The Black Keys "Selling Out" in Studio Q
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- www.cbc.ca/Q
Both halves of The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, talk about the flipsides of taking money for their music in this excerpt from their full interview in Studio Q.
![Cody Johnson - I'm Gonna Love You (with Carrie Underwood) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yy9PuYMU29g/mqdefault.jpg)
I sell out every day when I walk into work. Most of us do.
+Jacob Russell This.
If they payed me minimum wage to do a shitty janitorial job, I would be okay with that. BUT, if they payed me 25 an hour, I would pick that shit up with my hands. We all love money, why should musicians be any different.
I'm so glad you said that! True AF...
If you need the money... Take it.👍🏻💩
AbsoFUCKINlutely!
This exactly. I guess selling out would be say; you hate Hummer, but do the hummer ad.
Jesus these guys are legit, really cool to hear them speak.
these dudes r opening up all these doors for good music to finally to b played on the radio
Did you even listen to them? They said they made a mistake by turning that down because they were so worried about their own image, now they have realised how advertising can be beneficial to them in terms of expanding their audience and the obvious financial benefits. You have basically agreed with them yet criticised them for making the same point you did.
If it wasn't for NHL 08 I might not have heard of the Black Keys till they really blew up. Take the money and hope your art can reach people or else what good is it?
Sell out isn't putting it in commercials or whatever. Once the music is made I have no problem with it being put in commercials, I mean why shouldn't they make money? Selling out is when you write the songs with making money in mind and going "I think this will get a lot of radio play" or "if I do this chord I think this could make a TV commercial". Make it like art, afterwards do what you gotta do to make money.
Exactly.
What about the people who make jingles for products or companies?
kooooolmatt that's different. thats not selling out. thats what you call a "job". a specific job for a specific person which is to write music for commercials.
Bieber Hater ok well if that is just a job, why can't someone who got successful (lets say bruno mars or paramore) make a song for commercials? That's just a job. Or what about an artist changing their style of music because this other one is very trendy right now and they like the trend and want to make music that will sell well cuz ultimately that is then end goal. So they would go along with a trend and making new songs that at the time people would like. Are any of these selling out?
kooooolmatt if I were the artist, and a company would ask me to make music for them for a specific reason, I would gladly do it IF AND ONLY IF I use the product, or the service they offer me, and they let me do whatever type of music I want but still keeping the product/service in the spotlight. That is not selling out because you want to do it because YOU LIKE AND SUPPORT the cause. If you are forced to do a 1 minute commercial jingle selling adult diapers and with an accompanying music video of you wearing it because you need the money, then that is selling out.
So many haters upset with turn blue, like smh what the hell you expect that the keys were gonna keep making rubber factory over and over? Styles change, no one's blasting gangsta rap in the six four anymore
they deserve it, they worked hard, same thing happened to nirvana, people accusing them of selling out, but they still stick with what they did before they were famous. I really dont get it when people just keep on saying "they are selling out" just because they are making good music and making money off of it.
Nirvana had definitive punk roots and you could still tell with their sound during the grunge scene tho Kurt said he was thinking of bringing back new wave and break-dancing before his untimely death.
"I do love mayonnaise! Its true!"
I say give in if you earned it. Like they've been working on this for like 12 years or so? They earned it, same with artists and other bands. Give in if you've earned it.
Fuck that, take what you can get.
The last thing Carney said says it all. I'd rather be surrounded by good music constantly. If the bands make money off it that's awesome.It can only push the state of music further by surrounding us with good music. That way the artists are constantly pushed to create better and better songs. They win and the fans win. The Black Keys deserve every cent they can make.
If the Black Keys didn't liscense their music, I would've never gotten into them. I heard Lonely Boy in the trailer for Warm Bodies, looked them up, and got hooked
My first exposure to the Black Keys was a result of licensing. "Your Touch" played at the end of Zombieland and I had to find out who was behind it. Now I have music from all but one of their albums on my phone, and three of them, complete albums. In the digital age of mix and match playlists , and for my listening habits, that's a rare thing.
That kind of outreach is what got them the exposure they did and now more people can appreciate their music for it. It's win-win.
