eh, who cares? Most musicians barely make enough money to justify their career choice as it is. Besides, who's gonna turn down a bunch of extra cash? It's not like he's gotta re-record the song or anything. Ya gotta pay rent, somehow, man.
Originally posted by public access: eh, who cares? Most musicians barely make enough money to justify their career choice as it is. Besides, who's gonna turn down a bunch of extra cash? It's not like he's gotta re-record the song or anything. Ya gotta pay rent, somehow, man.
Right. So it's ok to whore yourself out to the corporate machine as long as it pays the bills? Some faceless, souless entity taking your art and perverting it for their benefit. Just goes to show that these indie guys are all full of shit. The pretend to be "indie" but when it all boils down to it they're just as materialistic and shallow as Greenday, U2, Good Charlotte, and Linkin Park, etc. Indie my ass.
Originally posted by public access: Paying bills isn't shallow, dude. Making music is a much of a job as accounting.
I suppose that's where you and I differ. I want to listen to music that was made out of a person's desire and sense of artistic expression, not for a job. It's kind of like the difference between eating a t.v. dinner or eating a homemade dinner prepared by someone who loves you.
Originally posted by public access: Paying bills isn't shallow, dude. Making music is a much of a job as accounting.
I suppose that's where you and I differ. I want to listen to music that was made out of a person's desire and sense of artistic expression, not for a job. It's kind of like the difference between eating a t.v. dinner or eating a homemade dinner prepared by someone who loves you.
Lovely metaphor Chaos and I agree with it in principle - nicely put.
However, it's a question of degree Chaos - there's nothing wrong with a bit of junk food once in a while but as long as it's not all you eat.
I can safely say that M Ward has served me many a meal with love when he has visited the home of my ears over the years.
As others have said, especially in a crumbling music industry infrastructure, I have no problem with someone getting a few extra dollars to keep bringing their music to me - as long as the quality music continues to arrive, I don't give a flying f**k whether an artist licences their music in adverts or mass release film soundtracks or playing out of supermarket channels (please do) - whatever it takes for the flow to keep on coming!
----------------- Don't Panic!!!
Posts: 439 | Location: Australia | Registered: 09 March 2009
I don't think it's fair to say that his music is any less artistic or well thought out just because he sold it to someone. This would be a valid arguement if he had specifically written the song for a beer ad, and had instead named it "Never had nobody like this beer". But he didn't. He sat down in his living room and developed an idea and wrote some meaningful lyrics to it. Then someone came along and appreciated it and wanted to use it in their commerical because it had a nice sound and drew people's attention.
Granted. I agree that it sours my personal appreciation of the song itself, but I don't think it seriously take away from artistic quality of the album. And I would rather artists were able to support themselves and have them close up their guitar cases and start applying for jobs at Taco Bell.
---------------------------- There's an ember in the rafters and it's gonna burn this whole thing down.
Originally posted by melvolume: ...an artist licences their music in adverts or mass release film soundtracks or playing out of supermarket channels (please do)...
I feel like such a music snob, but I often laugh out loud in the middle of the grocery store simply because the music playing over the PA is so horrible. Seriously, who picks that music? Why is that so many people can just bop along undistracted by that horrible horrible music?
---------------------------- There's an ember in the rafters and it's gonna burn this whole thing down.
Keep in mind that the music industry has changed fundamentally in the last 40 years. In today's fragmented musical environment, the challenge is to get your music out to more fans. Top 40 radio is closed to most artists. But, if Wilco or Phoenix can license their music for use in a car campaign, it increases their exposure to a mass audience. Same thing with having your music on Guitar Hero or MLB 2009, for example. I think the money is actually secondary to the exposure.
By the way, I doubt that M. Ward sat down and said, "I want to write a song that can be played as a beer jingle." I doubt the Jeff Tweedy said, "Nothing will sell cars more than a song about a guy walking." My point is, the fact that Wilco, M. Ward, or Phoenix licensed their music for advertising campaigns after the songs were recorded does not compromise the integrity of the creative process. It does not cheapen The Hold Steady's artistic vision because "Stuck Between Stations" has been licensed for theme music for a major league baseball video game.
These artists wrote and recorded music they wanted to make. After they created their art, they were fortunate enough to capitalize on their artistic vision. As was said earlier, there's nothing wrong with an artist making money.
________________ The record buying public shouldn't be voting.
Posts: 1124 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006
Originally posted by The Fall of Troy: After they created their art, they were fortunate enough to capitalize on their artistic vision.
And that's how it starts. Once you cross the line of selling your art to be used, twisted, perverted by the Corporate Greed Machine you will continue to further compromise your art and the motivation behind it. Like I said, it always starts off this way.
Guarantee you M. Ward's next album will be with some big fancy producer who over-polishes his product for mass media consumption. Hell, maybe Ward can do a theme song for the next big T.V. series. That's where this always goes. You compromise a little at first and get to buy that new condo or that new studio equipment or that new Lambo...and then you continue to compromise to pay for all the expensive shit you just have to have. Seen it a million times.
Take a look at his little partner-in-crime Deschanel's musical backround. She married one of the biggest sellouts in the game, Ben Gibbard. Remember when Deathcab used to make great indie music?
I'm pretty sure that the only people who sit down to write music for commercials are the ones who make professional television background music. Each of these "sellout" bands were sought out by the advertising firms behind the commercials their songs were used in. This really isn't that hard of a concept to grasp...
This really isn't that hard of a concept to grasp...
It's not that chaos doesn't grasp it. It's that he'll quote one line you said, rant about his point being the right one, then willfully ignore the rest of your statement.
As CHAOS himself said,
quote:
Seen it a million times.
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Butterby, it's no good!!!
Posts: 516 | Location: Tucson | Registered: 10 December 2007
