Sonic Youth Gossip - Jim O'Rourke Soundtracks Walmart Ad

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- - Jim O'Rourke Soundtracks Walmart Ad (http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=43394)

Quote:

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

Plenty of great musicians have scored products that are less-than-desireable to most of their fanbases -- hell, Sonic Youth did that Starbucks thing that deeply offended certain people, apparently -- but I truly think it's the coolest thing in the world that O'Rourke can lend a song to a Wal-Mart ad, win a Grammy for production, and then do that limited edition noise LP afterwards (kinda reminds me of my hero Giuseppe Andrews, who made some of the most fucked up films and music ever, but has been in Independance Day, American History X, etc)... Ultimately, he's doing what he loves in life, and he's making a living at it, and that's kinda the American dream... plus, the idea of "selling out" and all that garbage, that indie elitist mentality, has always been kinda silly... I'd rather a musician I like make a LOT of money and continue putting out albums, than some Vampire Weekend shitfest cliche churning out another friendly pop song... good music should be everywhere. Kudos to whoever at Wal-Mart is a Jim O'Rourke fan and put in the motion to get this ad produced.

...But again, I must reiterate the question I asked earlier, something I do genuinely find strange: does wal-mart even sell O'Rourke albums?! Who knows -- maybe they'll start now?! I do know that I did buy Murray Street there when it came out many years ago; it was like $9 brand new. Plus, they have Yankee Hotel Foxtrot there last I checked... so there's definitely albums with O'Rourke on them in some capacity.

I like it. Repped.

Don't forget this little gem by thurston for HSBC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T_n6wELFnA

Wal-Mart rules. Jim O'Rourke rules. This is a win/win situation as far as I'm concerned. I love Wal-Mart's sweet bargains, it was the best way to keep my gf and I properly fed back when we lived together - oh, and the gems I've found in that DVD bin! Awesome store, consider me pro-conglomerate.

Like he said in "Memory Lame": "What occupies me pays a low rent". Maybe that commercial can pay his rent for quite some time.

What Fall song?

Quote:

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I work at Wal-Mart. It's just a job. I don't shop there. I do find it strange that no Jim O'Rourke albums are even sold there, though. Either way - -they pay really well, great benefits, I always can take time off, and I don't have a lot of responsibility. The whole controversy of Wal-Mart always amuses me; while I'm not personally a fan of their store so much, I think they definitely do as much good for the economy as they do bad for it.

Regardless... Great song, I'd rather hear good music on ads if I'm going to watch them, and I'm glad since O'Rourke probably made a lot of money (anyone remember that car ad a few years ago with that Fall song on it?).

Quote:

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

...But again, I must reiterate the question I asked earlier, something I do genuinely find strange: does wal-mart even sell O'Rourke albums?! Who knows -- maybe they'll start now?! I do know that I did buy Murray Street there when it came out many years ago; it was like $9 brand new. Plus, they have Yankee Hotel Foxtrot there last I checked... so there's definitely albums with O'Rourke on them in some capacity.

dont know about walmart, but i can never find O'rourke albums on the high street in the uk.
i amazon all the way

(but i did get syr8 in HMV which made me smile for some reason)

I was genuinely suprised to hear the Gang of Four in this advert a couple of months ago...........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw6BRclHxUA

But found it quite funny (in an ironic kind of way).

Here is Henry Rollins ranting about the subject ...........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6zVUvmkyvA

Jim is baladeering now, still in Japan of course. < link to brief fader article with embedded vid, link to vid below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIzPi...layer_embedded

at 0:45 is where Jim comes in.

http://www.twentyfourbit.com/post/28...greenwood-lisa

I'm mixed about this however I do feel like I need to chime in....yes, we all know wal-mart is cheap but how do they offer these prices? cheap foreign labor is one way of course. and wal-mart also forces vendors/companies to lower pricing ridiculous amounts. I say force because if the vendors don't get their products in wal-mart then they don't sell anything. this also causes vendors to go overseas for production and cut cost elsewhere. so yes you might save a few cents or a buck. but at what expense to others? not to rant. I don't like the fact that Jim felt the need to do this whatever the reason. money or otherwise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bword

I say force because if the vendors don't get their products in wal-mart then they don't sell anything.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but that seems like a bold statement. Can you elaborate? Let's say I sell dog food, for example. I wonder what percentage of all dog food in the U.S. is sold at Wal-Mart? Or, if not dog food, what products have the highest percentage of U.S. sales at Wal-Mart?

Jim also recently won a Mainichi award for best soundtrack for the film Sketches of Kaitan City, @ Drag City.

Jim seems like he has very high standards, but everybody got to pay rent. Doesn't he live in Japan (lucky guy), so the man gotta keep his sweet digs in Japan. And hey, I love Bad Timing but I don't own it, this guy deserves our money let's go to the Drag City website and buy some of his material so maybe he doesn't have to resort to this kind of stuff.

I was in a Wal-Mart for the first time ever buying some stuff my girlfriend requested tonight. Yeah, there were a lot of low-class people there and 1 of the 2 employees I asked for help wasn't very observant (I asked her where 6-packs of Pepsi were and she showed me, but said she didn't think they had 6-packs-meanwhile, there was a huge shelf of them in front of us), but I can't help but wonder if maybe they weren't so ruthless in opening stores in areas with thriving smaller businesses and treated their employees better, then maybe there wouldn't be so much left leaning hatred of them.