Sigh. I don’t even know where to begin. This comment from YouTube of all places hits the spot: “for a band whose first album was based entirely around the notion that consumerist society was slowly eking away at common decency and sense, to go with one of the most unscrupulous tech companies there is is just a bit sad.”
Gang of Four Sell Out to Microsoft
Posted November 10th, 2010 by k
Tags: advert · controversy
6 responses so far ↓
1 Eric Greenwood // Nov 10, 2010 at 4:04 pm
i was speechless when i saw this.
2 K // Nov 10, 2010 at 5:47 pm
My thought pattern when I first saw it:
a.) Holy shit! Really?!
b.) I wonder what Eric is going to think
c.) WTF.
3 SourDove // Nov 14, 2010 at 4:50 am
Don’t be so hard on him. He’s at a loss for words.
4 Paraphrase // Nov 20, 2010 at 6:40 pm
What’s the big deal about “selling out”? King, Gill and co. aren’t adolescents any more.
What’s amazing is that music which sounded so original and abrasive 25 yrs. ago has become so unthreatening today.
5 Eric Greenwood // Nov 23, 2010 at 11:31 am
well, paraphrase, considering gang of four’s entertainment was pretty much anti-consumerism, it’s a little more than ironic that the band would shill for one of the world’s largest corporations.
6 Aaron // Nov 24, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I see it as harmless. Their anti-consumer message was 30+ years ago and they have been for sale for many years since (look at their 80s pseudo pop or inclusion in the Marie Antoinette movie as evidence).
Good for them for staying relative and keeping the royalty checks coming. Good music deserves longevity, even through a Microsoft commercial if necessary.