How much $ did Zep get to whore it out to Cadillac?

Rob Babcock · Feb 10, 2005

Man, that really annoys me.

Has anyone seen the Caddy adds where they play Led Zeppelin's "Rock & Roll" while some goofy, euro-looking Caddy drives by? Blech! On one level I concede that they of course own their music and can do as they like- but iconic music that like is trivialized and demeaned when used my Madison Avenue to products. And I can't believe that any of those guys could really need the money!

What've they sold, something like 200 million albums? Not to mention touring & solo stuff.

Is is just me or this totally messed up and wrong?

Nomo · Feb 10, 2005

It's really no worse than The Who selling out to all three of the CSI shows or Aerosmith's Dream On being tainted with the images of yet another car commercial. Do the bands actually still own the rights to these? It definately cheapens the images of these bands and their music.

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 10, 2005

Van Halen's been whoring out for years now.

In a way, I'm sad to see it happen, but on the other hand, I'd rather listen to Led Zep than some adman's crappy "original" jingle anyday.

Audioholics · Feb 10, 2005

They are in business to make money you know... They didn't play for charity al those years and they certainly are interested in making money now (them or whoever owns the rights.)

It just doesn't seem to bother me... Doesn't change the music or the thought that went behind it.

Rob Babcock · Feb 10, 2005

I've never seen any CSI show. And I suppose Cadillac's been using Zep for awhile, but I never listen to commercials. Sure, Zep wasn't a charity, but I still like to think cash wasn't the sole motivation for everything they wrote. Obviously some artists think like I do- McCartney sold the Beatles catalog but bought it back in part because he didn't like Revolution being used to sell cars.

I also don't like this trend because for young people, that may be their first exposure to the music. Will they ever take it seriously after hearing it as a jingle? Honestly, play Good Vibrations to someone around 25 and they'll probably think "Sunkist Jingle." And I'll admit I'll never hear "I Heard It Thru The Grapevine" again without seeing those singing raisons.

It's not like I want 'em to pass a law or anything- I just wonder if the cash they got was worth being associated with a lame, stiff car company for the next 10 years.

BMXTRIX · Feb 10, 2005

You mean someone is going to pay me buckets o' cash and I don't have to do any additional work on my own? Gee, no way, why would I want that???

There are some bands that are in it for the money, just like there are some athletes that are in it for the money. But, a lot of guys play for fun and just happen to make money along the way. The use of their songs has zero impact on the actual music that they created. They created music to create. The rock because they love to. The very idea of making money is a bonus and only compromises YOUR ideals since you aren't the one being paid.

They didn't rewrite the song for commercial use, or even for any video interpretation at all. So, why dis' them because you don't like them getting money for something you hold valuable?

It may be a shock, but I don't think that Zeppelin has been on the charts for a while with that song and they may not hold the same value for it that you do. As long as a band, or any indivdual doesn't have to change their own creativity and actions to conform to the requests of a sponsor, then they are hardly whores or sellouts.

MDS · Feb 10, 2005

I don't really mind when classic songs are used for marketing purposes. What I do mind is when an artist gives the right to do a cover of their song and the new version is pathetic. Some songs just should NEVER be covered because you just can't improve on the original.

Examples:
Metallica - Stairway to Heaven, Turn The Page.

Guns N' Roses - Sympathy for the Devil.

'Drift Away' originally by Dobie Gray. I don't know the name of the artist that recently covered it, but it pales by comparison. Funny thing is, the local teenagers were raving about this 'new' song.

Destiny's Child - Emotion (originally by Samantha Sang and Bee Gees). Totally butchered a great song. Destiny's Child and Beyonce for that matter should not be granted the rights to do a cover of ANY song. Their own music is bad enough - leave the classics alone.

That's just a few I can think of right now, but there are countless others.

Audioholics · Feb 10, 2005

Cats in the Cradle covered by some 90s glam rock band I can't even remember (no not Ugly kid Joe, another band did it)... and apparently Jessica Simpson redid "Take My Breath Away" which I found to sound comically like she was trying to give birth through her vocal chords.

Link

Rob Babcock · Feb 10, 2005

That's a bizarre yet original opinion, BMXTRIX, that it "compromises my ideals" because I'm not getting paid!

Why the hell would I think I should get paid? I only listen to their music, I didn't write it! Are you saying I wish I was whoring it out instead of them?

But by your logic, you'd better never call anyone else a sellout or shill- if the innate value of the music is irrelevant, then everything is fair game.

