White Stripes sell-out, write music for Coca-Cola ad.

[Bono's shades]

Music snobbery is all relative.

Most of the people I know in real life think I'm a music snob just because I hate Bon Jovi and Toby Keith. But the folks at Pitchfork would probably think I'm a philistine for considering U2 my favorite band.

And just for the record, every time a band lets a song of theirs be used in a commercial, my respect for them dwindles. Then again, I'm an old fart who actually remembers a time when it was considered very, very bad form for any self-respecting band to do this.

 

[indra]

So hating music snobs, means you are a music snob?

I hate neo Nazis as well. Does that mean I am one?

I didn't say you are a music snob, I just said you are a snob.


Hating a person because they hate a band that does commercials is every bit as snobbish as hating a band because it does commercials.

I see no difference whatsoever.

 

[MrBrau1]

I didn't say you are a music snob, I just said you are a snob.


Hating a person because they hate a band that does commercials is every bit as snobbish as hating a band because it does commercials.

I see no difference whatsoever.

You're blind.

 

[blueyedpoet]

i lose a bit of respect for a band everytime their music is played in a commercial too and i'm no old fart - just 21. But, i'm also not a indie snob. Nevertheless, hip-hop and rap artists - who frankly are by and large black - can easily get away with doing commercials. Hell, it's even encouraged - tt's part of "the hussle." Why is there this double standard for rock stars and rappers?

 

[indra]

You're blind.

so are you and you are still a snob.

 

[yolland]

Why is there this double standard for rock stars and rappers?

Because rock has a legacy of social idealism that has always rested uneasily alongside its dreams-of-fame-&-fortune elements.

As soon as I saw this thread title in the Active Threads list, I knew immediately who the thread starter would be. yertle and indra have a point--these threads might as well all be prefixed with "INDIE SNOBWATCH!" The agenda behind them certainly appears consistent and obvious.

It is entirely possible to find the branding and franchising of rock music problematic without being a knee-jerk "purist" about it. By repeatedly caricaturing these kinds of objections in a way that implicitly reduces them all to the level of infantile whining (which is definitely one form they can take), you are mirroring the simplistic reductionism you claim to despise.

My two cents.

 

[MrBrau1]

By repeatedly caricaturing these kinds of objections in a way that implicitly reduces them all to the level of infantile whining (which is definitely one form they can take), you are mirroring the simplistic reductionism you claim to despise.

That's the whole point.

 

[yolland]

Meaning you yourself intend these threads as self-caricature?

 

[MrBrau1]

Meaning you yourself intend these threads as self-caricature?

Yep. You can have your 2 cents back.

 

[Saracene]

Well, they do have a fondness for red-and-white colour scheme,

I personally have no problem with music used in commercials; unless it's something *really* tacky.

 

[elevation2u]

i like the White Stripes, never cared much for them since all i knew was their radio songs..
then i borrowed some cds of theirs from my boss once, and they totally grew on me. I'm not saying theyre the greatest band out there or the best musicians, but I know what I like and I like them.
I like jack's bluesy guitar, his voice and lyrics and meg's drumming.

yea, yea it sucks they freakin doing a coca cola ad but if i've learned anything from artists is that they will always let you down.

 

[Zoomerang96]

You know, viewing yourself above the indie subculture is in a roundabout way no different from being within the indie subculture and viewing yourself above everyone else.

yeah, i noticed that about brau too.

nicely put, yertle.

 

[hiphop]

Sell out? I thought they did that when they signed their major contract. :cynical grin:

With all respect, music in ads is not very artsy, but for a US TV national campaign you make as much as a million $. Covers the cost for the indie promo of your next album.

Business is business. Bands or artists who absolutely want to stay 100% independent above everything else just don´t sign a major deal anymore.

 

[Zoomerang96]

that's true too.

 

[caragriff]

the interesting thing is that he wrote this song specifically for the ad. they are not using one of the white stripes songs that their fans love and hold dear.

i'm actually interested to see what the ad looks like/ song sounds like.

plus, this will make my recurring vertigo ipod ad nightmares die down a bit. thanks jack!

 

[MrBrau1]

You know, viewing yourself above the indie subculture is in a roundabout way no different from being within the indie subculture and viewing yourself above everyone else.

When you hear a tune that moves you, do you embrace it and enjoy the beauty you find in it based on the merits of the song itself?

Or do you first check and see that the song and artist meet a certain set of criteria you've set up for yourself?

Is the artist on a major label?

Does this fit with the scene I'm in?

Do the right/wrong kind of people like this song?

Will listening to this band help me fit in/stand out?

Pity the poor indie kid who would love the new Green Day record but doesn't listen to it because of an objection that's based on something other than not liking the tunes.

And pity the poor Top 40 fan who doesn't listen to the local college radio station because that's the station "all the weirdos" listen to. As a result he never hears "Caspian Can Wait" by the Velevet Teen, a song he would adore if he gave the music a chance.

 

[lmjhitman]

brau, you're just helping him prove his point.

you're an indiesnob-snob. we get it. it's cool.

and on the white stripes thing, i agree with therooster. the white stripes haven't been indie since 'fell in love with a girl'.

 

[anitram]

Saw them once, didn't like them, but Coke is better than Pepsi so I'll give them that.

 

[Zoomerang96]

brau, you're just helping him prove his point.

you're an indiesnob-snob. we get it. it's cool.

and on the white stripes thing, i agree with therooster. the white stripes haven't been indie since 'fell in love with a girl'.

indeed, mr. brau has done a lot to prove everyone else right in this thread.

an indiesnob - snob. i think this is something that's gonna be big soon - i want in.

hey here's an idea, hitman...let's make our own sect of indie-snob snobbery, and actually make it cool!