Calls of 'sell-out' come from those who can only see issues in absolute terms. Not a very thoughtful examination.
Tighten up on fifa
I love all their albums, but the last two are probably my favorites. I love the fuzzy bluesy earlier albums, but it's refreshing to hear them change and expand on their sound as they've been doing.
And if El Camino and Turn Blue are considered "radio friendly" then I would much rather hear that on the radio.
I hate this shit 'selling out' ... it's only selling out if you inauthentically change your music to suit what's in fashion.
@hugomeyer1991 Patrick and Dan were only in Studio to chat unfortunately, so we don't have a performance to post... this time.
Music is no different than any other product. Sell it or stay poor. Pretty easy solution there. Capitalism lives!
"If you're good at something, never do it for free"
@hanneesh
You said it perfectly.Take the ad money early on and it would probably have killed them early, or put them on one (minor) hit wonder status. Wait to get big, then grab the cash.
"If you're gonna have to be exposed to music randomly, I'd rather it be our music."
"Music seems to be the only art form where this is an issue." So true.
These guys need a reality show. I would pay to see the conversation they had about the mayonaise commercial.
the word or thing "sell out" doesn't exist in this century.
2:08 since when do school teachers work all year???
"Our parents work all year long, his mom is a school teacher"
... What the fuck?
@hugomeyer1991 "El Camino" is being released this Tuesday, December 6th.
If you can't appreciate the Black Keys I feel bad for you.
I think people can still make art and live off of it, anyone parading around being a white knight doesn't know how hard it is to make money from original music (as opposed to covers) or how much hard work goes into being a band. To diminish the value of their art just because they've been on a few adverts is just ludicrous.
$2000 is fuck all for a band that tours the States, think of all the fuel/accommodation costs (unless that's being arranged by the promoter), food etc. not to mention that money probably pays their bills and rent too. Most bands make a loss from gigs as well, so yeah, it's not really a lot of money.
They should title their next album "2000,000 Pounds Of Mayonnaise"!!!
@robotsongs Musicians make way to much money for what they do
It's fuckin MAYONNAISE lmao! Of course they turned it down XDDD
I rather sell-out than living broke and miserable life again. Its less pain to deal with. Getcha money by any means neccesary! Fuck the broke struggling and hustling over small paychecks.
St Anger was the opposite of selling out in my opinion, they wanted to go and sound like they were in a garage, if anything Load and Reload are the "sell out" albums.
They made the right choice to sell out. Life isn't free. Cars cost money, houses cost money, education for your kids costs money.
That's a dick move if it's true, 2 piece Garage Rock bands were going well before The White Stripes and they're still going on after!
Your comment makes no sense. I can't even tell whether your defending Black Keys or against them.
Since when does having a cultural connection with something decide whether or not you're selling it out, and since when does a modern rock band with some blues mixed in directly represent African American culture? Because southern African Americans invented the blues genre a hundred years ago, any professional band with a bluesy slant is exploiting black people?
Dans' eyes are so freaking intense, man.
"sell out" is a massively overused term anyways. When a band sells out it means they give into someone else's idea of what their music should be to get money. But it seems if a band puts their song in a commercial they're selling out, or if a band decides to take a more pop route (on their own accord) they're selling out. There shouldn't be that much pressure for bands.
Having better equipment does change the music bands make, but how The Black Keys have changed can't only be linked to better equipment. Getting better equipment doesn't change blues rock to the much more pop music they make now. All it does is make things sound better, it doesn't completely change entire sounds of bands.
@YerocRellek The Black Keys have changed their music and character drastically to keep getting money. Compare The Big Come Up to El Camino, they've become much more pop like. Bands are supposed to evolve and change, but I don't think these guys are heading in the right direction. Although this mainly just my opinion.
I don't care who they sell the rights to thier music too, as long as they keep making it!! Thier music does something for me that few other musicians can accomplish.. it helps me escape from all the stresses of the modern world, makes me feel excited to be alive!! The Black Keys' are the definition of Rock and Roll!!
Seems to me that being able to make some money off of the music you play is like the dream of most musicians; to be able to make a living by playing music. Obviously they'd do it, money or not, but to be able to buy a house and quit your day job, is just gravy. Also it's getting harder and harder for musicians these days to make money.
