Re: Commercialism


Chris Johanesen (chris@overwhelmed.org)
Wed, 7 Oct 1998 21:48:01 -0005



> I am sometimes delighted and sometimes disgusted with commercial media. I
> like the VW and Gap ads, and dislike the BK ads - but why? I like the
> music, and the products are OK. It's just a subjective thing. I too feel

I hate gap, etc. not because they use trendy music in their
commercial, but because they use trendy music to sell
extrodinarily over-priced clothes that are made by exploited
workers all over the world. Check the tags on those jeans. Most
say made in Indonesia, etc. Do you think those workers can afford
to buy Gap jeans? Can they even afford to feed their families?

The music industry is just like any industry. The people that do the
work (this includes music artists sometimes) get shafted so that a
[very] small minority can make trillions.

I don't mean to sound preachy, and I love music, but I'm first
concerned about people being exploited. Then I'll worry about art.

> exposure for it as well. It would be cool if the artists were actually
> commissioned to score new tracks. (But then would you label them
> sellouts?)

I wouldn't mind artists making tons of money from TV commercials
if they didn't charge $18 for a CD. I know, most of that money goes
to the stores and the record companies, but if the artists aren't
making any money off albums why don't they go (true) indie?

> Ideally, artists should have creative control and own their material. They

An artist always has complete control at some point in time. They
may not have a choice whether or not to have their song in a
commercial, or about how to market the videos, but they did make
the original decision to sign the record contract. No one forced
them to do that.

When artists complain that the record company exploited them
they are just like smokers who say they didn't know it was bad for
them. Sure, the record/tobacco companies lie and cheat and
should be liable to some extent, but the artists/smokers can't say
they didn't know they were getting fucked. They made a decision
and they have to live with it.

> What are you going to do? Ninjas too big? Mo'Wax too commercial? I say let

A side bar here: Is Ninja Tune still *completely* independent? (as
opposed to most "indie" record co's who are financed by mega-
corps.)

--
chris johanesen
chris@overwhelmed.org
new jersey - usa
manditory advert: http://www.overwhelmed.org/cf/



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