Comments on: SELLOUT: Stephin Merritt allows Volvo to drive away with his integrity

By: Stuart

Stuart — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:56:35 +0000

And what are all of you doing to fight the capitalist consumer complex?

Love the sausage–don’t want to know how it’s made.

By: Oliver Chesler

Oliver Chesler — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 17:11:16 +0000

I recently wrote and article you may like about The Magnetic Fields and Stephin Merritt: http://www.wiretotheear.com/2007/10/20/the-magnetic-fields-and-stephin-merritt/

By: K

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 03:24:13 +0000

Rex, sir, you’re missing the point. A crappy band can’t technically “Sell Out” by scoring a Car commercial. In fact that crappy band might get a ride all the way to the bank.

Only a band or in this case a musician with an impressive oeuvre and history of artistic integrity can truly Sell Out.

And who uses the label “haters” in a discussion about indiepop icons? We’re talking about Stephin “motherfucking” Merritt, not Tupac.

By: rex

rex — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:45:40 +0000

Y’know, it’s such an easy thing to be a hater and accuse someone of being a sellout when you haven’t a clue what it’s like to be in their shoes. There is no doubt that most of you haters would be peeing all over yourself if your crappy band was asked to be in a car commercial.

By: tivoli

tivoli — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:54:53 +0000

I always thought the Go-Betweens managed to pull it off without sucking.

By: Logan Young

Logan Young — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:03:01 +0000

true, true. but isn’t hanging yourself – no matter your situation – grounds for a wag of the finger? yeah, life’s tough. and most of the time it’s a real bitch. but both he and cobain had kids and families. i’m not one to try and delve into another man’s heart (or anus) and try to divine some sort of reason for why he killed himself. it was by far the best career move either party could have ever made – no doubt. the headlines virtually write themselves: “Torn Apart By Love, Singer Watches Herzog and Strangles Himself” or “The Guy Who Wrote ‘I Hate Myself and I Want To Die’ Finally Blew His Brains Out.” suicide – while it makes all kinds of existential sense i suppose – is at least grounds for some sort of disapproval. shit, if it didn’t, i would’ve done it long ago prolly. but then again, you kill yourself, you gay.

By: Eric Greenwood

Eric Greenwood — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 19:47:25 +0000

true, true. unless they pull an ian curtis and die before they start to suck.

By: Logan Young

Logan Young — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 19:10:29 +0000

it always stings a bit when you discover someone you care about has let you down. when you connect so strongly with an artist its easy – perhaps even required – to feel personally disgraced. i know i do. but part of loving a band, i think, is learning how to deal with the inevitable disappointment they’re gonna give you at some point in their career. sooner or later everyone’s gonna deliver their own version of “slow train coming.”

By: tivoli

tivoli — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:36:44 +0000

I actually thought the song was lame on purpose. That is, he’s not willing to give Volvo something gorgeous, just a jingle somewhere along the lines of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells.” (No way would Volvo air a biting commentary.) But maybe I’m so big a TMF fan that I’m too willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

By: Eric Greenwood

Eric Greenwood — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:30:19 +0000

amen, kerry.

By: K

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:23:17 +0000

I think what rubs me the wrong way about the Volvo spot is that it is just plain bad. Had Stephin written a biting commentary on Volvo drivers loosely veiled by his baritone and references to the moon and trains and such, I might be able to overlook it.

That said, it’s not like I’m going to stop liking the guy’s music cause he sold out to Volvo.

By: tivoli

tivoli — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:30:33 +0000

I think Stephin’s entitled to make a living off his music, which gets harder and harder nowadays. It’s great that you’ve bought everything of his, but lots of people download music for free, and he’s probably already spent his 7″ single royalties and he’s gotta eat. He’s not even singing one of his own songs, so it’s not like you can’t hear your favorite Stephin song without thinking of Volvo.
Only Alanis would call that “ironic.”

By: K

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 02:39:59 +0000

I actually own every single Album, EP, 7″, etc. that Stephin Merritt put out before 2005. Does that not entitle me to at least being upset that one of my idols is singing in a fucking so-ironic-it’s-no-longer-ironic-but-just-sad volvo commercial?

By: tivoli

tivoli — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:54:28 +0000

I assume nobody upset about this has ever illegally downloaded any music.

By: K

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:58:18 +0000

Pat, I’d say Stephin wins, according to this site:

“TMF’s “I Think I Need A New Heart” was used (and still running, i believe) for Cesar dog food; when “Boa Constrictor” was used for Ivory; when “Dessert Island” was used for (insert brand) alcohol(rum?); “Kiss Me Like You Mean It” used for diamonds; etc…”

I watched that Volvo commercial again. I think I need a new esophagus.