I'm a sellout and proud of it!!!!

[RyRob813]

I've been into all styles of music for a long time, and I've always had a soft spot for punk rock and other relatively underground styles of music.

I like to cruise youtube videos of bands, (who doesn't?) when I'm bored, and every time I do so, it seems that 90 percent of the comments on these videos are to the effect of, "man they used to be sooo good, but then they sold out!!! grrr I'm 13 and angry!!!"

I'm so sick of seeing great musicians be accused of being "sellouts." What does that term even mean? In my experience, it's used to describe bands that "dumbed down" they're music to make it more marketable for a larger, more mainstream audience, and "screwing over" their "true fans," (who do nothing but criticize them?)

What the (probably very young) "fans," don't seem to realize, is that the music industry is not easy to make a living in. Making some of your more marketable tunes into singles with a video and making some dough, however, is an excellent means of supporting yourself, enough to enable you to make music for the sake of art or w/e, and not worry about the electric bill. Look at Grand Funk; sure the locomotion was wimpy and stupid, but it made them a **** load of cash, and allowed them to release some bad*** stuff.

I guess my point here is that I think people unfairly judge musicians, and accuse them of abandoning their fans when they get more popular, and that's just a completely uneducated, ignorant opinion. Only in the music industry are you constantly judged by people who have no clue what the **** they're talking about.

Am I right?!

[rcarraher]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

I've been into all styles of music for a long time, and I've always had a soft spot for punk rock and other relatively underground styles of music.

I like to cruise youtube videos of bands, (who doesn't?) when I'm bored, and every time I do so, it seems that 90 percent of the comments on these videos are to the effect of, "man they used to be sooo good, but then they sold out!!! grrr I'm 13 and angry!!!"

I'm so sick of seeing great musicians be accused of being "sellouts." What does that term even mean? In my experience, it's used to describe bands that "dumbed down" they're music to make it more marketable for a larger, more mainstream audience, and "screwing over" their "true fans," (who do nothing but criticize them?)

What the (probably very young) "fans," don't seem to realize, is that the music industry is not easy to make a living in. Making some of your more marketable tunes into singles with a video and making some dough, however, is an excellent means of supporting yourself, enough to enable you to make music for the sake of art or w/e, and not worry about the electric bill. Look at Grand Funk; sure the locomotion was wimpy and stupid, but it made them a **** load of cash, and allowed them to release some bad*** stuff.

I guess my point here is that I think people unfairly judge musicians, and accuse them of abandoning their fans when they get more popular, and that's just a completely uneducated, ignorant opinion. Only in the music industry are you constantly judged by people who have no clue what the **** they're talking about.

Am I right?!

Well, "selling out" can absolutely ruin your hard earned work in gaining respect in the music biz. I remember back in July 65, one of the biggest sell out in istory, practically ruined a young idol. Guy named Bob Dylan sold out atthe New Port Folk and Jazz Festival and went electric. As you can see, no one respected his music after that, wouldn't you agree?

[Kenbuntu]

Some people think signing with Roadrunner is selling out. I laughed at that.

BTW OffTopic. These atoz smiley's work for just about everything.

[Grizzly700]

The only band that I think really sold out was Kiss. Maybe, just maybe, I could say Metallica, but its questionable.

[MakiSupaStar]

Do your thing. F everyone else. Cheers.

[Emerald_gasH]

It also seems that every time a band or artist tries something new, or doesn't make the same song over and over again, they're a sellout...what happened to the possibility of evolving?


also..youtube comments should pretty much never being taken seriously..just entertaining maybe

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by Grizzly700

The only band that I think really sold out was Kiss. Maybe, just maybe, I could say Metallica, but its questionable.

lol @ Kiss. They sold out hard but when you can go from sex drugs, n' rock n' roll to making disco music you reach the peak of awesome in my book. F the rest.

[MadMan118]

Eh these kids just want to prove something, whatever the hell it is.

[Bard2dbone]

I have a set of lyrics I never finished re-writing. They fit this thread well. It's not hard to guess the mood I was in when I spewed this one out.

SELL OUT

Verses:

They said if I worked hard, I might go far
I don’t want to work, I wanna be a star
If you want to go on TV and pretend to sing
Don’t study music, study marketing

I can’t wait to sell my soul
Selling out is the way to go
Corporate sponsors: Look at me
I’ll get my own show on TV

Paparazzi’ll stalk me every day
Tabloids’ll wonder if I’m gay
I’ll have to get an entourage
Being cool will be my job

I’ll take starlets to the hottest clubs
I’ll have pet Siberian Tiger cubs
Rumors about me’ll make the news
I’ll wear diamond-covered shoes

When I get bored, I’ll fake my death
Become a legend- the best part yet
When they think I’m dead, I’ll sell my name
Keep cashing in from beyond the grave

My name is bright red neon lights
Face on a billboard, way up high
Then a designer line of clothes
Of course I’ll have my own cologne

Style over substance- That’s today
Who needs talent anyway?
Talent first? Not anymore
I can’t wait to be a media whore

A good PR machine can make it happen
Every CD is gonna go platinum
The songs don’t even have to be good…
Just “dance-able with attitude”

But for now I have to keep my job
Waiting on tables for these snobs
Playing music for myself
I guess it’s for my mental health


And a possible bridge/chorus feel:


I’ll do perky little ditties only three minutes long
With catchy hooks, perfect popular songs
Tell my corporate masters I’ll do just what I’m told
Who needs self respect, when your selling gold?

