It's Like Punk Rock, Only It's a Car: JSBX in a Subaru Ad

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"Who would want a car that's "like punk rock?" It would only have three gears, it'd be filthy, and its collision-safety tests would be shit-poor."

Well it might not be slow, ugly and dengerous but it would keep going all day and all night on only a teaspoon of petrol and would somehow still be on the road and inexplicably keep passing it's MOT's without any problems, years and years and years and years after even the people who built it expected it to have fallen apart completely.

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:43 (twenty years ago) link

When I say "it might NOT be", I mean "it might be", obv.

And I do know how to spell daynjeruss, really, honest I do.

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:58 (twenty years ago) link

A couple years ago I read something in CMJ New Music Monthly that implied Matador has a guy who's job is to FIND opportunities like this. So it's not even that somebody showed up at Spencer's house with a bag of money (with a dollar sign on it of course) pleading for him to give them the song.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:00 (twenty years ago) link

Jeez, they have somebody at a record company whose job it is to make money for them?
How dare they!?!

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:02 (twenty years ago) link

"A couple years ago I read something in CMJ New Music Monthly that implied Matador has a guy who's job is to FIND opportunities like this."

This is just marketing, right?

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:08 (twenty years ago) link

licensing, I believe. and in the case of many indie labels, it can be the difference between putting out one record a year or five records a year.

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:31 (twenty years ago) link

I guess this just brings us to the age-old "selling out" issue. What does that even mean? If you license a song to a company so that you can generate the funds to continue to produce or release quality music, then full steam ahead, I say. Problems only arise when, like you said, Horace, an artist writes or records songs SPECIFICALLY for a product. Then yer really nothing more than a jingle-writer (though jingle-writers have a certain innate pop-sensibility, I suppose).

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:47 (twenty years ago) link

My wife is a "creative" in advertising, and she has picked a few indie bands to use in ads (Modest Mouse and others I can't remember). Matador does indeed have Lyle Hysen, who works with agencies in getting Matador bands into ads. For the bands, the money they make ($20K or so and up) is pretty sizable vs. their reg'lar royalties.

And I'm surprised no one mentioned Radio Birdman being used in some SUV-type vehicle ad recently...took me 3-4 viewings before I keyed in on what the song was.

Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:47 (twenty years ago) link

3 reasons why Your Special Music in ads can be a Good Thing:
i - it makes the musicians richer
ii - more ppl get to hear music you think is great
iii - it changes the context in which you hear the work


3 reasons why Your Special Music in ads can be a Shitey Thing:
i - it makes the musicians richer
ii - more ppl get to hear music you think is great
iii - it changes the context in which you hear the work

Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:50 (twenty years ago) link

Solution is to not watch tv, I mean I have no idea what any of you are talking about. That being said, I think, if an ad used, for example, "Talk About The Blues" to sell something, I'd immediately buy their product.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:52 (twenty years ago) link

maybe health insurance?

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:55 (twenty years ago) link

Man, I completely forgot the Miller Genuine Draft ad with Modest Mouse! I remember seeing it while watching football on a Sunday afternoon or something and thinking, "That background music sounds eerily familiar," only to eventually realize that they were using "Gravity Rides Everything" from the Moon and Antarctica. So odd. At the same time, I'm pretty sure those guys drinks loads and loads of MGD.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:57 (twenty years ago) link

if an ad used, for example, "Talk About The Blues" to sell something, I'd immediately buy their product

or the the UK tory party ?

Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:03 (twenty years ago) link

Have we ever talked about music in political ads? And has there ever been a "good" song in a political ad? Would it piss you off if John Kerry used the Cure's "World War" to slam GWBush? Is there any song that GWB could use that *wouldn't* piss you off?

The only political ads/promotions I remember were:
Clinton - Don't Stop
Some Republican (Reagan?) - Born in the USA
Mondale - Teach Your Children

.. None of those songs affected me either way before or after they were used....

dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:08 (twenty years ago) link

Dude, if the Torys started using the Jon Spencer fucking Blues Explosion in their ads, it'd signal a whole new age for the conservatist movement. Holy shit.