Fuckin right man, make the money while u can cos not every band lasts as long as the stones and u could end up broke working in a call centre in years to come. People who dont like it and say 'sellouts' are either jealous, teenagers or dont have to worry about money
Their view on "selling out" is probably the most respectable standpoint on the case that I've ever heard. Also, if you look on The Black Keys wikipedia page, like 90% of it is about which songs of theirs are in which movie, commercial, or game. Who gives a shit? I wanna know more about the band!
@AceGamerx
If you think the average musician makes "way too much money" for what they do, it's clear you have no idea what the music industry is like, in addition to underestimating the difficulty of being a true professional in the field
okay i don't want this to become a shitstorm while i do think your views have some value, but at the same time I think the steeped in nativity. You view music as having this clandestine purity, that has never really existed. The sacrifices you ask for the " purity" of music is to high in this new age. They created their music before selling, is whats the harm in having money to support themselves, and more importantly to their families.
There comes a time in every mans life when they decide they need to grow up and bring home the bacon. The Black Keys are a grown up band, they deserve every penny. Try producing 7 albums 4 of which are hits of the last decade+, pour every ounce of emotion and pride you have into them and tell me you don't think you've earned some money. Touring as musicians and doing what they love is a huge mental challenge. Where do you think their songs come from? sitting on the couch eating potato chips?
No, I did not criticize them-I did hear them say that they 'realized' after the fact, but I wasn't criticizing. I criticized the general population that are saying that making a commercial is selling out...I did however criticize their (lack of) public speaking skills. I realize they are relatively new mainstream artists, but it was annoying for me to try to listen to them speak :(
This is a terrible interview-each one of them act like they are afraid to speak their mind. I admire that someone would turn down money based on integrity, however a mayo commercial is not lacking integrity. The key to success is marketing, and if you are not hurting anyone, why turn it down? Making a living dosen't mean you are selling out. There is a point where the number of zeros paid to use your work/likeness creates a burden on the consumer.
Everyone who talks about bands selling out. GET A LIFE. No cares about your hipster views and wanting to sit by a bonfire listening to your favorite bands that didn't sell out. All musicians bust their butts to get where they are and if they want to license songs that they have put time and effort and hard, hard work into it, then so be it. Just enjoy the music that they put out and stop crying over an argument that is moot.
For me at least, the "selling out" concept its about putting your pants down for a few bucks (or any amount of money), but if you keep your integrity and vision and lend your music to stuff that doesn't mess with that, its fine i guess.
I mean, i would give a few hits to a funny sitcom or a good flick, but i'll never give away my music to a season of sex and the city or a gossip girl kinda shit. I respect people who doesn't go to music just to get their pockets full. Sorry for my bad english.
Could not put this any better.
Selling out would be like a jam band releasing an album full of singles that could get radio play.... going against their artistic nature for the sake of money.
Letting someone use your music in exchange for cash, if it doesn't compromise your artistic integrity =/= selling out.
Although, I must say, El Camino was probably their weakest album. Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory are the prime example of the band's sound.
I really dig these guys believe me I get all worked up about 'real' and 'fake' artists but these guys have a certain level of realism and practicalilty. And I can tell they aren't push overs Patrick making jokes about Halliburton and Blackwater I find really funny. They are poking fun at this whole capitalist predicament we find ourselves in. As long as you aren't jepordizing your art I say go for it. If you asked me the same question a couple months ago I might have had a different opinion.
Most people don't think the "sell out" issue all the way through. Professional musicians are involved in the commercial enterprise of selling their music. Why is it more noble to sell your music via iTunes than it is via a TV commercial? And as a consumer, don't you prefer hearing good music on a commercial, as opposed to bad music? If so, you have to be ok with good musicians licensing their stuff for commercials.
no. i don't want to think of a video by anyone else. i want to enjoy and be into the song enough that i can think of my own video in my mind. i feel that is more worthy in my mind than replaying something i have seen before. if i can drift away to music than i enjoy it more. music has that power, not many art forms that i am aware of at least has such an ability... i won't take rise to your attempts at insulting me and i hope that this particular interaction will be better off for it : )
you better care what others think if you want to be a great musician. you sell out while being in your prime than your done no one will care about you in 5 years, plain and simple cuz all that theyll think is your silly transformer appearance or an idiotic food commercial jingle. Led Zeppelin isn't excluded either. If black sabbath gives their iron man song to some Saturday cartoon about iron man than that's who they've become a silly cartoon show. just NEVER SELL OUT.
