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Grex > Music2 > #88: Selling Out -- What does it mean to you? | |
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| 25 new of 58 responses total. |
krj
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response 25 of 58:
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Nov 24 18:47 UTC 1997 |
I would argue that "mainstream" is now a meaningless term in popular
music; dinosaur rock acts, "alternative," rap, gentler pop & country all
have roughly equal shots at brief periods of chart-topping,
megaplatinum success.
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teflon
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response 26 of 58:
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Nov 25 00:51 UTC 1997 |
well, here in A2, alternative seems to be the mainstream... interesting
parodox... I'm going to have to start an item regarding that...
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mcnally
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response 27 of 58:
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Nov 25 14:44 UTC 1997 |
Among your age and peer group, no doubt it seems to be "the" mainstream
but I'll agree with Ken that there's no longer one "mainstream"
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orinoco
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response 28 of 58:
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Nov 26 01:39 UTC 1997 |
No, but there are certainly things that are far enough out to be definitely
out of the mainstream. There may not be a clear barrier, but there's
certainly acts that come down clearly on one side or the other.
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lumen
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response 29 of 58:
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Nov 26 06:38 UTC 1997 |
re #21: I had forgot to mention that. Not only did they do a cover of the
theme song for the movie, they also appeared in it. Anyone have any idea what
they were singing, if it's on the soundtrack or where it might be found?
I was rather disappointed that they didn't do a more original arrangement of
the theme song-- they just deadpanned it, for the most part. I had heard they
were going to sing for the movie, before it came out, and I _did_ think they
were going to use something like "Mesopotamia."
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metal00
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response 30 of 58:
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Sep 9 05:06 UTC 2000 |
I think a band sells out if they sell their music for the sake of cashing in
on a good thing. For example, when major musician or band allows thir music
to be used in a car commercial, to me, that represents selling out. Everytime
I hear The Who advertising for Toyota, or Ford, or what ever it is, I get sick
to my stomach. They've sold out to Corporate America. KISS doing a Pepsi
commercial?? That is absolutly ridiculous. METALLICA has been accused of
selling out because they will not allow their music to be pirated. I disagree
with that. Music is a business, and they need to be compensated for their
efforts. If millions of people buy their albums, they deserve every penny of
profit, but who can say that they are rich enough and their material should
be made available for free download? I hope that I never hear ENTER SANDMAN
used to promote a car, soft drink, or a fast food chain. If I ever do, I will
still enjoy and listen to METALLICA, but I will have lost respect fopr them
as musicians. I have faith that they will hold true to their fans, andmake
us proud!!!
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happyboy
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response 31 of 58:
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Sep 9 15:36 UTC 2000 |
KISS might as well have started OUT as a pepsi commercial.
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mcnally
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response 32 of 58:
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Sep 9 23:02 UTC 2000 |
re #31: I have to agree..
re #30: Why is your "respect for them as musicians" contingent upon
whether or not their music is used to market a product? and does it
actually change the value of music recorded thirty years ago if it's
used in a commercial today? (I'd say it'd be one thing if The Who
re-recorded "My Generation" as "talkin 'bout my PEPSI-colaaa", but I
really don't see how licensing some original song for a commercial
pushes them over some invisible line.. I mean, how can you accuse
the Who of selling out when more than thirty years ago they released
an album entitled "The Who Sell Out"?
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tpryan
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response 33 of 58:
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Sep 10 00:01 UTC 2000 |
Most of the artists do not have total control over their
tunes and lyrics. They gave them up to managers, producers,
record companies, publishing houses, clearing houses, etc.
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metal00
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response 34 of 58:
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Sep 10 04:40 UTC 2000 |
I guess that not actually being a musician, I can only express that as a fan,
I really enjoy seeing an artist that performs solely for their own
satisfaction. To me rock n roll is the essence of rebellion. Hearing The Who,
or any great rock band employeed by a corporation to sell their product kind
of kills that for me.
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happyboy
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response 35 of 58:
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Sep 10 14:34 UTC 2000 |
i think it's neat!
