The Segregation of Shit and Beauty

Why is it that corporate America is tarnishing the one precious gem I have left in my life, good music. We all have those guiltypleasures like reality T.V, top 40 songs or deep fried Oreos. But keeping them segregated from the true beauty was key. Now that key has been melted down and turned into a bullet. A bullet, which penetrates my heart and renders me limp, dead. Okay, I am being a little dramatic here but it does really piss me off when great bands agree to sell their songs to products or do a cameo on a shitty TV show.

I understand that musicians need funds in order to live and continue making music they love and we enjoy. However, there has to be a better way to do that than making Outback Steakhouse commercials. That’s right Outback Steakhouse. A few years ago Of Montreal sold a song of theirs to Outback Steakhouse. Oh just wait, it gets worse. Not only did they give it to Outback but they rerecorded it with new lyrics about Outback Steakhouse. OUCH. That is just one example of the betrayal bands I like have forced me to endure.

Here are some more examples of the most upsetting betrayals that have fallen upon me: Passion Pit’s “Sleepyhead”, my second favorite song on the album, Manners, has been used for the new Palm Smart Phone. Not so smart Passion Pit! Kings of Leon’s “Red Morning Light” is being used in a Ford commercial. What do hookers have to do with Fords? Matt and Kim’s “Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare” was used to promote the show Community, funny show though. Santogold’s “Lights Out” is used in a Bud Light commercial. Drink until you pass out? Is that the message here?

In most cases when songs are used to promote evil American capitalism, they are misinterpreted. Bands don’t often write songs with cell phones, cars, insurance and cleaning products in mind. Their lyrics are not about side effects, leather interiors and the efficiency of germ killing. The way I see it using great songs for commercials is not only bad for the band but it deprives the impoverished jingle writer of his career.

I guess if I were forced to sell out I would do it by selling a song to a product rather than doing a cameo on a show. I would not want to show my face to America as I sold my soul to the devil for cash. Now I have ranted and bitched about corporate and capitalistic America but like I said we all have our guilty pleasures and mine is Gossip Girl. The show is for me what a smooth, snow white, line of coke is for a junkie and I can’t get enough! The fact that they have used songs from Peter Bjorn and John, Ladyhawke, Little Ones, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Elliot Smith, The Virgins, The Kooks, MGMT, Cloud Cult, The Submarines, The Duke Spirit, Mates of State, The National, Cold War Kids and Anya Marina is soul crushing enough but when bands are in the plot line all hope is lost. Tokyo Police Club on Desperate Housewives? They used to be cool. No Doubt on Gossip Girl, is that really necessary?

So, if you are in a band I like, please for lil ol’ me, don’t give your songs to bleach, hairspray, alcohol and don’t appear on shitty television shows. Let me enjoy my deep fried Oreos and Gossip Girl separately from my Passion Pit.