I agree, musicians have got to eat and if they need to put their song on a mayonnaise commercial to do that then so be it. I'd rather hear The Black Keys during a car commercial than, as they said, Nickleback or Fergie or whatever. I actually like hearing a band I like during a commercial because I know they're getting paid what they deserve. The Black Keys have changed their style a bit in the last 2 albums but I see that more as an evolution than anything.
At the end of the day, if the bands/artists you like are sustaining artistic integrity, and you want them to keep making the music you like, just let them liscence their tunes for a fucking mayonnaise commercial. With the way even highly recognized bands struggle to make a living these days, I don't see how anyone could expect every band they like to have the same integral ideals as Wingnut Dishwashers Union.
i kinda wished that breaking bad should have play little black submarine in one of there episode :L
I bought El Camino now. Wanna know why? Because I was able to listen to it all on youtube and preveiw it enough to fall in love with it.
RUclips, please quit taking down songs. It boosts people's love for them, and makes them want to buy the music. I'm considering buying a good number of CDs because of how I've been able to listen to it on here and preview it enough to love it. Same with my mom buying 21.
pt 2. if your against that then the problem is not in the artists and you should not be attacking them. problem is in the system.its hard for artists to survive. i mean you can't be successful in music without some sort of compensation. music might be one of the hardest forms of art to be successful in. you have to travel constantly, your whole careers is based on traveling... which has a physical and mental toll on the body... you can't expect peope to do this and have nothing to show for it.
yeah. it seems like people have a problem with a band having some product attatch itself to the music and the artists make money off of it. really thats not a problem with the artist. i mean think about all the blood, sweat and tears a band puts itself through by touring constantly, are expected to have album releases every year or so, and no matter what they do some hipster will call them a sell out for being successful and headlining shows.
a little bit of money is not too much to ask for.
@JimmyFatz What about all the artists that got promoted by all those Apple commercials? Feist immediately comes to mind, she even acknowledges what Apple did for her. I don't think anyone would say working with Apple equals selling out since they have historically always supported Indie/lesser known artists in their marketing (except for a few instances such as Bono's RED campaign for AIDS research).
I would much rather have a Rihanna song be used for a mayonnaise commercial. That way I can be like 'oh, this is that stupid fuckin mayonnaise song.'
It's better than having people say 'oh, isnt this song in a mayonnaise commercial?' when the song is kickass.
if your business is music, let the notes you play rake in the dough.
if your business is advertising, sell your songs to commercials.
sorry Black Keys, you guys still rock!
OMG Are we not over this if not for the advertising i would have never really heard them my black keys story is i heard bits and pieces here and there had to find out who was laying down this music found them through their current work have now doven deep into their early work and i cant get enough THANK YOU for selling out and getting more money and twice the exposer so that i might find you XO
@Egggbutt some can maneuver both, I have followed the band Portugal the man from their start releasing all records indie and building such a base that they now signed to Atlantic yet retain creative control because the already established fan base was their bargaining power, it would take a lot of poverty/ sacrifice to reach that point though. The black keys strike me as the same way they seem to grow organically compared to many artists where it's obvious unseen forces are pulling the strings.
I think a big difference between Radio and Commercials/Soundtracks is that the commercials and soundtracks pick out existing songs for the sound/atmosphere/emotion those song create. Its not as if they wrote songs for specific commercials or anything. The people producing the commercial/movie came and asked them for the song because of how good it is.
I heard about them from commercials and have followed them for 5 years now. What got me hooked was Just Got To Be on NHL 08.
Dan and Patrick are real musicians who write their own songs, play their own instruments, and play the music that they want to play. There is nothing wrong with letting people use your music in ads, as long as you never let your artistic integrity be compromised. As long as they write the music that they want to write, and never let anybody control their art, they are in no way sell outs.
