More on the "controversy"

[napoleon]

With all due respect, I think a lot of posts have been very parochial and myopic. Or more pointedly written by ungrateful bastards. Jeff and the band have every right to make money from their efforts in any way they see fit. It's one thing to take a standard and use it in an advert. For god's sake how much more money does Pete Townsend (several commercials) and Paul McCartney (Fidelity Investments) need to make? Did U2 who were guaranteed massive airplay when "Vertigo" was released in 2004 need to license it to Apple? But it's another thing entirely for Wilco, a mid-level band, to use a couple of new songs in the same way. They make some money and increase the chances of many people who might be completely unaware of them being turned on to some of the greatest music made in the last ten years. As for all of those people who feel that these songs will forever be ruined by being associated with VW: get over it! Did you feel the same disappointment when Wilco streamed "Sky Blue Sky" for two months online or when you heard them live on a downloaded torrent months or even years before the new record came out? Will you be similarly disappointed to see them performed live in a relatively intimate theatre instead of the smaller basketball arena that Wilco could choose to play based on demand? Perhaps you were distressed that the first official version of "The Thanks I Get" was a complimentary one provided with Jeff's solo DVD? It's ironic that so many people seem so precious about "art" that Wilco seem only too happy to provide in many other ways than the standard format of releasing a CD every two or three years. Moreover, as a massive music fan, it's shitty to see so many people completely forget the generosity of one of the few bands who have always strived to treat their fans with the utmost respect.

 

thank you.

 

i said almost the same thing in the other thread, but you my friend made it much more clear.

 

[auctioneer69]

I posted this in another thread but would like to know how many other people feel the VW Whingers lack a full perspective.

 

On the topic of the VW commercials with all due respect, I think a lot of posts have been very parochial and myopic. Or more pointedly written by ungrateful bastards. Jeff and the band have every right to make money from their efforts in any way they see fit. It's one thing to take a standard and use it in an advert. For god's sake how much more money does Pete Townsend (several commercials) and Paul McCartney (Fidelity Investments) need to make? Did U2 who were guaranteed massive airplay when "Vertigo" was released in 2004 need to license it to Apple? But it's another thing entirely for Wilco, a mid-level band, to use a couple of new songs in the same way. They make some money and increase the chances of many people who might be completely unaware of them being turned on to some of the greatest music made in the last ten years. As for all of those people who feel that these songs will forever be ruined by being associated with VW: get over it! Did you feel the same disappointment when Wilco streamed "Sky Blue Sky" for two months online prior to it's release or when you heard them live on a downloaded torrent months or even years before the new record came out? Will you be similarly disappointed to see them performed live in a relatively intimate theatre instead of the bigger venue that Wilco could choose to play based on demand? Perhaps you were distressed that the first official version of "The Thanks I Get" was a complimentary one provided with Jeff's solo DVD? Did the hiss on the webcast from London ruin your special interpretation on the meaning of "You Are My Face"? It's ironic that so many people seem so precious about "art" that Wilco seem only too happy to provide in many other ways than the standard format of releasing a CD every two or three years. Moreover, as a massive music fan, it's shitty to see so many people completely forget the generosity of one of the few bands who have always strived to treat their fans with the utmost respect

[WaronWar]

I've chosen to ignore topics on this thread (obviously until now), but you have a point: they deserve to earn money. Moreover, it's their music, and I could care less of what mediums they chose.

 

However, I am not a big fan (to say the least) of bands airing their music via commericals because I feel songs then become seen as that certain commerical. For example, The Who's "Bargain," is a great song, but when I play it for friends some time, they identify it as that one car commerical.

 

But besides that certain factor, I am still going to love Wilco's music, and a stupid commerical is not going to prevent me from that.

[Harold Pinto]

BlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlah

BlahBlah.

When will you people tire of this crap.

This has got to be the most earnest group of fans in the whole world. ITS A ROCK GROUP. That's it. The amount of thought and energy you people put into Wilco is amazing. Why anyone not involved in the day to day operations of Wilco would spend so much time worrying about this bullshit is beyond me.

[jethro]

This has got to be the most earnest retarded group of fans in the whole world. ITS A ROCK PROGGY, FOLKY, SORTA EASY LISTENING... PUT IT THIS WAY, IF ROCK WAS METAPHORICALLY A CROCODILE, THEN THIS WOULD BE BUNNIES, BUT SOMETIMES BUNNIES WITH A BIT OF AN ATTITUDE GROUP. That's it. The amount of thought and energy you people put into Wilco is amazing.

Yep.

[welch79]

BlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlahBlah

BlahBlah.

When will you people tire of this crap.

This has got to be the most earnest group of fans in the whole world. ITS A ROCK GROUP. That's it. The amount of thought and energy you people put into Wilco is amazing. Why anyone not involved in the day to day operations of Wilco would spend so much time worrying about this bullshit is beyond me.

i saw your post in the other thread about not discussing invading iran and instead discussing wilco. while you definitley have a point on some level, the larger point is this: this is a forum largely to discuss the band. while it may seem that all we do is discuss the band, i've done several things today that has kept me in tune with the world and my life, and you know what? part of my day i spend here reading and communicating to other like-minded fans who want a few minutes' diversion from invading iran. who's to say, by the way, that i didn't just post to some other message board about the topic you mentioned? who's to say that i didn't just leave a meeting with the (insert relavant and important person here) discussing the invasion of iran and i need to give my brain a rest?