Other songs that should be in ads:
"Rippin Kittin"
"You're Pretty Good Looking (For A Girl)"
"Gay Bar"
"She is Beautiful"
"Rockaway Beach"
"Paco!"
"So Fresh So Clean"

I'd immediately buy anything that used those songs.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:30 (twenty years ago) link

"Gay Bar"

Let's see them use the song and actually include the lyrics. ;-)

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:31 (twenty years ago) link

They could just repeat the bit about having something to put in ya, and use it as an ad for immunizations.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:33 (twenty years ago) link

"gay bar" would be an excellent ad for a gay bar!

Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:34 (twenty years ago) link

Teach Your Children in a political ad! That's awesome. That song is so hilarious. I love the slide guitar intro, it is the opening sound to my computer and I start almost all my tapes with it. Not so great after that, though.

Fivvy (Fivvy), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:37 (twenty years ago) link

I think "She Is Beautiful" was used in a beer ad. That song rules, too.

Fivvy (Fivvy), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:38 (twenty years ago) link

Somewhat coincidentally, I gave my black "BLUES EXPLOSION" t-shirt (procured at Tramp's on the Orange tour) to Salvation Army today.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:39 (twenty years ago) link

Have we ever talked about music in political ads? And has there ever been a "good" song in a political ad?

Nominate campaign songs for U.S. presidential candidates

jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:41 (twenty years ago) link

i'd always thought "mellow yellow" was a jingle written specifically to sell butter or margarine when i was a kid.

brian badword (badwords), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:41 (twenty years ago) link

Somewhat coincidentally, I gave my black "BLUES EXPLOSION" t-shirt (procured at Tramp's on the Orange tour) to Salvation Army today.

*immediately goes to scour every single Salvation Army store in Manhattan* Dude! If I ever, ever went to concerts besides that goddamned Go-Betweens show, I'd have such cool shirts.

Oh, I have a really slutty shirt from Madonna's last tour, that's pretty cool. BUT STILL.

Did I mention that I'm totally in love with Jon Spencer?

Another song that I'd like to see in an ad would be "Bank Holiday" by Blur.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:44 (twenty years ago) link

Well, go to the Salvation Army on 12th & 4th Avenue and scour away.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:46 (twenty years ago) link

I'm tempted but isn't it kind of weird to go hunt down someone you've met's t-shirt for purchase?

I'm slowly realizing my claim about buying "anything in an ad using JSBX" is totally false because I have no need for a Subaru.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:47 (twenty years ago) link

If it makes you feel any better, I don't think I ever wore it more than twice.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:49 (twenty years ago) link

It's not really about you wearing it, it just struck me as bizarre rereading it. ALEX GIVE ME YOUR SHIRT IT WILL GO IN MY SHRINE TO YOU, etc.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:50 (twenty years ago) link

Hmmmm. Yes, that is a bit odd.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:54 (twenty years ago) link

Anyway. Yeah, bad phrasing, etc. I'm just in disbelief that anyone would give away such a shirt.

Does anyone use "Electricity" in an ad yet? Because they should.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:57 (twenty years ago) link

I would buy tampons if they used "Full Grown" in their ads.

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 16:59 (twenty years ago) link

I'm just in disbelief that anyone would give away such a shirt.

Since the move, I've been feeling the urge to purge m'self of stuff that I simply don't need/use/wear/want anymore, having already stored half of my stupid collection of crap in Manhattan Mini-Storage. I sort've lost my affinity for the Blues Explosion when it became rather abundantly clear that they weren't going to progress any further. Moreover, while I do think Jon Spencer is one cool motherfucker, he doesn't need another lanky white guy like myself extolling their merits through YET ANOTHER black t-shirt (as if I don't already have enough of those).

