JAW ON THE FLOOR: Starbucks to Release Sonic Youth Celebrity Compilation (WTF)

there was certainly the idea that they might break through via "kool thing," etc. at the beginning.

Ultimately I think the main thing all of this attests to is that it's pretty damned hard to maintain a middle-class lifestyle into your fifties and sixties based even on a successful music career if you're not a MEGA star.

(not just in comparison to other chains, but *actually* remarkably progressive)

i don't think Starbucks is nearly as insidious as Wal-Mart or even McDonald's, but it is all about globalization, which is something I just don't dig. By design, I don't think globalization is good for the world.

there was certainly the idea that they might break through via "kool thing," etc. at the beginning.

That's certainly true. Was Sonic Youth instrumental in getting Nirvana to sign with DGC? I don't know that history.

Ultimately I think the main thing all of this attests to is that it's pretty damned hard to maintain a middle-class lifestyle into your fifties and sixties based even on a successful music career if you're not a MEGA star.

This is becoming increasingly true for all of us. It's scary.

xpost well ok but it's not just a middle-class lifestyle these guys want, they want e.g. a Lower Manhattan studio. I'd be surprised if anyone in SY is anything like struggling financially, but I could be wrong.

is there some irony being missed given that, as I understand it, Thurston is a stroller pushing Connecticut homeowner? Named Thurston?

i pointed out the irony earlier. thurston moore was the narrator for a documentary about the corporatization/commodification of music/the music industry: http://www.mediaed.org/videos/CommercialismPoliticsAndMedia/MoneyForNothing

also, i wonder if some of the folks defending sonic youth right now (for getting it on with starbucks, for playing daydream nation in its entirety in their current shows) are the same ones who dumped on the Who in 1989 for accepting corporate sponsorship for their reunion tour, and for (on a few occasions) playing tommy in its entirety.

The Who's first farewell tour in 1983 was sponsored by Schlitz. "Schlitz Rocks America!" And indeed they did.

Sorry, it was 1982:
http://www.postergeist.com/posters/roll10/PIC00013.jpg

Starbucks > Schlitz

I saw that tour. LOVERBOY opened teh show.

When I was fourteen I drank most of the Schiltz 24 pack in my grandpa's basement. xposts

not unrelated to the topic of "punks" "selling out," the clash opened a few dates of that Who tour. apparently they were conflicted about singing "career opportunities" at shea stadium.

but hey, it took a great beer like schlitz to bring the Who to america: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C95fEQNDclY

I like these underground bands that only make records and stuff that they sell only at gigs, and it's only available if you go to the gig to their merch table and they advertise it on their site and at different blogs and they'll list all these things like "edition of 50, only available on this little tour we're doing." So if you're a fan you kind of got to go to get the merch.

After doing some more thinking during my absence, it is this statement that really struck me about pfork's interview. Thurston's right in some sense, but he's making a comparison b/w Sonic Youth and "these underground bands" that doesn't hold up. *Insert noise band name here* selling tapes or lathe-cut records ONLY at their gigs is not the same as Sonic Youth selling a record ONLY at Starbucks. In this way, Sonic Youth is essentially saying, "You must go to Starbucks in order to listen to our newest music," which cannot be construed as anything other than an endorsement of a brand that I don't care for in more ways than one.

In other words, it's not as if I'm crying, "SELL OUTS!" They've been on DGC for years and tour great big venues with other great big groups, and often they put on a really excellent live show. What gets me is the endorsement of a brand that I think is responsible for much of the blanding of our nation's streets (remember what St. Marks looked like without three Starbucks facing each other?) and palates, not to mention the expansion of waistlines. It's the corporation that SY are dealing with that gets me going, not the fact that SY are dealing with corporations in the first place.

Starbucks > Schlitz

this is madness

Indie is still cutting edge - music I've been most interested in this year: of Montreal, Ghost, the Fall, Jennifer Gentle, Mary Weiss album with Reigning Sound, etc.

Okay, let's think about this, Tim.
- Of Montreal have been making the same record over and over since 1997. They are not cutting edge, and the dude's voice is grating.
- Ghost are admittedly awesome, but they also been doing the same sort of awesome thing for many many years. To defend Drag City's output as "cutting edge" at this point is laughable.
- the Fall are a bunch of old fucking men.

So, how are they cutting edge? Or are they simply bands whose recent output you like? That is fine. But to call them cutting edge is absurd.

"You must go to Starbucks in order to listen to our newest music," which cannot be construed as anything other than an endorsement of a brand

No. They didn't make an endorsement. If you want, you can go in and buy the COMPACT DISC and leave without purchasing any of their vile corporate COFFEE.

- the Fall are a bunch of old fucking men.

The Fall is one old man and anyone else he can convince to be in the band, including your grandmother, Bongo Debbie.

anyone seriously engaged in this conversation has already lost

also, i wonder if some of the folks defending sonic youth right now (for getting it on with starbucks, for playing daydream nation in its entirety in their current shows) are the same ones who dumped on the Who in 1989 for accepting corporate sponsorship for their reunion tour, and for (on a few occasions) playing tommy in its entirety.

