An Indie-Rock Band Is Feuding With McDonald's Over SXSW

American/Danish indie-rock duo Ex Cops is embroiled in a war of words with global mega-corp McDonald's after an open letter to the restaurant, posted by member Brian Harding after the band were approached to perform at a McDonald's-sponsored South By Southwest showcase — went viral overnight.

Harding's scathing, lengthy condemnation of the international fast-food chain appears to based on a few points of contention - namely, that McDonald's claimed that "there isn't a budget for an artist fee", instead offering "a great opportunity for additional exposure" as compensation to the act.

"This week our band was asked to play the McDonald’s Showcase at the annual South by Southwest, also known to music insiders as 'SXSW'," Harding began.

"Their selling point was that this was 'a great opportunity for additional exposure,' and that 'McDonald’s will have their global digital team on site to meet with the bands, help with cross promotion, etc'. I don’t, and doubt that they know what this means either."

Getting past that rhetoric, at the very least a big corporation like McDonald’s can at least pay their talent a little. Right? 'There isn’t a budget for an artist fee (unfortunately)'.

"As of 2013, McDonalds is valued at 90.3 billion dollars."

Harding continued: "In lieu of being paid like a real artist, or anyone who is employed to do a service, McDonald’s assures us that we will 'be featured on screens throughout the event, as well as POSSIBLY mentioned on McDonald’s social media accounts like Facebook (57MM likes!)'"

While Harding acknowledged that it is the band's decision "to fly to Austin, play shows without soundcheck, and get paid nothing to a little", he skewered the industry side of SXSW, heaping praise on "people who are really there to hear new music and not just do blow with dudes who wear square toe loafers."

"It is a horrifying and gross reality when one sees the true nature of corporations and their pathetic attempts to achieve relevance with millennials," Harding wrote. "Doritos received a lot of flack for their stage a couple years ago, but i’m going to assume they paid Lady Gaga."

In the hours since his letter spread across the internet, McDonald's have moved to respond to Ex Cops' allegations, with the company's global media relations director Becca Hary telling Rolling Stone: "We follow the same standard protocol as other brands and sponsors by inviting talented and emerging musicians to join us at the SXSW Festival."

"We look forward to serving McDonald's food, drinks and fun in Austin. #slownewsday"

However, Ex Cops singer Amalie Bruun maintains that is not the case.

"That's not true," Bruun told Rolling Stone. "They're not following any guidelines because everyone else is offering money. They'll have to take that up with South By Southwest if they think they're following the guidelines...Other, much smaller corporations are offering us money."

""If we're not going to get paid for our live shows, what are we going to get paid for?" she continued.

You can read Harding's full letter (and see a really gross picture of... what is that?) below.