8 people watching this video are still living off Mommy and Daddy's trust fund.
When you're out of school and trying to make it in the world, you realize how vital it is to get paid for your efforts. You want to eat? You want a place to live, health care, the ability to take a friend to the movies sometimes? You gotta get paid. There's nothing wrong with that.
Fuck that uber-hipster bullshit of dying for your art-- I want musicians to be rewarded for what they do.
@samisyosam
With all do respect I have to disagree.
Musicians who do what they love, and play what they love, RARELY do well in the music. Jazz musicians are among some of the most musically trained and talented musicians in the business, HOWEVER, there is a small following of listeners who seek out authentic styles of Jazz. The term 'selling out' in this context refers to bands attempting to appeal to the popular music culture and flourish in the music business. The Black Keys are not sellouts
Independent or not, a person needs to make money to survive in the music industry, let alone in any career. Despite how Patrick's "some blogger" remark was worded, the message was that how they make their livelihood is no more the concern of the passive fan than the passive fan's livelihood is to the Black Keys. Sure, some fans aren't going to agree for various reasons, but so long as they broaden their fanbase and can afford to keep performing and writing, this shouldn't be an issue.
i think henry rollins said it best (somewhere) to the tune of: it's not selling out unless you're taking money to make something you didn't want to make in the first place. there is a difference between licensing and contracting. when a company licenses an artist's work to sell their brand, the artist is supporting himself. when that same artist diminishes their art to fit the brand, it's crass commercialism. that's the difference between a shitty sellout selling a song and Dylan selling a song.
@theforch
You're not the only one that misses that sound. Definitely my favorite. But that's crazy to say their albums sound like shit now. And please give me an example of someone they sound like? They do their own thing. Their own way. When I heard brothers for the 1st time. I said wtf. But then I continued listening and reading interviews and realized where it all came from. You have to respect them and their ART. You gotta grow with a band.
Nobody who makes music isn't trying to sell out to survive. You have to hit the ground running and push your product as hard as you fucking can or you'll never get noticed, you'll never get gigs, people won't show up to your gigs and you'll be working dead-end jobs to support your dead-end music habit so you can play unprofitable shows that only a handful of "enlightened" shithead hipsters show up to. Then those same audience members say "oh they should be more famous" without a fucking clue.
@MrCritic12 No, they're not "directly helping propagate conspicuous consumption." There is no such thing as overly accessible. You sound like a militant hipster just spouting rhetoric you don't understand for self-aggrandizement. They make the music they want to make, and then monetize it where they can. That's not selling out, that's being smart. I don't even like most of their music and I find the contention that they're selling out ridiculous.
These guys are spot on. The whole notion of selling out is an attempt to push musicians into, or keep musicians within, the starving artist category.
If I learn one of my favourite bands got a song licensed for a commercial. I'm real happy. That means they get some financial help. Musicians don't have a pension. They need all the help they can get financially, and if it helps them make art, I don't see the issue
These guys made the music they want and people just happened to like. There's nothing wrong with making money off of it. The problem is making subpar music just to make tons of
money.
I love dan's face, " I DO love mayonnaise; it's true." hahaha it's so candid
the only thing that bothers me is that when i hear a song that i first heard in a commercial (sometimes even if i knew the song before the commercial) when i hear it again my mind snaps back to the commercial... i don't want good music to make me think of a commercial. its almost like branding the music.
Does selling out not only apply to bands who change their style (usually for the worse) to make more money? If the ad companies genuinely like their music the way it is and they don't have to change their style to accommodate the interests of these companies or a different audience then I wouldn't call it selling out.
Love this! Come on, why should artists be starving--it's a bourgeois ideology that has no place in this economy.
They regret the mayo decision because they had no money, and that would have changed everything for them. As it is, they could hold the mayo and still make awesome music. In the end, the music always triumphs..
@Chillton I can agree with you there. It's not all based on myth though. A lot of people born in comfort will work to keep that comfort rather then just for the art. It helps to have been born without the comfort in some cases, but it isn't a deciding factor. It's just the way they've been trained to think.
