If well known guitarists are doing commercials then that must mean they sold out...

[collinsman]

Originally Posted by Big John

I thought this kind of attitude died in the 70's ?
As soon as somebody sold more than 50 albums they were branded a 'sell out' or 'too commercial' and deemed 'not worthy', what bull pooh !!!
If artists don't sell their wares how else are we going to hear it ?, good for you Mr. Belew, let's face it he is never going to be the most commercial of acts anyway but this might get his name to a few new folk.

Ditto - Really...sell out to what, making $'s - I mean I'm sure these artists take the check with a smile after each concert.

[boris bubbanov]

[quote=Agarn;1320447]:

Peter Frampton for Geico:



Alice Cooper for Staples:



I'm just realizing something. The less regard I have for an "artist" from the outset, the more certain I am to be uncharitable towards their commercial exploits. But it would be hard for Frampton, Cooper or Frehley to go any lower in this one man's estimation no matter what they do, so I suppose there's nothing holding them back.

Speaking of holding it back, I think Mr. Ray Charles could've done commercials for Depends undergarments and I still would've seen him as perfect. That's just the way human affection works.

[Alpino_321]

Originally Posted by beep.click

It may be selling out, but somehow, when it's funny, I'm OK with it.

I would have loved to see "Ring of Fire" used in that hemorrhoid commercial, but I guess it came along at exactly the wrong time. If he hadn't just died I wonder if Johnny Cash would have seen the humor and been OK with it. (Apologies to his survivors who nixed the deal, but I always thought of 'rhoids when I heard that song anyway. Blame my juvenile sense of humor and lactose intolerance. )

[e-merlin]

Yeah, I could see the Doobie Brothers' "It Keeps You Runnin'" as an Ex-Lax commercial.

[OutlawSteph1975]

Originally Posted by Hockey Rocker

I respect Belew because when he was asked about using young School of Rock grads Julie and Eric Slick in his power trio he first paid tribute to their exceptional skill and then stated the obvious: He's using them because he doesn't have to pay them a lot of cash, so he can make a living by playing small clubs around the world. The guy is scratching out a living doing what he loves. He doesn't need to apologize for that.

Ah, that explains why they were so young. Belew played the defunct club I used to work for, and it was a given both times that he would sell out. We could have had him for two nights. More power to him.

Now what really cracks me up is Dennis Hopper selling retirement planning!!

[eryque]

Selling out = taking money to do something that violates your principles.

Getting paid to do something that fits with your principles is simple capitalism.

[Colt W. Knight]

I guess Im out of the loop because I dont know who Red Crimson is either.

[casterway]

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

I guess Im out of the loop because I dont know who Red Crimson is either.

King crimson? It's a long read, but if you like the Mars Volta, you'd likely like these guys.



http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg...ifixqe5ldse~T1

[robbysturgis]

I say take the music seriously, but don't take yourself so seriously.

I've been looking at Going to California - Led Zepplin - an absolutely beautiful song about the flower child 70s:

Spent my days with a woman unkind
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine.
Made up my mind to make a new start
Going To California with an aching in my heart.
Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.
Took my chances on a big jet plane
Never let them tell you that they're all the same.

Don't sell this song as a ringtone, and please don't sell it to a boutique wine manufacturer. I have no problem selling this song as a backdrop to a serious product or service.

[Durtdog]

Serious artists aren't interested in money, fancy cars and big fine homes. Or feeding themselves, wives and kids either. They play music because of a burning passion to rock all night. And they give their music away for free on the internet. And they play live for free too.

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Durtdog

Serious artists aren't interested in money, fancy cars and big fine homes. Or feeding themselves, wives and kids either. They play music because of a burning passion to rock all night. And they give their music away for free on the internet. And they play live for free too.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh, that's where i have been going wrong for all these years !!, i was expecting to eat !, i guess if 'i'm rocking all night' i wouldn't have time to fit in a fine Indian meal or a couple of Guiness.
I feel down right embarrased about having this paunch now folk will think i wasn't 'serious' as a player but if i quit eating for a few months i'm sure i can lose it and those hallucinations will help with the songwriting too ................

