Just saw Morgan Spurlock’s movie “The Greatest movie ever sold”… and I would def recommend it. A part of the movie focused on artist not selling their music and Donald Trump stated that he contacted several of these artists and they turned down millions… That and the fact that kids under 17 believe the WHo are the band who did the CSI themes got me to wondering who hasn’t sold out.
Me and the pretty scientist came up with Pink Floyd. Has anyone seen any Floyd music used in commercials or licensed?? Anyone else??
Tom Waits. Not only does not do commercials, but has successfully sued advertisers for using Tom Waits soundalikes in commercials.
I’d probably still think TW was a genius even if he’d totally sold out, but his integrity makes him even more admirable. I wish there were more like him.
I don’t think doing music for a movie is considered selling out by most people. Certainly not to the extent of letting your songs be used in a commercial.
I don’t have a problem with the Who letting their music be used as theme songs.
Underground cartoonist Robert Crumb turned down $100,000 from Toyota for his Keep On Truckin’ artwork, as well as refusing Absolut Vodka’s proposed Absolut Crumb ad - a particular bit of whoredom indulged in by every big name in art.
It is one thing to say “I’m not going sell out”. It is quite another when they actually have their checkbook open.
Pretty sure the Boss has knocked back serious money for advertising over the years. Not in the US though, so I don’t know if he’s still maintaining this stance.
Apparently there is no stigma (maybe not even the concept) of “selling out” in Japan. American celebrities will sell stuff there that would be career suicide to sell in the US (Vodka, cigarettes, fur coats, condoms, tampons, etc.)
I never understood this idea that it’s some kind of moral failure to license your artwork for other purposes. Why does taking a phat check to put your song in a Cheerios commercial detract from the artistic merit of the song or the artist? It’s absurd.
So, if, for instance, the KKK offered you “a phat check” to associate yourself with their message, you’d be comfortable taking the money? How about Al Queda? Is their money OK with you? Now, you might not feel that accepting money for advertising junk food is similar to accepting money from evil incarnate, but some of us feel that it is only a matter of degree.
Some people - me for instance - feel that the ad biz, as it has developed in our modern mass media societies, is a blight. A terrible and destructive blight. I expect that seems “absurd” to you, but that’s the way it is.
…and before you say it, yes, people need to pay the rent and put food on the table. I’m not talking about struggling artists feeding their starving children here, I’m talking about established artists who are already making a comfortable living. Big difference. Yes, you need to eat and to have a roof over your head. No, you don’t need a luxury car and a summer house.
The fact that you want to link commercials with terrorism is more than just absurd. I hate greed, too, and appreciate people who don’t give into it. But then why don’t you feel the same ire for Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or some other rich person? No, the idea of selling out is based on some weird idea that the work is somehow soiled by being used by someone else. And that’s pretentious bullshit.