 

[MrBrau1]

indeed, mr. brau has done a lot to prove everyone else right in this thread.

an indiesnob - snob. i think this is something that's gonna be big soon - i want in.

hey here's an idea, hitman...let's make our own sect of indie-snob snobbery, and actually make it cool!

Did you actually read my post? You have a problem with it?

Or are you pissed off from another thread?

Are you for real?

 

[Zoomerang96]

no mr. brau i'm not for real.

you like pissing people off, and you're good at it. i am too.

but like i've said before, you're far too intelligent for me to possibly hold any ill regard.

you're good shit for real.

 

[MrBrau1]

no mr. brau i'm not for real.

you like pissing people off, and you're good at it. i am too.

but like i've said before, you're far too intelligent for me to possibly hold any ill regard.

you're good shit for real.

Do you ever not "play"?

 

[Zoomerang96]

not quite sure what that means, but i have an idea.

i view a message board as a place to come across as however i feel at the moment, but it's actually never my intent to push things too far. to be honest, i'm really unimpressed that i was part of the problem that resulted in that other thread getting closed. there was absolutely NO need for me to be involved in getting it to that point.

 

[MrBrau1]

not quite sure what that means, but i have an idea.

i view a message board as a place to come across as however i feel at the moment, but it's actually never my intent to push things too far. to be honest, i'm really unimpressed that i was part of the problem that resulted in that other thread getting closed. there was absolutely NO need for me to be involved in getting it to that point.

Thats fine.

I feel the same way sometimes.

But...Stop playing and READ my post. And tell me what you think.

Then you can go all "nutz and shitz".

 

[Zoomerang96]

assuming you're referring to the initial post in this thread, it brings up an interesting series of questions.

all of which would require me to provide contradictory answers...

where does a band draw the line from being true to their music/fans/etc.?

that's a very shady line, and each day it gets a little harder to distinguish.

i guess there's some unwritten rules that most respected, veteran bands follow.

that being said, you don't see a lot of respected bands sell their tunes for a car commercial.

but even that's changed.

does that mean it's right, or does it mean that the game of promoting yourself as a band has changed so much that really anything can go?

i don't think so.

i can understand why a band like the walkmen sell their stuff for car adverts. they're not wealthy, they've never had a huge hit that brought them cash. they need the money, i'm sure. (but maybe not? i guess i wouldn't know for sure...i assume)

but for bands, and lets use led zep. and u2 here for example, to sell their music to promote ipods or luxury cars is ludicrious in my opinion. these bands are huge...what do they need the exposure for? to remain relevant in the mainstream? that's what releasing singles to top-40 clear channel radio stations is for.

and yes, that last line was a tad ironic in the context of this entire discussion and warrants further exploration at a time when the sun isn't only a few short hours from appearing for a new day...

 

[MrBrau1]

assuming you're referring to the initial post in this thread,

No

This is it:

When you hear a tune that moves you, do you embrace it and enjoy the beauty you find in it based on the merits of the song itself?

Or do you first check and see that the song and artist meet a certain set of criteria you've set up for yourself?

Is the artist on a major label?

Does this fit with the scene I'm in?

Do the right/wrong kind of people like this song?

Will listening to this band help me fit in/stand out?

"Pity the poor indie kid who would love the new Green Day record but doesn't listen to it because of an objection that's based on something other than not liking the tunes.

And pity the poor Top 40 fan who doesn't listen to the local college radio station because that's the station "all the weirdos" listen to. As a result he never hears "Caspian Can Wait" by the Velevet Teen, a song he would adore if he gave the music a chance.

 

[Zoomerang96]

well shit, mr. brau!!! i 7ust typed for like five minutes there!! cut me some slack.

alright, i'll give it a go anyway. i thought i was going to sleep half an hour ago?

1. yes, USUALLY. however, living in a materialistic world and one where impression is worth way too much, i confess to letting oustide influence perhaps guide me along. this is only me being honest, and i don't think you can find anyone who'd be able to say otherwise and really mean it.

2. ma7or label's mean nothing to me. i don't think i even know who radiohead were signed on with, and i'm serious about that. the only label i pay attention to is arts and crafts, because a great deal of my favourite bands are on there.

3. no. i'm not in a "scene". i wear a suit to work every day, how could that possibly be cool in anyone's books??

4. interesting question. i don't think so. but i do admit to being pretty gutted when at a conference i was at a few months ago, the president played the vertigo ipod ad, and we all watched it and talked about how awesome it was. then the guy goes on and on about awesome u2 are these days and how they're incorporating their music to help sell themselves THROUGH IPODS. men and women in suits bobbing their heads mindlessly watching the commercial disturbed me.

does that mean it SHOULD disturb me? ultimately and ideally, no. but this is only human...these sorts of situations arise in all sorts of other areas in life.

5. definitely not. i really couldn't care less about that sort of thing. i'm more than capable of "standing out" in more creative ways that are a reflection of who i am, and not what i'm listening to at the moment.

 

[Zoomerang96]

really mr. brau, people have to hand it to you. you do a very fine 7ob of making people aware of both sides of this contentious issue.

it's a relief to know that deep down inside, my personal feelings are the true answer.

 

[lmjhitman]

And pity the poor Top 40 fan who doesn't listen to the local college radio station because that's the station "all the weirdos" listen to. As a result he never hears "Caspian Can Wait" by the Velevet Teen, a song he would adore if he gave the music a chance.

i prefer 'forlorn' if that means anything to you.

 

[MrBrau1]

really mr. brau, people have to hand it to you. you do a very fine 7ob of making people aware of both sides of this contentious issue.

it's a relief to know that deep down inside, my personal feelings are the true answer.

It just wraps itself up like an after-school-special.