"Come in here, dear boy. Have a cigar...."

Every time a band sells out, a record exec gets its wings.....

As I get older, the music I grew up listening to seems to be popping up in commercials and TV shows.  This got me thinking, "Are these bands selling out?" Or are they?  I picture "suits" walking up to a band with a contract for a record deal (record deal?  are they even called that anymore?).  The band, who have been struggling to "make it" sign away. Oh but wait, the band didn't read the fine print: if you make a hit that is mainstream, we the record company, have the right to sell your hit to the company selling product X.  This brings to mind the Boston song, "Rock & Roll Band".  At 1:54 is the moment of "selling out".

I've never seen a record contract, so I'm just speculating on the legalese.  That's what my imagination is limited to.  I'm sure that it's not written like that, nor do I think that if it was, a band would sign away.  But, a band signing over rights to their song to sell a car, a computer, or a pair of sneakers still selling out? This made me  think some more.  These bands are being approached by people my age who liked the songs that I liked. They talked to the bands who created the beloved song that you and I now hear in the commercial.  This made me think of a band in particular, Kings of Leon (KOL).  

A few years ago, I was watching tv and a commercial for the Volkswagen Jetta came on. It showed a young couple rocking out to KOL's "Molly's Chamber." At first I thought, "Wow Kings of Leon becoming a mainstream band." Within seconds of having that thought, another thought came to me, "F*#@!ing sellouts...."  I had been following the KOL since their first album and to hear their song in a VW commercial was a crack in heart.  They aren't and weren't my favorite band, but it felt like a betrayal.  I can only compare it to a friend you've known since 5th grade ditching you after becoming popular in high school.  I don't want to sound like this hipster who says, "I was listening to the Kings of Leon before they went mainstream," but I can't help it.  

But is that selling out either?  Well lets look at bands who have changed their sound to sell more albums if we're to discuss "selling out".  Well first off, Kings of Leon.  They started out as an indie Southern-Rock sounding band.  Now it's something these guys would listen to: 

"I had lung cancer before it was hip..."

DAMN YOU DANGER MOUSE!

If the Kings of Leon's last album sound was their initial debut, I wouldn't have bought it. KOL + $ = SELL OUTS!  Recently I've mulling over the fact that the Black Keys may have sold out.  I can't watch a Youtube video without an advertisement popping up to buy their new album "El Camino".  The Black Keys are becoming mainstream with a sprinkle of selling out.  Yes they still have their bluesy sound, but there seems to be a popesque undertone in their songs since "Attack & Release." 

With this talk of selling out though, I had come to make a very, very ugly realization. Was one of the bands I hold dearest to my heart guilty of selling out? Well in the point of view that I am portraying in this blog, Pearl Jam is guilty as charged of selling out....or are they? 

 They came out gritty with Eddie Vedder's growl, Mike McCready's wonderful solos, Jeff Ament laying down some phat bass lines, *insert drummer pounding out the beats, and Stone Gossard pulling up the rhythm.  Over the years they have mellowed out.  I guess that comes with touring like crazy, but I'm not making excuses for them.  From their album "No Code" on, I knew something was afoot.  Eddie wasn't wailing like he normally was and guitar solos were becoming shorter.  Was this Pearl Jam making an artsy turn.  Even their album art for "No Code" was a concept.  The CD came with what looked like polaroids of random images.  On the back of the polaroids were song lyrics written in Eddie's hand writing and some were to look like someone had used a typewriter.  After that album, the songs got a little shorter, a little less harsh.  It really pains me to write this because I am one of Pearl Jam's biggest fans, but I can't deny what they have become.....sell outs (a little part of me just died..just kidding.) 

 Have I sold out?  I guess I'm guilty for selling out too.  I've supplied the bands mentioned with support to sell out and followed them without paying attention to their short comings.  This doesn't mean I won't stop listening to them or buy their albums (except the Kings of Leon. You can suck it!), it just means that I can't defend them for not selling out...or can I?   See you next time folks!

ps - both KOL and the Black Keys have toured or opened for Pearl Jam

Here goes nothing....

Now that it's here, what to say?  Well let me start off by saying that for some reason, egotistical or not, I felt the need to start a blog.  With starting this blog I apparently think that what I think or have to say is important, but don't we all think that?  Some of us have inspired people to do good and/or bad through our thoughts.  I'm not using this for either.  I have the need to get views of the world through my eyes out.  Mundane as some of these blogs maybe, they will be about things in my life that I'd like to share with anyone who'd like to read them.  I thought of something that has been on my mind for the past few weeks.  It's not really that important to me, but I feel that something needs to be said about:  

Tim Tebow

I've been watching a lot of Sportcenter lately and Tebow has been a hot topic.  If you don't know who Tim Tebow is, he is the the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback in the NFL.  If you don't know what either the Denver Broncos or the NFL is....GOOGLE IT!  Anyway,  Tebow was Denver's second string quarterback after being signed last year. Denver's starter at the beginning of the season, Kyle Orton was off to a 1-4 start. Horrible.  Enter Tim Tebow. If you have any questions about what makes Tebow so special, here's a link to his page: www.timtebow.com/.  The reason I'm writing this about Tebow is basically he's being dogged as not a quarterback, but a novelty.  Like most novelties, they wear off right?   This is more motivation for this blog.  Even the guy's boss, John Elway, is speaking like Tebow is just a band aid, a 5-1 band aid. 

With every yard Tebow throws and point he scores, Elway probably winces in pain because  he said that, "Denver hasn't found their quarterback yet." 

I think the Broncos have found their quarter back, they just have to get their boss, Mr. Ed (come on, you know he looks like a horse. That's probably why they got Elway back in the day as their quarterback from the Colts.  I didn't make this up. Two teams with horses as their mascots!) to buy in and let the "The Tebow Show" keep on rolling on past this season.

...that's my two cents.