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:01 (twenty years ago) link

What? Are you stoned? As far as I'm concerned, the world needs far more of that, and far less tossers walking around fucking Lincoln Center dressed like Good Charlotte. Not that I just had a negative experience with a bunch of Good Charlotte lookalikes while at lunch or anything. I'm just saying.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:13 (twenty years ago) link

Anthony Miccio's minions are causing a ruckus!

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:15 (twenty years ago) link

In college I worked at a coffehouse next to a record store, the only decent indie store in town, etc. I was on alright terms with the owners/clerks (a crew of 2) as I was always in their store and they in mine. One day one of the guys comes in for coffee and says, "Hey, you like Jon Spencer, yeah?" I was maybe 19, and at that point Jon Spencer represented, to me, the Platonic ideal of cool. So I said, "Yeah, man," and the rekkid guy says, "Well, stop by after yer shift 'cuz I've got a JSBX poster you might want. We've gotta take it down to make room for some new posters so you can have it fer free." "Cool," I think. A few hours later I amble over to the shop and he presents me with the poster, but there's a surprise: It's signed by all three members. "Oh, yeah, I forgot: It's autographed," the clerk said fuzzily. So, to this day I have a cool signed poster of Jon Spencer, Judah Bauer and Russell Simmins cavorting about in gorilla suits. "Get With It," it says.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:17 (twenty years ago) link

My minions will destroy you all. Especially those of you worshipping a fuckin' bland-ass tiresome shmoe like Spencer (who still has yet to find his "Camel Walk" one hit).

I still have my black "Blues Explosion!" t-shirt though. And I probably won't sell Orange or Now I Got Worry. Acme and maybe Extra Width might go though. He tries too hard.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:19 (twenty years ago) link

a fuckin' bland-ass tiresome shmoe like Spencer

Which actually is sorta my thought on him too, but anyway.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:21 (twenty years ago) link

He tries too hard.

Yeah, `cos Good Charlotte are so effortlessly GENUINE aren't they.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:22 (twenty years ago) link

I think they were more simon trife's minions, Ned.

HOW THE HELL CAN YOU FORGET THE POSTER IS AUTOGRAPHED???? Jesus. I convinced someone at Sony to give me a massive subway-poster-sized thing for Generation Terrorists that was signed by the entire band including Richey. It was bizarre, why would someone give that away? Besides having no need for a gigantic picture of Richey Edwards's nipple.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:22 (twenty years ago) link

I thought everyone wanted a gigantic picture of Richey's nipple?

Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:24 (twenty years ago) link

they sure sound like 23 year old well-intentioned mall-punks on the album, Alex. which is what they claim to be. And I'm not against actors, ya know. But Spencer is no Alice Cooper when it comes to that department.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:29 (twenty years ago) link

I think they were more simon trife's minions, Ned.

Haha! Emotwee MCs.

I thought everyone wanted a gigantic picture of Richey's nipple?

Makes for memorable wallpaper.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:31 (twenty years ago) link

"HOW THE HELL CAN YOU FORGET THE POSTER IS AUTOGRAPHED???? Jesus."

Yeah, I thought the same thing. Like I said, he was a bit fuzzy.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:31 (twenty years ago) link

I don't think Jon Spencer is trying in any way to be Alice Cooper. Also, he's much better looking than all of Good Charlotte and Alice Cooper, which is really the key part of this whole comparitive scenario, since the lot of them have fuck all else in common.

Nicole OTM.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

I didn't say he was trying to be Alice Cooper. I said they were both actor-type singers. And Spencer's shtick doesn't come off nearly as fun. Though you're right that SPencer is way better looking than both bands (fun videos too).

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:37 (twenty years ago) link

spencer's shtick may not be as good, but his music is better.

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:38 (twenty years ago) link

The main reason I'll be keeping Now I Got Worry and Orange is for the riffs 'n' all. Though I'm still pissed "Wail" wasn't a bigger hit. That could have been their "Camel Walk."

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:39 (twenty years ago) link

yeah, what was up with the Weird Al video?

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:40 (twenty years ago) link

Horace OTM now.

Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:41 (twenty years ago) link

Actually, the poster I have is, I think, from that Weird Al video. There were gorilla suits involved in that, weren't there?

