Q. I could ask you questions all the time, if allowed. Here's one:
Here in 'President Kill'-country (US), I've noticed a lot more 'obscure' songs being used in TV commercials (Joe Jackson's "One More Time" in Taco Bell, The The's "This Is The Day" for M&M's, Tones On Tails' "Go" for Dockers).


People have noticed the double-edged sword of using songs in commercials, and for all the 'sell-out' cries, the fact remains, I would assume these artists have made more money now than they ever did when these songs first came out. I'm hearing "This Is The Day" more NOW than ever. There's the sadness of hearing The Who sell cars, then there's the joy of hearing The Flaming Lips finally being heard by a large audience by..... SELLING CARS!


Your opinion, and what if they came to YOUR DOOR, with a sack full of money?


Vincent Cannata

A. Yo Vinnie baby, I've always wanted to say that. Hey I'm up for my music being used to sell almost anything (not arms dealers overtly, although EMI make parts for missiles etc). It's only music, it's innocent, it's not an endorsment to use that particular type of burger or car, or indeed any burgers or cars. That's an individual's choice.


I personally think that some of our/my music would be perfectly suited to ads anyway, eg. Stupidly Happy, I'd Like That, My Brown Guitar, to name but three.


Colins Frivolous tonight was used both for a car ad and for a moist wipe ad in Italy and Sweden (I think, could have been Norway??). Interestingly enough about six or so years ago McDonalds came to me with a proposition to use Stupidly Happy on an ad in Australia, of course I said yes, doesn't mean I have to eat the crap. Then the buggers changed their minds, bah!


Let's face it, with the interwoven and global nature of modern life NOBODY can be purer than pure, or untouched by the distasteful side of any purchase. Think of the millions of bad or polluting connections of simply driving to a store to buy a CD.


Later Vin.