I´m in Valencia, Spain right now, and the TV above me just played something that really weirded me out. I hear Elvis Costello singing “Shout” for the detergent of the same name. This can´t be right. What happened to selling out, Elvis? Does that only apply in the states?
Can anyone out there verify for me that it was, actually, Elvis Costello plugging this? I´d like to hear it again–it´s too strange to not hear twice.
Well, he did an ad for some car with a supposedly awesome sound system in the states. Is that less of a sellout than a foreign laundry detergent ad? Just because he happens to be a musician? I’m not sure.
Maybe it’s tiny steps in that direction but I’d still consider it clean money. I mean, accidents will happen.
I was taken aback a bit when I saw him the Lexus commercial, but then I thought- hey, he’s not an angry 20 year old anymore. He a rich, successful, highly lauded 50 year old, who realizes its stupid to not take a million or whatever for a days work, and he’s right.
Maybe even laundered money.
Iggy Pop selling cruises, The Pogues selling Cadillacs…
Nothing shocks me anymore.
“She’s washing the detectives…”
I got nothing against the guy making a buck, but back in the day, didn’t he refuse to even cash the royalty cheques for the Linda Ronstadt covers of his songs?
Things change…
I agree with all of you about selling out being just fine. A musician has to make money somehow, and I don´t personally see it as selling out of any degree. But it seems to me that of all artists to not do it, Elvis Costello would top the list. I would suspect him the least of ever plugging something as small as laundry detergent. And not even just licensing a song of his, but giving them an entirely new recording to monkey with.
Fie on thee! It must have been his Mexican non-union equivalent!
I’m sure once he had a little money, but maybe it’s gone already, with the taxes and all.
He has to keep himself familiar to his fans somehow; I’m sure he doesn’t want to bite the hand that feeds him.
I’m sure it seemed like a fine idea at the time. I bet he’ll do an ad for these folks next.
[offtopic] One of Lileks’ Diner podcasts had some old radio spots that some folks from the Who, and I think Eric Clapton did, early in their careers. It was bit interesting to hear (it was in the ‘time-travel’ series from this Spring).[/offtopic]
It’s like John Mellencamp selling trucks. His visibility isn’t what it was in the 80’s. He had a new album coming out that he wanted to get before the fans, so he agreed to license the new single to Chevy.
I’m sure that Chevy’s previous use of “Like A Rock” meant Bob Seger sold a few extra thousand copies of that album.
Or it could be similar to something attributed to Gary Oldman when asked about appearing in a commercial venture like Air Force One, where he said that paycheck would fund several of his non commercial ventures.
“What’s so funny 'bout peace, love, and Downy freshness?”
The funniest thing about that is that John Mellencamp (who lives in my town) drives a yellow Dodge Viper.
Nick Lowe would get the royalties for that.