Nick Cave, asking whether he would recommend showing solidarity with other artists by withdrawing from the event.“I am a musician who has been booked to play The Great Escape festival, which, as you may have heard, a number of artists are boycotting due to the sponsorship of Barclays.

Who, in a non-linear fashion, are profiting from the horror that is occurring in Palestine,” the question to Cave began, posted on his blog The Red Hand Files.“I do not support the genocide, I would hope the rest of the world feels the same.

But as an artist already existing in a very toxic industry, the best many of us can hope for is a few scraps – the glimmer of an opportunity, a gig, anything to help us get our music out into the world, and in turn make it a better place with the love we promote in our art.“The music industry is a place of being told you need to follow TikTok trends and that labels only look at ‘metrics’.