-- Lawrence the Looter, Monday, June 18, 2007 3:37 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

these are pretty old people, no? who gave a fuck about the who's corporate ethics in 1989 anyway? it's not like they'd done anything decent in three decades!

Of Montreal have been making the same record over and over since 1997.

That's absolutely fucking ridiculous. Listen again.

Ghost are admittedly awesome, but they also been doing the same sort of awesome thing for many many years.

They've stayed within an aesthetic but have produced albums that keep topping the last one in moving ways. Ways that are significant in terms of the whole history of the genres they're using. They are very, very good.

the Fall are a bunch of old fucking men

No. There's one guy in his forties. The rest are a bunch of young people from L.A. or wherever. He's had crap bands for a decade but this new one made a really good album.

Or are they simply bands whose recent output you like? That is fine. But to call them cutting edge is absurd.

Name me some aesthetic that is more cutting edge than the recent output of these groups please.

To defend Drag City's output as "cutting edge" at this point is laughable.

I wasn't. I was talking about one band they signed like ten years ago. I'll also defend Joanna Newsom if you want, though.

MES is fifty this year

already is, i mean

The track Elena sings on the new album kind of sounds like the Metal Boys.

And that's cutting edge in your face, ass.

anyone seriously engaged in this conversation has already lost

-- strongohulkington, Sunday, June 17, 2007 11:12 PM

mods make masthead

i have my tickets to the daydream nation concert in brooklyn this summer. YAAY!

I don't engage in debate with people who like Of Montreal and are past high school, Tim. Live YOUR fanboy life and let me live mine. I'll just be dancing.

Now I am done with this thread.

Seriously, this is a thread of incredible stupidity.

lol

HOW CAN IT SURPRISE ANYONE THAT SONIC YOUTH LOVE BAD FUCKING COFFEE? GET OVER YOURSELVE AND YOUR STUPID STANDARDS

You obviously come with an asshole, KJB.

You don't know how true this is, sugar britches.

I thought we learned a lot: about coffee, at least. Am sad to find a thread where people simultaneously think that Sonic Youth are currently worth worrying about *and* that The Who haven't done anything decent in three decades, but that's kids for you.

haha, "globalization"

these are pretty old people, no?

old people? hell, ancient. mid-thirties. which, ironically enough, is a good 15 years younger than anyone in sonic "youth."

the sy and pixies fans in my high school (and i was a huge sy fan up to dirty) gave me shit for wanting to see a "dinosaur" band like the Who. i distinctly remember saying to them, "yeah, well, in 15 years sonic youth and the pixies will be doing their reunion cash-in nostalgia tours." i was wrong on only one point: sonic youth never broke up, hence no need to reunite. but the nostalgia "did-i-ever-tell-you-kids-about-the-late-80s" thing is still all up in that.

who gave a fuck about the who's corporate ethics in 1989 anyway?

lots of folks gave several fucks about the Who's corporate ethics in 1989, like charles m. young in his musician magazine cover story: http://featuringdave.com/Data/Webpage/townshen/musician.htm

it's not like they'd done anything decent in three decades!

naw, they just made it possible for bands like the velvets, stooges, and sonic youth to do what they do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L80BUs0EUh8

To KJB, Mr. Lord Soto, and Tim:
http://www.lilysea.net/smdanjesstoast.jpg

Sorry for nastiness.

I thought we learned a lot: about coffee, at least. Am sad to find a thread where people simultaneously think that Sonic Youth are currently worth worrying about *and* that The Who haven't done anything decent in three decades, but that's kids for you.

otmfm

I call it Fourbucks.

Sorry for nastiness.

-- the table is the table,

They look happy! What's your point?

Name me some aesthetic that is more cutting edge than the recent output of these groups please.

-- Tim Ellison, Sunday, June 17, 2007 7:16 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Link

the knife?

sry

my point is that i am sorry for being a bit of a dick. glass is raised.

Portia de Rossi?

I keep reading this thread title as JAWN ON THE FLOOR and thinking it's a Hollertronix thread.

http://www.thecoolwaterband.com/landshark.jpg

I mean, if Lennon's "Imagine" turned up in an army recruiting ad, I might raise an eyebrow...is there some irony being missed given that, as I understand it, Thurston is a stroller pushing Connecticut homeowner? Named Thurston?

Or maybe he rents...

I think he and Kim own a farmhouse in western Massachusetts.

It should be titled-

"Espresso to Yr. Skull"

When is this out? I haven't seen it yet in any of the Starbucks I regularly patronize to buy delicious iced coffee drinks.

stephen just validated this entire thread.

obviously they read this thread, took to heart its superb arguments, and changed their mind

Bassist Kim Gordon's haunting vocals and edgy lyrics add additional depth to the numbers she sings.

Pretty sure Kim didn't write her own lyrics 'til My Friend Goo.
Pretty sure Thurston's back to writing hers again.