 

either way, if you've come here to post to get a rise out of folks, then you have a body count of at least one.

 

congratulations.

 

i hope that in your postings, though, you find that this is a pretty good place to divert one's brain for a few minutes.

 

i have to go, now...important meeting with the president.

[Thanatos]

Not sure if this has been posted yet....From Tiny Mix Tapes:

 

 

VW:

[caliber66]

Oh, but good news! Despite all the Euros their pullin

[IRememberDBoon]

It would have been cooler if they didnt do it.

 

Its kind of like some folks think Wilco's art is sacred and Im one of them.

 

Wasnt my call and wont change my love for the band but it would have been cooler not to do it.

[fortuneinmyhead]

i doubt the $$ amounts to a whole lot (after split amongst members). i just was reading that Grandaddy netted something like $50k for the use of their song in a commercial. jason lytle split it up to the band members as a sort of 'thanks guys' before the band broke up.

[caliber66]

i doubt the $$ amounts to a whole lot (after split amongst members). i just was reading that Grandaddy netted something like $50k for the use of their song in a commercial. jason lytle split it up to the band members as a sort of 'thanks guys' before the band broke up.

Wilco likely commands a higher price, but that's not based on anything but my own intuition. Also, Wilco licensed six songs, so that probably makes the pot quite a bit larger as well...

[shabba rich]

Not sure if this has been posted yet....From Tiny Mix Tapes:

VW:

[entropy]

He better be concerned with his prostate, what with his head pressed up so far in there and rubbing against it.

[PigSooie]

This commercial is all over "Rescue Me". Exciting!

[Scott Gyrrr]

'bunch of cantankerous older men'

 

Cantankerousity rules!

 

older men rules!

 

Bunches!

[LouieB]

He better be concerned with his prostate, what with his head pressed up so far in there and rubbing against it.

 

Funny....

 

LouieB

[Let's Not Get Carried Away]

1-The dude from Tiny Mix Tapes is being unfairly snarky, and sounds like a pretentious jerk to me.

2-Regarding the "controversy" in general, two words: Nick Drake.

3-I haven't seen the ad yet, and highly doubt I will.

4-Apparently some people gave SBS little enough thought prior to seeing the commercial that they've dubbed it (in one poster's words) "the VW album".

5-As many have said far more eloquently than myself, Wilco treats its fans uncommonly well, what with the online streams, the permission to tape concerts, etc. They of all people don't deserve to be attacked like this.

6-Personally, this type of thing doesn't phase me-I only care if a band sells out musically, a la the albums Guided By Voices did with TVT, or Modest Mouse's more recent work. Instead of making a fuss over this, I'm just going to keep on listening to a great new album from my favorite band.

[Wendy]

Someday not too long from now, Tiny Mix Tapes will be shocked to discover that he, too, has become an older man concerned about the bills and his prostate, and it will all start to make sense to him.

 

 

How true!

[Willkoman]

2-Regarding the "controversy" in general, two words: Nick Drake.

 

I doubt Nick had much of a choice in the using of his music to sell cars. He died 33 years ago.

[MrRain422]

6-Personally, this type of thing doesn't phase me-I only care if a band sells out musically, a la the albums Guided By Voices did with TVT

 

 

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[Hixter]

It would have been cooler if they didnt do it.

 

Its kind of like some folks think Wilco's art is sacred and Im one of them.

 

Wasnt my call and wont change my love for the band but it would have been cooler not to do it.

 

D.eja vu from Wikipedia:

 

"Love Dance" was licensed by Volvo for a commercial in 2001. Watt, as administrator of the Minutemen's copyrights, authorized the use solely because, since it was a D. Boon composition, the royalties were going directly to D. Boon's father, who was suffering from emphysema. Watt simply and humbly rationalized the business move as a way for D. Boon to "help his pop" from beyond the grave.

[hh44]

Would it be okay to slap a big VW sign on the Mona Lisa if it meant more exposure for that work of art? It wasn't just one song for the kiddies sake that was licensed, but nearly half of a complete work of art. In a sense they didn't alter their art one bit. It's just, to me, art is in the perception of the beholder; and my perception, right or wrong, has been altered. Maybe it's just arguing semantics at this point, but I'm still grateful to have this band around.

[JUDE]

I doubt Nick had much of a choice in the using of his music to sell cars. He died 33 years ago.

 

OK three words for you : Nick Drake's Estate

[Let's Not Get Carried Away]

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Most of the albums Guided By Voices did while they were on TVT were slick, overproduced, and relatively uninspired in comparison to their older work. Even (frontman) Robert Pollard called it a "semi-sellout move".

 

And I'm well aware that Nick Drake is dead-my point wasn't that he would've wanted his music to be used in a car ad, but rather that the fact that Pink Moon was in a VW commercial didn't change my perception of his music. The majority of posters seem more concerned about what connotations the music (whether Drake or Wilco) has than the music itself.

[MrRain422]

TVT era GBV was certainly way more produced than their earlier stuff, but the only one that really strikes me as any sort of attempt at breaking into the mainstream is Do the Collapse, and even that was a fairly natural progression from Mag Earwhig! And Isolation Drills is easily their most inspired post-Alien Lanes album.

 

I've read that Pollard quote before, but never have seen it in context. I always took it to be referring to the jump to TVT from Matador, and not the actual albums that resulted from it.