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:43 (twenty years ago) link

Aside from the part of "Can't Stop" where Spencer talks about how my girlfriend still loves him, I think "Identify" is my favourite song on Now I Got Worry. For today at least. That shoulda been a hit.

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:43 (twenty years ago) link

that Weird Al video was their shining moment (though I like the "Flavor" video a lot too). Russel Simins is a big Weird Al fan and even interviewed him for Grand Royal.

no gorrila suits in "Wail."

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:45 (twenty years ago) link

The money I'm living on RIGHT NOW, the money that bought the expensive tub of olives I've just eaten, comes from a car commercial, a campaign that's run in Italy for over a year using a song of mine. I'm not a car enthusiast, but I like olives.

Momus (Momus), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:47 (twenty years ago) link

I just love how Worry starts off: that raw wail over the distorto-drums. Like, "We mean business."

And I give up on the gorilla suit motif. I have no idea where that came from.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:48 (twenty years ago) link

the gorilla photos was the pre-lease print campaign

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:50 (twenty years ago) link

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, they're red, white and blue.
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief",
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,

that Levis ad kills me.

autovac (autovac), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:54 (twenty years ago) link

ugh, should be pre-release

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:55 (twenty years ago) link

I'm still kind of disappointed that the famed "Where's the Cheese At?" commercial never came to pass.

Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 1 May 2003 17:55 (twenty years ago) link

"that Levis ad kills me."

I think it's for Tommy Hilfiger, as they're label is red, white and blue. No matter, though: I agree, it's one of the worst distortions of a song for the purpose of selling merchandise. Criminal.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:00 (twenty years ago) link

let's see if we can get a consensus here.

using songs in ads because they're cool songs = okay
using songs in ads because they've come to represent something and you want your shitty jeans to represent that without actually having them do anything = sucks

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:05 (twenty years ago) link

Well, yeah. But the thing with Hilfiger's use of Fortunate Son is not just that Fortunate Son is a cool song and I hate Hilfiger jeans, but that the makers of the commercial basically edit the song so that the meaning of the song is distorted. Fortunate Son is a pretty hard-hitting tune, and COMPLETELY antithetical to the image of priveleged, beautiful people prancing around in Palm Springs or wherever. Wearing Hilfiger.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:09 (twenty years ago) link

I'm still kind of disappointed that the famed "Where's the Cheese At?" commercial never came to pass.

YOU AND ME BOTH SISTAH. You can DL the (rejected) song off of Ween's website though.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:11 (twenty years ago) link

BG: That's sort of what I mean, but probably failed to articulate. I mean, it's one thing when an ad USES a song, but another when the ad completely subverts the song's meaning/context (my fave examples of this is the Bank of Montreal's use of "The Times They Are A-Changing" and Carnival Cruises' use of "Lust for Life").
The former is, y'know, generally acceptable as byproduct of commercial age/cool people working in the ad industry/etc; the latter is uniformly reprehensible, though often funny.

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:25 (twenty years ago) link

the really evil thing about the Hillfiger commercial is that it was done despite the (understandably) outraged objections of John Fogerty. For Fogerty that ad must be like watching one of his children gang-raped on national television.

Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:26 (twenty years ago) link

everybody get together in mass sympathy "awwwww" for john fogerty. i mean, the guy invented grunge, has no stake in his most lucrative creations, got sued for writing songs that sound like he wrote them, and then got pissed on by Whitey (by which I mean Hilfiger).

Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:29 (twenty years ago) link

We have had several threads about this. Each one was very long. Maybe I need to read those again, but my feeling was that no one seriously challenged mark s's contention that if you feel an ad "distorts" or "ruins" a song for you then you're admitting that the power of that particular ad is greater than the power of that particular song; you argue that the marketing is more powerful, in this case, than the music. Actually now that I'm reading you better it sounds like you're just saying the ads make you irritated at whoever made them. I guess we're making progress here!

