With beer marketing controversy back in the news, and a bit of experience with big city advertising, it seems apropos to look back at two classic commercials featuring vintage rock ‘n’ roll icons. First, an Eric Clapton ad for Michelob that quickly became a punchline circa ’87 when it emerged that
Putting aside Neil's COVID stance, you are being espcailly harsh on this video. I mean MJ really did light his hair on fire in a Pepsi Ad! Lots of great videos from MTV's heyday mocked other pop stars. I thought it was fun when they referenced each other.
Neil Young also sold his entire book to Hipgnosis or at least a private equity firm...He made hundreds of millions of $$$. David Bowie did the same before he died. It's really a sad day when private equity and hedge funds own our memories.
Can't believe that a guy who performed "For what it's Worth", a song about a moral panic and authoritarian overreaction by moral busybodies, would not be able to see he was doing the same dang thing with the COVID scare. .
It's true that the situation for music now is very different and musicians should be excused for taking what exposure they can get.
But the concept of selling out then was valid. There is a big difference between making a video to promote your own music, and hawking a product.
It did come at a cost to many fans when music they loved, that often had deep meaning to them, was prostituted to sell crap. You hear the same 30 seconds of the song you used to love so many times you come to hate it. Maybe it be different if any of those artists Neil needled needed the money. But they were all obscenely rich already.
Regarding the more recent conduct of Young and Clapton, I completely agree. Very disappointed in Neil.
"What stands out decades later is how obnoxious the video is, how mean-spirited and self-righteous, and by today’s standards borderline racist." I watched the Neil Young video - thanks for linking to it - but now I think your analysis is post-modern wacky. It's a "a slick commercial about being anti-commercial" only if everything is a commercial.
His comments are past but they’re not forgotten
Is this the story of Neil the Rotten?
Putting aside Neil's COVID stance, you are being espcailly harsh on this video. I mean MJ really did light his hair on fire in a Pepsi Ad! Lots of great videos from MTV's heyday mocked other pop stars. I thought it was fun when they referenced each other.
Neil Young also sold his entire book to Hipgnosis or at least a private equity firm...He made hundreds of millions of $$$. David Bowie did the same before he died. It's really a sad day when private equity and hedge funds own our memories.
Jack White did a Coke commercial and took flack for it. It is a beautiful track and a great commercial.
Can't believe that a guy who performed "For what it's Worth", a song about a moral panic and authoritarian overreaction by moral busybodies, would not be able to see he was doing the same dang thing with the COVID scare. .
Again, Nice! But WTF is Phil Collins “dreaded”?
It's true that the situation for music now is very different and musicians should be excused for taking what exposure they can get.
But the concept of selling out then was valid. There is a big difference between making a video to promote your own music, and hawking a product.
It did come at a cost to many fans when music they loved, that often had deep meaning to them, was prostituted to sell crap. You hear the same 30 seconds of the song you used to love so many times you come to hate it. Maybe it be different if any of those artists Neil needled needed the money. But they were all obscenely rich already.
Regarding the more recent conduct of Young and Clapton, I completely agree. Very disappointed in Neil.
"What stands out decades later is how obnoxious the video is, how mean-spirited and self-righteous, and by today’s standards borderline racist." I watched the Neil Young video - thanks for linking to it - but now I think your analysis is post-modern wacky. It's a "a slick commercial about being anti-commercial" only if everything is a commercial.