Zeppelin Sell Out

[lzfan715]

Yahoo picked a few people who they think have sold out.

I don't have the pictures, and the picture links didn't work anyway.

Here is the article:

Rock's Biggest Sellouts

Posted Fri Dec 5, 2008 4:44pm PST by Shawn Amos in GetBack

I was watching TV last night when a Viagra ad came on. Elvis Presley's tune "Viva Las Vegas" had been replaced with an Elvis impersonator singing "Viva Viagra." It hurt — and not because I'm in need of medication. It was almost as bad as that crappy Toyota ad with the bad cover version of the Fixx's "Saved By Zero."

I'll be the first to admit that it's tough being in the music biz. Songwriters, singers, and bands are all finding fewer and fewer ways to get their music heard. Big corporations have a virtual lockdown on outlets for new releases. Wanna get your CD in a record store? Talk to Wal-Mart. Wanna get played on the radio? Try getting the attention of Clear Channel.

You won't have much luck unless you're one of a handful of musicians who have superstar status. U2, Coldplay, Taylor Swift are allowed entry. Everyone else? We’ll see you busking at the subway station. I'll be sure to throw a few bucks in your case because I care.

For these reasons and so many more, you can't blame artists for taking every slim opportunity to get their songs — and themselves — heard. Getting played in a commercial or promoting a product is often the best way. I don't begrudge Feist, Propellerheads, Yael Naïm, or any hipster indie artist who's provided a soundtrack to the latest Apple commercial to any of the money that’s come their way. Get on all the iPods you can.

But there's a line to be drawn. It's the difference between needed exposure and greed. It's the distinction between looking for a break and forgetting to say good-bye. Some songs don't need to be played anymore. Anywhere. Some music and musicians are such a part of the air we breathe that NO ONE needs any reminders. More importantly, the writers and performers of these songs have enough money. They can't cry poverty, and they can't cry lack of exposure. There is no excuse. They are just serial sellouts, often with embarrassingly bad taste in the products they choose to hawk.

Here are the biggest sellouts in rock. Want proof? Click on the images, see the offending ads, then tell me I'm wrong.

OZZY OSBOURNE

What's an over-the-hill prince of darkness to do once he's no longer selling records? Plug cell phones and video games. I'm sure Sharon made him do it. She has a lifestyle to maintain, ya know?

PETE TOWNSHEND

The Who's songwriter and guitarist will sell his songs to anybody. ANYBODY. TV’s CSI, Hummer ads, insurance ads, Nissan ads. Pete has no shame, and he'll be the first to tell you.

ALICE COOPER

Another Metamusel metalhead who has chosen to pitch everything from Bridgestone tires, to office supplies, to hotels. Plus, he's got some sports bar in Phoenix that serves "Nightmare" nachos and "No More Mr. Nice Guy" Chipotle Chicken Pasta. I'm not kidding.

LED ZEPPELIN

I think I'd rather see Zep tour without Robert Plant than hear "Rock and Roll" in a Cadillac ad. At least they could have picked a cool car by a company that isn't about to go belly up.

BOB SEGER

The granddaddy of all rock sellouts. His "Like A Rock" Chevy ad has been around so long, I can’t even remember when it was actually a song from an album

[Cactus]

The Cadillac ad was many years ago, and tell me, which car company ISN'T about to go belly-up?

[eternal light]

Tony Bennett making sure to thank Target when he received a Grammy outdoes them all. Tis the season.

[Devil's Haircut]

The Cadillac ad was many years ago, and tell me, which car company ISN'T about to go belly-up?

Hitler's Volkswagen.

[widget]

They missed an obvious one - The Clash allowing "Shoud I Stay or Shoud I Go" to be used for Levi's Jeans.

[caroselambra~]

They missed an obvious one - The Clash allowing "Shoud I Stay or Shoud I Go" to be used for Levi's Jeans.

a good point meg, but that advert and song actually turned me onto the clash!

even though i disliked their earlier stuff

[Wolfman]

If you read the comments by readers of this article, they basically tell the writer to piss off (esp. about Zep). Just another loser who wants to attack classic rock because of they think their shitty musical tastes are better. It's not.

[Reggie1971]

I ran across that article shortly after coming to work and it did get my dander up a bit. However, this is the sort of thing we've all become familiar with over the years. The ignorant press picking on Zep without just cause. If they actually took pride in what they did for a living they would have done some research and found that Zeppelin rarely (is the Cadillac ad the first and only instance?) lends their music out like this. In fact they almost never allow their music to be part of a movie soundtrack (unless it's a Cameron Crowe project). So word to the media we all love. Go f--- yourself.

[Zephyrus]

while bands can do whatever the hell they want, I do agree with his point about these songs never "needing" to be played. anyone who insists that Led Zeppelin (or other major bands) "Needs" to be in video games, movies, commercials, iTunes, TV ads, tours, new albums, ring tones, and a steady stream of yearly compilation albums, else the wee new generations grow up without ever having heard of these sacred bands, is refusing to confront the obvious. using this logic, I can only envision that it must have taken an act of god for anyone in this day and age to know who the hell Zeppelin is, given their relative absence since 1980. aside from a few instances where songs are used brilliantly in movies (not just the same old cheesy use of the same damn songs in the same damn way), there's really no other reason bands of this magnitude choose to sell their songs to so many companies and organizations aside from Money.

[mad dog]

I have to admit I was disturbed when I heard Rock n Roll in that Caddy commercial. I hope that will be the last of it.