The world has gone musically mad

Music in Ads

I can't stand Spencer's fake-ass accent. The power of his fake accent is WAY STRONGER than the power of the rhythm section, which is a shame, because it's a great rhythm section, but it goes to show you my strange priorities. If your fake-ass accent sucks YOU ARE DEAD TO ME. And I dunno, the shirts, the shades, the total SCAREDNESS you can smell through the lights and the crowd, the impossibility of allowing anyone to see any of his vulnerability, even if it's an angry vulnerability, just kind of adds up to = first-class A-hole. YEAH, I SAID IT, A-HOLE. I still kind of like "I Dig You" though.

John Fogerty's fake-ass accent, on the other hand, rules.

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:30 (twenty years ago) link

Cannot think why Pizza Hut rejected Ween's 'Where's The Cheese?' (Do not open link at work, motherfuckers.)

Momus (Momus), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:38 (twenty years ago) link

Fogerty got the shit end of the stick, no doubt.

And that Carnival use of "Lust for Life" is absolutley absurd/genius. "Do you like hard drugs and the dole? Then you'll love our cruise line!!!" Like Kathie Lee Gifford hanging out in some Glasgow shooting pad.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:44 (twenty years ago) link

(That's funny, cuz I [at work] listened to that Ween track earlier on a Ween comp. CD I made. THANK GOD FOR HEADPHONES.)

nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 1 May 2003 18:53 (twenty years ago) link

Comparing Jon Spencer to Alice Cooper is completley without merit.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 20:26 (twenty years ago) link

I can't wait 'till some ad exec puts the "blowing my wad/ all over God" part of GWAR's "Death Pod" into....say...a feminine hygeine product ad.
This will truly signal that everything will be okay in the world.

Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Thursday, 1 May 2003 20:34 (twenty years ago) link

BLOB!

bleb, Friday, 2 May 2003 07:01 (twenty years ago) link

BLOB2

bleb, Friday, 2 May 2003 07:02 (twenty years ago) link

but my feeling was that no one seriously challenged mark s's contention that if you feel an ad "distorts" or "ruins" a song for you then you're admitting that the power of that particular ad is greater than the power of that particular song; you argue that the marketing is more powerful, in this case, than the music.

Tracer - I did ask him about it, on the WHGMM thread:

'mark s - I really hesitate to question, but I don't know about what you said: I don't know what kind of contextless 'power' a piece of music can have?
Can't this be just a matter of personal connectivity and conditioning?
Isn't there any music you love that carries some cultural/personal meaning to YOU that you feel would somehow be sullied by a more generic use - do you really appreciate everything you like in that kind of isolated or socially-abstracted or impervious-to-recontextualisation way - or is it that there's no context for it that could conceivably piss you off? '

OK - that might not be a 'serious' challenge by yr (or his!) standards, but I do find his notion sort of puzzling at the same time as logically coherent.
looking at it again, i guess i'm comparing diff ways of liking diff sorts of music -
eg i like some baroque music but would not be bothered by its use in ads because it does not mean much to me wrt personal history/cultural-personal identity-formation/representation/metaphor of understanding
(but it might do to someone of a different background - or who was 300 yrs old)

mark's contention asserts its own criteria of (music)love:
'i loved that song and those gits have spoiled it now'
'well, if its that easily ruined you never *really* loved it in the first place'

so to those of us caught in the middle - 'loving' it beyond context and only 'liking' it regardless of context look like they => the same comfort-in-the-face-of-marketing-use, so each can suspect the other of being the opposite of what they think they are

i think to regard sensitivity to context as a 'lesser' form of appreciation because its makes yr love more a hostage to fortune is not an attitude we carry through unreservedly to other things unless labouring under romantic idealism - and sensitivity to those factors can be more than just 'darling they're playing our tune' sentiment or pavlovian drool

they can be regarded as part of the timber framework constituting yr music-love, not just a load of airbags attached to its barnacle-encrusted leaky hull

ppl who love the whole pop panjandrum can't have it both ways here

Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Friday, 2 May 2003 11:16 (twenty years ago) link


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