[Bad Brains]

Anyone would "sell out" if given the chance.

The smart ones can sell out by marketing their talent without giving up their creative freedom.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

Do your thing. F everyone else. Cheers.

This.



Or to expand, someone wants to give me piles of money, so I never have to work again, but I'll be a "sellout", F it, where do I sign, I'd rather a label for all the tweens to moan about on Yout00b, rather than a bad back.

[thumpbass1]

Thank goodness I had fun in the 70's being a fan of many bands and artists that were grandiose and a bit too full of themselves. We had more spectacles for good and bad that would have made emperor Caligula envious. I got to see KISS, ELO, Alice Cooper, and other giants of the rock circuses of the era, and it was fun. Did we gripe these artists were sell outs? Nah! We knew what we were paying for, and we liked it as fans. At least the artists of that era were unapologetic about selling millions of albums, and upping the theatrical absurdities of their stage shows, to top what the other groups had done. Yes it was a wonderous age indeed.

[El Beardo]

Originally Posted by Grizzly700

The only band that I think really sold out was Kiss. Maybe, just maybe, I could say Metallica, but its questionable.

Many bands used to say they wanted to be like the Beatles..
Kiss wanted to be like Coca~Cola

[L-A]

Actually, those who, for a period of time, define a music genre usually end up being called sellouts.

However, there are those who really, intensely, sell out. Avril Lavigne's sudden transformation comes to mind.

[Warpticon]

Originally Posted by L-A

Actually, those who, for a period of time, define a music genre usually end up being called sellouts.

However, there are those who really, intensely, sell out. Avril Lavigne's sudden transformation comes to mind.

In selloutivity, Jewel >>>> Avril

[RyRob813]

Some good opinions here, what I had hoped to hear. Oh, and on the subject of Kiss, I don't think they can be called sellouts, because selling out was their initial goal. (come on, Kiss ****** PEZ DISPENSER?!?!?!)

[rcarraher]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

Some good opinions here, what I had hoped to hear. Oh, and on the subject of Kiss, I don't think they can be called sellouts, because selling out was their initial goal. (come on, Kiss ****** PEZ DISPENSER?!?!?!)

Another thought comes to mind. Some bands/artists sell out and then when they have the "popular"ear and the media presence, they can go on and explore there artictic vision. This may not be a great example, but Tom Waits started out writing and singing rather run of the mill, tin pan alley stuff (Jersey Girl, New Coat of Paint etc...and then once he was established and respected, he hit us with Swordfish Trombone and has gotten further and further from mainstream music only to garner more and more accolades. If he'd of tried Swordfish Trombone or say Mule Variations in 1974, he'd of never gotten another club gig, let alone a record deal.

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

Am I right?!

Completely 100%

The term sell-out gets thrown around way too much, usually by pretentious scenester-types with too much of their self-identity wrapped up in the music that they listen to.

I do believe that it's possible to sell out, but simply writing a song with a hook and making a few dollars, so you can, you know, AFFORD TO PUT TUBES IN YOU FREAKIN' GUITAR AMP, does not constitute selling out. I always laugh at the Metallica sell-out rants. I wasn't in those guys' heads when they released their later material, but that's a band that has always done exactly what it wants. I highly doubt that James and Lars were sitting around listening to alternative radio and saying, "Dude, we need to copy these cats' sound and make a bazillion dollars!" It's cool if someone doesn't dig any of their post-And Justice... material, but to be all butt-hurt because they "Sold out, man!" just seems immature, IMO. Green Day's another band that comes to mind who were labeled a sell out despite the fact that they have also always done exactly what they wanted. That's fine; those crybabies can keep playing gigs at Gilman Street in commercial and artistic obscurity while Green Day writes this generation's Tommy.

I listen to all types of music, from country to jazz to death metal. However, I try not to really bother myself with the philosophy and politics of the more "underground" styles of music, because there seriously seems to be this pretentious philosophy and artsy-fartsiness to a lot of those scenes that does nothing but create a bunch of BS, IMO.

[Phalex]

When my drummers old band was preparing to go on tour back in the 90's they had a farewell party and all wore T-Shirts bearing the word SELLOUT. He still has his.

[popinfresh]

You're only just realising this? How old are you?

EDIT: Oh, 18. That's why.