Stupid me !!

[Durtdog]

Big John, I'm quite jealous of all the fine Indian food you Brits seem to have access to. Very limited here in the states.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by Durtdog

Serious artists aren't interested in money, fancy cars and big fine homes. Or feeding themselves, wives and kids either. They play music because of a burning passion to rock all night. And they give their music away for free on the internet. And they play live for free too.

So I guess all our guitar heroes we grew up listiening to on the radio/tv and buying their records, those were just haphazard-lacadazical musicians.

I always thought half of playing guitar was because you love it, and the other half is getting chicks and the slight hope you might make it big one day so you can have new shiny cars, big tour bus filled with old guitars, big house, and groupies.

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Durtdog

Big John, I'm quite jealous of all the fine Indian food you Brits seem to have access to. Very limited here in the states.

That probably means you can be 'better players' though ?

Yeah, it's almost a given nowadays that after a gig there will be a good Indian restaurant somewhere nearby dispensing tasty food and Cobra beer to hungry musicians, good gig or bad it always seems better after an Indian meal.
Being a bit of an 'old geezer' i do miss the little roadside (transport) cafe's where you could get a trough full of fried something and a vat of hot, sweet tea for £1.50 and usually bump into other 'road rat' bands as well and lie all night about how good your gig was !! ................ try telling that to the kids of today ...................................

[surfoverb]

Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll, and Morality!

[O- Fender]

Originally Posted by eryque

Selling out = taking money to do something that violates your principles.

Getting paid to do something that fits with your principles is simple capitalism.

I guess that kind of bottom lines it. There's a line between capitalism and selling out your principles, just everyone draws their line differently.

[Unseen]

Originally Posted by e-merlin

Slash did, too.

Everybody is a sellout. You have to make a living somehow and that usually involves doing something that pleases other people, be it your boss or your audience. Even if you're playing what you want for a living, someone is paying you to do it. And if you're not making it in music and working on the assembly line, well, you're selling out big time.

Hey, guess what, so's everyone else...

It was Slash I was thinking of, I guess. My bad.

[Worn]

I really don't care, usually its better music than usual in the commercials, but I am disgusted when I hear a butchered version of Sunshine Of Your Love to sell men's hair colouring.

[Just-Jim]

I personally don't consider doing a commercial selling out, but the one commercial that I thought just looked strange was Robert Plant using "Tall Cool One" in the 80's. I think it was for Coca Cola. It looked a little cheezy, but better than that guy from Cameo selling the same product around that same period.

[Unseen]

Originally Posted by casterway

Played with King Crimson



Talking Heads



Solo



Frank Zappa

If I could be transmogrified into any guitarist, it would be Adrian Belew. Not only is he absolutely brilliant and inventive, but he seems to have so much fun doing what he does. He's also obviously a loving father. Here is one of my favorite videos featuring him and his daughter.

[Unseen]

Originally Posted by Hockey Rocker

Adrian's the man. Everyone who has ever received a paycheck has technically "sold out". I'll give buskers a pass. Cash in the hat doesn't count as selling out, it's more like begging.

I respect Belew because when he was asked about using young School of Rock grads Julie and Eric Slick in his power trio he first paid tribute to their exceptional skill and then stated the obvious: He's using them because he doesn't have to pay them a lot of cash, so he can make a living by playing small clubs around the world. The guy is scratching out a living doing what he loves. He doesn't need to apologize for that.

It's refreshing that a major talent would prefer to play in a club with someone sipping a beer 6 feet in front of him.

[Unseen]

Originally Posted by casterway

King crimson? It's a long read, but if you like the Mars Volta, you'd likely like these guys.



http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg...ifixqe5ldse~T1

Wow! Some musicians would cite King Crimson as the best (most talented) rock band ever. In their middle and late periods, every single musician in the band was not just good, but was at or near the top of the game instrumentally. Their music was very complex, too, as you might expect. When you talk about sheer, across the board talent in a group, KC is right up there with Rush, and perhaps overall, a notch or two higher.