Independent bands gaining popularity through commercials

An irony: Independent bands gaining popularity through commercials

The article talks about Pas/Cal who are playing the velvet lounge on 4/11

Band Website Here

Big Yawn Review of First EP

Hey, if you want to be a musician full time, gotta get some cash and exposure some way.

That Pas/Cal website is hysterical; they have their albums listed with "recommended" and "also recommended" notations. It's their own website, duh, the albums are recommended….!

They sound kind of twee and british and sunny…could make for a cool Lounge show.

Thanks, pollard.

Ummmmm that show is the same night as lambchops not yet confirmed stint at iota. They are good, but they are no Lambchop.

This is going to be a bit vague, but if anyone can help I'd appreciate it. In January, I saw a car comercial (I think saturn) and basically it had this guy walking down a beach or boardwalk and he kept running into everything. Anyway, I loved the song. It sounded like it could be something Super Furry Animals had done, but thats just a stab in the dark. I've nver seen the comerical again. Does this sound familar to anyone?

You know, I just about freaked when I heard Gravity Rides Everything on a car commercial– so random. But I think whether or not a car commercial makes a band "big" has to do with how hard it is to find the song.

For example, VW puts the song and artist names from their ads on their webpage. That helps. In the case of others, though, especially with more indy music, it's not so simple. The lyrics "Gravity Rides Everything" weren't played during the commercial, it's a song that doesn't sound like Modest Mouse's usual stuff, and it would be somewhat hard working from nothing to know where to start looking…

I remember back in the old days when people used to get pissed off when their favorite rock band's songs were turned into commercials. Now you guys all think it's a good thing? What happened to the to the spirit of independence of days gone by?

damn fresh out of troll food

I think it's different when a band that's 'made it' sells out for commercials, for one. Also, it's become so prevalent, we're inured to it a bit.

Here we're talking about indie bands that aren't selling out but are selling 'up' – this is what might bring them enough attention to make it as a full time band. Whereas when you hear the Cure or U2 or R.E.M. on a commercial, you may think "fecking putzes, like they need more money?" It's just about money, not exposure.

It's tough times for recording artists for so many reasons right now. Get some exposure and work it, baby, work it.

Originally posted by poorballball:
I remember back in the old days when people used to get pissed off when their favorite rock band's songs were turned into commercials. Now you guys all think it's a good thing? What happened to the to the spirit of independence of days gone by?

I'm glad i read all the posts before i wrote something cause i was thinking the exact same thing, if its not their bands its called selling out, if it is their bands then its the coolest thing in the world. :roll:

Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
I'm glad i read all the posts before i wrote something cause i was thinking the exact same thing, if its not their bands its called selling out, if it is their bands then its the coolest thing in the world. :roll:

Guiny, you are part of they, you are here everyday

so sorry what i meant to say was…

shame on moby, apples in stereo, the shins, the shazam, brendan benson, the dandy warhols, etc for wanting to be able to make a little money from their music. that doesn't involve sleeping on peoples floors, eating crappy food.

are any of you lot willing to give up a comfortable existence to go out on the road a play to indifferent audiences, maybe sell a couple cds to pay for gas? there are still bands that that the no "sellout" ethic.

personally when i hear a song from a cool band i'm inclind to go out and find it. it also might mean that a fav artist might be able to tour or put out another record.

i think most of the clamor over selling out was over the beatles "revolution" nike ads… and that case if was micheal jackson who owned the beatles song publishing who was making the money not the beatles.

Well other than when touring, I don't see why a rock musician shouldn't have a second job anyway, be it giving guitar lessons, working in an office, or delivering the mail. I mean, does it really take eight hours a day to practice your instrument and write songs?

Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
I'm glad i read all the posts before i wrote something cause i was thinking the exact same thing, if its not their bands its called selling out, if it is their bands then its the coolest thing in the world. :roll:

You must be stoked about that new Carnival Cruise commercial with the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" soundtrack.

Originally posted by poorballball:
I mean, does it really take eight hours a day to practice your instrument and write songs?

acutally, it could easily take that long…my dad used to play for 8 hours because he loved it so much, and he wasn't even a "professional"…


as with any such things…let the market decide…

Originally posted by poorballball:
Well other than when touring, I don't see why a rock musician shouldn't have a second job anyway, be it giving guitar lessons, working in an office, or delivering the mail. I mean, does it really take eight hours a day to practice your instrument and write songs?

well many rock musicians do that as well to pay what expenses didn't get covered on the road, getting money together to record the next record, there is still nothing wrong with earning a little extra money by liscening a song. plus it's get the song out to more people who would have heard of your band otherwise. do you think brendan benson or his record company can afford several 30 second spots on primetime tv?

how about all those bands who play certain guitar drums in exchange for sponsorship? or wear certain t-shirts, jeans or tennis shows. it's all about sponsorship. it's been that way for centuries. instead of being the king or other royalty making the bills, it's now big business.

Originally posted by poorballball:
Well other than when touring, I don't see why a rock musician shouldn't have a second job anyway, be it giving guitar lessons, working in an office, or delivering the mail. I mean, does it really take eight hours a day to practice your instrument and write songs?

why should they work if they have enough money not to work? i for one would not have some shitty day job working for somebody else if I could afford not to, I would do something with my time, but certainly not delivering the mail or working in an office

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:

Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
I'm glad i read all the posts before i wrote something cause i was thinking the exact same thing, if its not their bands its called selling out, if it is their bands then its the coolest thing in the world. :roll:

You must be stoked about that new Carnival Cruise commercial with the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" soundtrack.

Soundtrack?

Originally posted by pollard:

Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
I'm glad i read all the posts before i wrote something cause i was thinking the exact same thing, if its not their bands its called selling out, if it is their bands then its the coolest thing in the world. :roll:

Guiny, you are part of they, you are here everyday

Actually i wasn't here the last four days….Sorry.

Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
Actually i wasn't here the last four days….Sorry.

oh, then you CLEARLY aren't a regular