Dave Grohl confirms Foo Fighters were kicked off Emmys bill after refusing to shorten song from Sonic Highways album

Published: 16:17 EST, 21 September 2015 | Updated: 17:50 EST, 21 September 2015

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The Foo Fighters planned to perform at the Emmys but were ditched by the network, it has been revealed.

The band were excited to be asked to play a song from their HBO documentary and upcoming album Sonic Highways at the Emmy Awards ceremony on Sunday, which would have made them the first rock band to perform at the prestigious awards.

But organizers then booted them from the show after Dave Grohl and the band refused to shorten the song, the Foo Fighters said in a statement to Rolling Stone.

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Wouldn't back down: Foo Fighters singer-songwriter Dave Grohl and wife Jordyn Blum attended the HBO After-Party in Los Angeles on Sunday

Earlier, Grohl was asked by TMZ why he wasn't at the Emmys, and he replied: 'You know what, we were supposed to play on the Emmys, and we were going to play on the Emmys and then they kicked us off,' he said.

Later, the Everlong rockers issued a statement confirming their performance had been canceled.

'The band and the Academy were extremely happy and excited to have Foo Fighters play as the first ever rock band on the Emmys,' they said in the statement.

'Fox then refused to allow the band to play a full song from the Emmy-winning Sonic Highways.

'That is why the band decided not to perform.'

Rocking on: Grohl performs, with cast, at a Children's Hospital benefit concert in San Francisco on September 17. The singer broke his leg in June and had to undergo surgery after falling off a stage in Sweden

TMZ reports that Fox wanted the band to play half of a winning song from Sonic Highways, and then half of their hit Learning To Fly.

However, the band refused to do a mash-up or cut their songs.

The Foo Fighters won Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming for their HBO documentary series Sonic Highways at the Creative Emmys, which were held on September 12.

Hand in hand: Grohl and Blum wed in 2003 and have three children together

The new series follows the band as they travel to eight cities around America to soak up musical cultural and find inspiration as they record their new album - also called Sonic Highways - which will be released on November 10.

While his band may have been unceremoniously kicked off the stage, Grohl still showed up at the HBO after-party to celebrate their win.

The former Nirvana drummer was accompanied by his wife Jordyn Blum, who wore a cute patterned jumpsuit. The couple wed in 2003 and have three children together.

Celebrating: The 46-year-old rocker partied with HBO's Head of Programming Michael Lombardo after the Foo Fighters documentary Sonic Highways picked up two Emmys

Stylish Grohl wore a black velvet suit and leaned on his cane as he walked hand-in-hand with his wife.

The singer-songwriter is still recovering after he broke his leg falling off a stage during a show in Sweden in June.

He had to undergo surgery and have six metal screws inserted in his injured leg, and the band was forced to cancel European concerts including their headlining gig at Glastonbury.