I think people are missing the fact that Dan and Pat are HUGE trolls, lol. Like, not in a bad way though. In a good way, a funny way. They rarely ever take interviews like this seriously. They just make up shit as they go. Hence why Pat tends to talk about mayonnaise, etc. Have you ever seen any of their other interviews? They're hilarious, lol.
@Aplasticjones They should reap the benefits, but they shouldn't do it for money. When you write a song because you need another paycheck, then the quality of your work will go downhill.
And music is art. No reason you can't make money from art. But the inspiration has to be something other than money.
Now a days even established artists have a hard time making the money that they rightfully deserve. If they can make their money through advertisements, and we get to hear the Black Keys on TV instead of "Nickelback" I think everybody wins.
On a side note, bands don't "sell out". Their popular because their good at what they do.
To me, selling out is when you are willing to change the way you make music to reach a larger audience and sacrifice your artistic integrity in the process. What they are discussing is not selling out. That's just making money. ( I seen the post below me is stating something similar to this, but I'm posting anyway. ..and yeah, Nickelback did exactly what I am talking about. :P)
As long as they take money to continue making music then I'm fine with it, to be honest. Its when artists get greedy and stop making music after getting rich and overexposed that pisses me off. Also, nice touch with Nickelback. I used to be a fan but they REALLY did sell out and start making shittier and shittier music.
@theforch no your not alone. I mean, I still love the new stuff, but i still totally understand what you mean. Thickfreakness through attack and release were just so raw and awesome. I mean, it was actually just a guitar and drums and singing, which just goes to show how you dont need like 6 people with guitars drowned in effects and autotune and shit to make good music.
i used to love the black keys, they were my favorite band. I really can't stand their music lately, their last two albums sound like shit. They used to sound like garage/blues/psychadelic, now they sound like the annoying pop/alt that other bands that are shitty already did perfectly fine. i feel like the only one that misses the black keys' original two man band sound.
I agree with most of what they said but I think if a song is associated with a particular product then that song when people hear it outside of the commercial context is going to remind them of the commercial. I feel it does change the perception of the song. I totally agree that it doesn't necessarily make anyone a sell-out.
Patrick actually convinced me right at the end that he's right: we have to watch shitty commercials regardless, might as well be with music that doesn't also sound shitty.
I might have never heard of them if not for GTA IV. I am so thankful the music director for that game picked such good songs and artists. Frankly, most of the really good music I've heard the past few years have been in commercials, video games, and movies, and NOT the radio.
I don't blame them at all!! For everyone that thinks that just because they sell license to their music. Every single one of us would do it, this is why they do it!! Do you really think that all of you would turn down millions just to "stay real"...give me a break!
These guys have been on the road for 10 years and even though they are really respected, respect doesn't fill the belly amigo... So yeah, they got a little bit commercial but it's still The Black Keys and they still sound cool and rock n' roll man! Give some respect...
@vobo8998 So you are assuming their music based on what you see rather than what you hear? That's pretty shitty.
Also they know that when they turned down the 200k they were fools to do so. I bet you ask them now they would do it in a heart beat because they WERE BROKE. You have a hard time listening.
I see no problem with making money doing what you love as long as it actually provides something substantial (and this entertainment moves us enough I'd say it's very substantial) as long as they don't have to change their sound or style in order to make more money.
Bottom line is that most successful musicians aren't principled enough to take a stand against corporate hegemony. They see dollar signs and that supersedes socio-political values. Most aren't smart enough to realize that it is possible to make a great standard of living without giving in to corporate forces. Take a look at a guy like Steve Albini. His band Big Black self managed, self promoted and self financed their records. They were successful, not Coldplay succesful, but enough to eat and live comfortably. For the next few years, he continued to record for a variety of different artists and went on to found electrical audio, a recording studio in Chicago. He doesn't take any royalties from the artists songs and simply takes a flat rate for his engineering services. He's definitely in the 1% tax bracket at this point in his life but he has vehemently opposed making his money by sacrificing his values. The point is it is possible to not sell out and become successful but most people are too lazy, scared or stupid to try it another way.
have you been in a hot car on a hot day without air-conditioning? On a long journey? let alone a car like the minivan which they essentially lived in when they were touring in it. When you do then you can come back and be sarcastic