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ashke
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response 36 of 58:
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Sep 13 20:12 UTC 2000 |
I don't know, hearing Depeche Mode on a Gap commertial was pretty satisfying
to me, or the Who on the car ad, but I didn't like how quickly Lenny Kravitz
sold "Fly".
I'd rather they make money for doing what they love, rather than tailoring
what they do to make money...does that make sense?
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lumen
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response 37 of 58:
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Sep 15 02:12 UTC 2000 |
I liked the Gap leather commerical with the "Just Can't Get Enough"
tune, too.
Fair enough.. I agree that the music sounds a little better when they
enjoy making it for the sake of itself, and not to become rich. Popular
music IS popular for a reason, but you can begin to tell when artists
are trying too hard (or are forced by producers, managers, and execs to
try too hard) to please everyone for the sake of money.
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dbratman
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response 38 of 58:
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Sep 15 23:23 UTC 2000 |
"Selling out" is not the same thing as "getting popular enough so that
your elitist fans get annoyed." Selling out occurs when you dilute
whatever made you good in the first place in order to become popular.
As this is a matter of opinion, its significance is often missed. And
it's certainly possible to lose quality without selling out: I can even
think of a few people whose rigid insistence on artistic independence,
maintained as they created more and more hopeless crap, would have been
tempered to their great benefit with a little selling out.
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ea
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response 39 of 58:
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Sep 17 19:49 UTC 2000 |
In my opinion, selling out is not having your music used in a
commercial. Selling out is having your face used in a commercial, or
having your CD's sold at McDonalds/Burger King. Selling out could be
when you try to sue your fans who are downloading your music off
Napster. Selling out is when you become so obsessed with money you
forget that you wouldn't have the money if not for the fans, and you
alienate the fans.
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brighn
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response 40 of 58:
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Sep 18 01:37 UTC 2000 |
Selling out is changing your art solely for the sake of money.
Metallica wasn't art to begin with. ;}
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happyboy
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response 41 of 58:
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Sep 19 11:29 UTC 2000 |
the kidz in my school are more *hardcore* than mental-lick-a.
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dbratman
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response 42 of 58:
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Sep 20 00:19 UTC 2000 |
I'm weeping great crocodile tears at the unfortunate put-upon fans who
are actually being asked to pay money for recordings. How cruel! How
inhuman!
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mcnally
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response 43 of 58:
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Sep 20 01:39 UTC 2000 |
While you're at it, be sure to weep for all of the great bands we'll
never hear because the powers that be in the music industry have created
a promotion and distribution system where an artist that sells 100,000
copies of a record winds up owing money, leaving bland mainstream commercial
pop the only reliable moneymaker.
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brighn
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response 44 of 58:
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Sep 20 13:58 UTC 2000 |
Wow. It's too bad there's no way for these low-selling bands to release their
own albums. Somebody tell Ani DiFranco before it's too late.
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anderyn
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response 45 of 58:
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Sep 20 15:06 UTC 2000 |
It's possible, but you have to have the cash up front. I mean, I was talking
to Delta 88 when they were making their album, and it was delayed for a looong
time because they needed another $5000 or so, which took forever to come up
with. It's also hard to pay other musicians to guest, etc, without a backer.
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katie
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response 46 of 58:
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Sep 21 02:28 UTC 2000 |
$5000 *extra*? They musta gone pretty high-tech and 'phisticated.
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anderyn
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response 47 of 58:
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Sep 21 10:58 UTC 2000 |
I don't think it was extra.... but I may have been mistaken.
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brighn
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response 48 of 58:
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Sep 21 13:45 UTC 2000 |
But this music is their *soul* and their *art*... why do they need other
musicians to guest?
This usually strikes me as musicians whining about not being in the system,
and when they get in the system, they rarely look back and offer hands up to
others. (*rarely*, not *never*)
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anderyn
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response 49 of 58:
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Sep 21 15:37 UTC 2000 |
Paul....
Most of the musicians I've talked to who aren't "in the system" aren't whining
about it. Many of them (though not all) have chosen to be outside (since most
of the musicians I talk to are folk musicians, who aren't likely to be inside
anyhow) and even the best ones don't have the cash to plop out several
thousand dollars on a recording, alas.
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