I'm not sure if Zep is still on the charts, and I'm not sure where to look it up. I do know that 'Floyds DSotM has only spent a couple weeks off the charts since it came out in the early 70's. I think Zep probably still sells very strongly. Where they fall on the sales charts is utterly irrelevant IMO. Setting aside my personal admiration for their music, I think anyone with any musical awareness would cite certain bands as being important and pivotal in the history of popular music. While I don't like all of them, artists like the Beatles, Hendrix, the Stones, the Who, Pink Floyd, Zep, the Doors, Bob Dylan, etc are widely considered by critics to be important and influencial.

At the heart of it, this goes to the issue of respect for art- either you have it or you don't. Whether you feel it shows respect to the music to use it to sell stuff is of course a matter of personal opinion. Just wait til it's someone you really like selling something you don't. How about Jimi Hendrix selling Tampax? The Rolling Stones selling Ensure and Depends. Maybe the Beatles music could be used by George Bush to lead into his TV appearances.

Oh, well. They're not the first to whore it out and they won't be the last. It won't diminish my respect for the music, but it has lessened my respect for the band.

Dan · Feb 11, 2005

Anonymous said:
I don't really mind when classic songs are used for marketing purposes. What I do mind is when an artist gives the right to do a cover of their song and the new version is pathetic. Some songs just should NEVER be covered because you just can't improve on the original.

How about a list the few covers that ARE better than the original?

How about Jimi Hendrix "All Along the Watchtower" (Dylan)
Derek and the Dominos "Little Wing" (Hendrix)

Sorry I'm blanking on others now but I'll find a few more.

BMXTRIX · Feb 11, 2005

It always seems bizarre yet typical to hear others judge the actions that other people take. When a band has the opportunity to make some extra cash by allowing their music to be used in commercials, movies, videos, etc. they make a decision to do so. It is their music and their choice. It doesn't change the song, or the original thought behind the song.

Athletes hear this same crap - and you better believe it is crap - when the endorse products they really could care less about. When 'actors' do commercials instead of real acting - it is selling out.

So, yes, I think that perhaps you would love to be the one who is getting paid so you could make the decisons on how your music is played and distributed. But, instead, you can only comment on the actions of other human beings who likely got paid more than you (or me) in a year, just to allow their creation to be used in a way you don't approve of.

I'm not in their shoes, and don't know why they did it - but the music stands on it's own and the band may not give a damn about respect - only music and the fun that goes along with it.

MDS · Feb 11, 2005

Dan said:
How about a list the few covers that ARE better than the original?

How about Jimi Hendrix "All Along the Watchtower" (Dylan)
Derek and the Dominos "Little Wing" (Hendrix)

Sure, there are some covers that are better than the original and All Along The Watchtower I would definitely agree with. I still think that is the exception, not the rule, but I'll add two more:

Manfredd Mann - Blinded By The Light and Spirits In The Night. Both written and performed by Springsteen and yet I like the Manfredd Mann versions much better.

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 12, 2005

To be honest, I understand the "sell out" mentality. It goes back to the days of hippies, Woodstock, protesting, sit-ins and fighting the establishment. Rock was anti-establishment. Never trust anyone over 30. Peace and love. All that. I doubt that anyone under 30 understands how abhorant it is to hear a protest song or what was considered "turn that down!" by your parent's song turned into a commercial.

I'm not sure how old Rob is, but in my case, growing up in that era where the artistry was more important than money, yes, hearing those songs that meant battling the war machine, fighting the corporations turned into jingles endorsing the very things we found disgusting.... well.... if you don't get it, I'm not going to try to explain it any further.

Leprkon · Feb 12, 2005

Anonymous said:
Sure, there are some covers that are better than the original and All Along The Watchtower I would definitely agree with. I still think that is the exception, not the rule, but I'll add two more:

Manfredd Mann - Blinded By The Light and Spirits In The Night. Both written and performed by Springsteen and yet I like the Manfredd Mann versions much better.

Good- Patty Smith- Because the Night (another Springsteen song, anyone else see a pattern developing ??) also extremely well done acoustically by 10,000 Maniacs

Bad- GNR's version of Live and Let Die. I've never heard worse put on any recorded media. Anything re-done by Michael Bolton.

Rob Babcock · Feb 12, 2005

BMXTRIX said:
Athletes hear this same crap - and you better believe it is crap - when the endorse products they really could care less about. When 'actors' do commercials instead of real acting - it is selling out.