[danelectro]

Some people are never happy. Personally I like hearing good music used in commercials, it makes sitting through what is usually monotonous and lame somewhat enjoyable. I think people acting like music is sacred and shouldn't be used in advertising is more lame than a band making money from licensing music for ad campaigns. It's a really a damned if you do damned if you don't thing anyway. The guy that wrote that has probably written a similar rant about music used in advertising being sucky because heard Fergie doing her Candies commercial. He strikes me as a "half empty" kind of guy.

[Gegenschein]

Personally I like hearing good music used in commercials, it makes sitting through what is usually monotonous and lame somewhat enjoyable.

Good point. I thought Driven By You (Ford commercial, song by Brian May) was pretty decent.

[mad dog]

Good point. I thought Driven By You (Ford commercial, song by Brian May) was pretty decent.

It ruins the integrity of the song in the long run. It really does.

[ninelives]

Some people are never happy. Personally I like hearing good music used in commercials, it makes sitting through what is usually monotonous and lame somewhat enjoyable. I think people acting like music is sacred and shouldn't be used in advertising is more lame than a band making money from licensing music for ad campaigns. It's a really a damned if you do damned if you don't thing anyway. The guy that wrote that has probably written a similar rant about music used in advertising being sucky because heard Fergie doing her Candies commercial. He strikes me as a "half empty" kind of guy.

I've actually discovered some great music from songs used in commercials! I remember when old songs started showing up in commercials, I admit it through me a bit - I pulled the "that's sacred no no no" card out. But then I got over it and said, times change and it'd be pretty boring if there wasn't any. Now it doesn't bother me at all.

[zepyep]

Hi all,

Let's put it this way,if one watches TV,we have to deal with commercials I'd rather here a few bars of a great song!

Besides that Cadillac ad got me mum into Zep!

KB(true.)

[zepyep]

Hi all,

Let's put it this way,if one watches TV,we have to deal with commercials I'd rather here a few bars of a great song!

Besides that Cadillac ad got me mum into Zep!

KB(true.)

[Devil's Haircut]

I guess I just hate how the 'hard edge' of some of the bands are 'sacharrinated' by the playing of these tunes on commercials and TV shows.

Like I can see people sitting around going..."oh isn't that nice"...

When it was crazed and sex, drugs and rocknroll in the day, now it's so 'in the average person's living room'....

It doesn't lessen the music for me, I still retain the old way about it and the memories that I hang onto. I don't hear it in a 'new' way...all safe and in 'everyone's home'...I dont watch TV anyways, haven't for years.

It's like mom's driving vans and wearing tye-dye T-shirts but living this straight and 'responsible' life steering their kids away from the FUN we used to have...like it's so bad. The things that were 'out there' and not accepted 35 years ago are so welcome now, but the whole way of welcoming it is so watered down. The dangerous edge is gone. So I keep the old way and still live it dangerously. Lots more fun that way.

[DanelectroGod]

Remember Eric Clapton whoring out "After Midnight" to Michelob?

[Buddhak0n]

This is SO Untrue.. .The avenue to get your SONGS heard has expanded greatly.

What you're concerned about are the TRADITIONAL Channels .. from the TRADITIONAL Music business which we all know is falling apart daily.

But if your ACTUAL concern was getting your songs heard.

All you have to do is throw up a Website with MP3's and your music is EVERYWHERE my friends.

So don't even try this plea to Bring back the 80's where we could rip off millions of college kids mantra.

[mos6507]

But if your ACTUAL concern was getting your songs heard.

A 30 minute spot is not getting your song heard. They made a mistake in allowing the music in the Caddy ad and the ringtones. They have stuck to their guns elsewhere (no Zep in Guitar Hero/Rock Band).

[beatbo]

hmmmm....this subject is always divided with different responses.

bob seger? i remember him taking shit from john mellencamp about that and he said (on the old bob kostas 'later' show, i believe) that he was from michigan and he believed in the auto industry and it was his home. then he told mellencamp to fuck himself. bob gets a pass...

the clash? obvious maybe to shut-ins.

the who? every time i hear their music it makes my blood jump. not a bad thing....

we've been trained by films to hear music in a different context. "the end" by the doors on a set of koss headphones in the sixties is a different setting than 'apocalypse now'. but the change and the reaction to the change is easy to manipulate....and worth a fortune. after being trained this way, even more money is at stake to hear your other favorite songs on the small screen. a bit dangerous, too. "relax" by frankie goes to hollywood for a laxative-now that would make me laugh.

zeppelin? never fear. even puff daddy/diddy couldn't ruin "kashmir"....

[Firebird]

LED ZEPPELIN

I think I'd rather see Zep tour without Robert Plant than hear "Rock and Roll" in a Cadillac ad. At least they could have picked a cool car by a company that isn't about to go belly up.

The Caddy is Plant's favorite car, from what I've read. That's why he agreed to having "RnR" used in the commercial.

[Zephyrus]

personally, I highly enjoy involuntarily thinking about Cadillacs whenever I hear Rock And Roll...

[timothy5151]

Is there really any difference hearing a song in a commercial than in a movie or tv show? I kind of like hearing my fav music in stuff like that... AS LONG AS it is tasteful and NOT overplayed. But I guess that's the problem.

The writer forgot the obvious. We Are The Champions by Queen in the Viagra commercial... bad taste and overplayed... but I still love Queen.

[Joe Bloggs]

The Who are now selling Pepsi:

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/artic...century_1092291

Iggy Pop is selling car insurance:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090106.008/pu...s-car-insurance