Alice in Chains Criticized for Sharing GoFundMe for Roadie's Cancer Bills

Rock band Alice in Chains has come under fire after its Twitter account encouraged donations to cover the medical bills of a "dear friend" battling cancer.

The band's page shared a message of support on Sunday and a link to a GoFundMe page for Scott Dachroeden, described as a veteran of the band's crew, who is in hospital receiving treatment. The fundraiser reveals that the longtime roadie has recently been diagnosed with stage four cancer.

The tweet from the band's account says: "Please support our dear friend and long-time tech, Scotty. He's been a staple of our camp for over 15 years. He's part of our fabric and he's in need. We humbly ask you for help on his behalf." It's not clear who runs the Twitter account.

Many critics responded under the assumption that the band had launched the GoFundMe themselves—though this isn't clear—and they suggested the wealthy rock band should be paying for the treatment themselves.

The GoFundMe organizer, listed only as Marietta, stated Dachroeden doesn't have health insurance and isn't able to work. At this stage it's unknown if Alice in Chains' members donated to the GoFundMe campaign, or whether they have given private donations.

Newsweek has contacted Alice in Chains members, the band's representatives, Marietta and Dachroeden for comment.

Alice in Chains comprises lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez, drummer Sean Kinney and vocalist William Duvall. The group, formed in 1987 in Seattle, is known for hits "Man In The Box", "Them Bones", and "Down In A Hole." The 1992 album Dirt re-entered the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart in October, 30 years after it was released.

Duvall shared a screenshot of Dachroeden's GoFundMe on his Instagram page on Sunday, saying: "Like many who work in the concert touring industry, he has no health insurance. Scotty has been with Alice in Chains for 16 years, our longest-tenured crew member. He's one of the best people I've ever met in this business… Whatever you give will go directly to Scotty. And it will be truly appreciated."

Inez's post, also shared on Sunday, added: "Please help my brother and bass tech for the last 14 years, Scott Dachroeden, as he just got diagnosed with aggressive cancer after our last Summer tour.

"Our AIC family is devastated and we are reaching out for help for Scotty. Not only is he our crew chief, but his photography all these years have been such a big part our lives."

The GoFundMe page went on to say Dachroeden is a 25-year veteran of the touring scene and has worked with Alice in Chains for 14 years. He has also worked on numerous album recordings for Tool, Halestorm and Rob Zombie.

Since being shared online last week, the fundraiser has managed to raise $107,320, exceeding the $100,000 goal.

The fundraising page read: "...cancer doesn't care what your resume looks like or how many famous people you know. No matter who you are or what you do for a living, medical bills pile up fast, so we hope to help ease Scott's financial burden as much as possible…

"We started this fund for him as he has no health insurance and now cannot work to pay his bills. 100 percent of all proceeds go directly to Scott…

"In an industry known for looking out for its own, it's Scotty's turn to get some love and support."

In a November 6 Instagram post, Dachroeden himself said: "If you can spare it, please do. If you can share it, please do. I need help, my friends."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31.6 million Americans of all ages were uninsured. This represented 9.7 percent of all Americans.

Alice in Chains has faced backlash online, with many people questioning why the band would go to the public for help when they have secured lucrative multi-million dollar deals.

According to Variety, in February Alice in Chains members sold the band's catalog to the Round Hill Music company for an estimated $50 million.

A Reddit post shared the band's tweet, and captioned it: "This band with many millionaires are asking fans to help a 15-year employee instead of doing it themselves."

Posted in the r/antiwork forum, it amassed more than 8,100 upvotes.

Many also criticized the band on Twitter, with several asking why they had decided to share the fundraiser and not cover all costs themselves.

One Twitter user, @WorldPrsn, said: "I feel terrible for Scotty, but why don't you, as successful people worth millions, help him directly instead of begging for people with less resources to do so?"

@MooreNaja added: "I really think you are part of an industry with people who make more money than most will ever see in a lifetime. I think it is always tacky and in poor taste when wealthy people ask for money."

Account @huge_mclarge posted: "Several of you guys have made literal millions of dollars and you can't help a staple of your camp or help provide health insurance?"

It's not the first time the band has shared a GoFundMe link, as in August 2018 the Alice in Chains Instagram account asked people to donate for their friend, Scott Olson.

A GoFundMe page was set up after the guitarist was diagnosed with progressive dementia, with the post saying: "If anyone would like to donate, it would be greatly appreciated."

Alice in Chains is not the only band or celebrity to have been slammed online for asking the public to donate to fundraisers.

Last year, Kylie Jenner faced backlash on social media after she asked fans to donate to a friend's GoFundMe page.

The fundraising page was set up to help pay for the medical bills of makeup artist Samuel Rauda who was injured in an accident and underwent major surgery.