So, yes, I think that perhaps you would love to be the one who is getting paid so you could make the decisons on how your music is played and distributed. But, instead, you can only comment on the actions of other human beings who likely got paid more than you (or me) in a year, just to allow their creation to be used in a way you don't approve of.

I'm not in their shoes, and don't know why they did it - but the music stands on it's own and the band may not give a damn about respect - only music and the fun that goes along with it.

Jesus man, I think you'd better switch to decaf! Sure I'd like to get paid the big bucks, but not as much as you like being a sanctimonius arse.

Rob Babcock · Feb 12, 2005

I generally have no problem with people doing a cover. Oh sure, sometimes they really do a crappy job (like Dipp Shiddy doing that Police song- I dunno what Sting was thinking there...), but lots of times the cover is better than the original. It would be hard to do justice to a true classic- for instance, who could cover Stairway to Heaven? But some songs don't come into their own till they're done by someone else. Hendrix only hit was a cover song, Quiet Riot had big hits with two Slade covers, etc.

In some genres most of the songs are "covers". How many songs did Holly Cole write of her own? Or Diana Krall? Most of their albums are other peoples material. And obviously most of the major orchestras play mostly the standard repertior with few original compositions.

BMXTRIX · Feb 12, 2005

Rob Babcock said:
Jesus man, I think you'd better switch to decaf! Sure I'd like to get paid the big bucks, but not as much as you like being a sanctimonius arse.

Rob, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but really man, it's their music. It's their choice and you are the one degrading the band and the music for choices they make.

Don't know how that makes me an 'arse', but okay.

Rob Babcock · Feb 12, 2005

A few covers I really liked:

Keel, Because the Night - Same Springsteen song, done metal style.

Megadeth, Anarchy in the U.K. - The punk classic with a thrash twist.

Jeff Healey, Stuck in the Middle - The old Steeler's Wheel song.

Van Halen, Pretty Woman - No, certainly not better than Orbison, but cool.

Sting, Little Wing - The Hendrix song; I much prefer Sting's version since he can actually sing.

Krokus, Ballroom Blitz - The old Sweet song, recorded by Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Page. Also done very nicely by Hall & Oates.

Bangles, California Dreamin' - I think they do a very good job on this one.

Firm, You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers classic.

Duffinator · Feb 12, 2005

You know a song that's over 30 years old and still gathers this much attention is OK in my book. I think it's a cool commercial and targeted directly at boomers. The same people that listened to the song and bought the album when it was first released. Music, movies, acting, sports, everyone's making money and I stopped worrying about it a long time ago.

Maybe a better complaint would be U2 selling their souls to Apple. I'm a huge U2 fan and now that I think of it................using Vertigo in the iPod commercial is pretty cool as well. I only wish they made a U2 version of the mini......

Rob Babcock · Feb 13, 2005

BMXTRIX said:
Rob, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but really man, it's their music. It's their choice and you are the one degrading the band and the music for choices they make.

Don't know how that makes me an 'arse', but okay.

You're being an 'arse' by casting aspersions on my character or motives despite having no qualifications to do so. There's no need to personally attack me over my dismay at seeing a favorite band sell their souls to Cadillac. I'm not trying to degrade the band, just their choice to whore it out. I'm not being personal nor trying to apply dime store pop psychology to them over their decision.

I think we both agreed it's their music, so there's no need to beat that dead horse anymore, okay?

I won't cricitize what they do with their music, and you won't criticize what Ashlee Simpson or Britney do with theirs. Sounds fair, right? After all, who are we to judge or to have opinions on the actions of celebrities? That's downright unnatural.

Ultimately it all comes down to your philosophy- either you abhore the degree to which art is commericalized or you don't. I stand my statement that anyone not bothered by this is a huge hypocrite if they ever accuse anyone else of being a sellout or criticize another act for being too 'commercial."

JMOHO. I'll try to stop my ranting now!

How much $ did Zep get to whore it out to Cadillac?

Rob Babcock

Moderator

Nomo

Audioholic Samurai

Shadow_Ferret

Audioholic Chief

Audioholics

Guest

Rob Babcock

Moderator

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord

MDS

Audioholic Spartan

Audioholics

Guest

Rob Babcock

Moderator

Dan

Audioholic Chief

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord

MDS

Audioholic Spartan

Shadow_Ferret

Audioholic Chief

Leprkon

Audioholic General

Rob Babcock

Moderator

Rob Babcock

Moderator

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord

Rob Babcock

Moderator

Duffinator

Audioholic Field Marshall

Rob Babcock

Moderator

Latest posts

Sitemap

Sitemap

Site Information

Site Information

HTML