How's that for a subject-heading?

My brother-in-law invited me to watch his Transformers 2 Blu-Ray tonight, so I sat through it in the name of "family time." [That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.]

Anyhoo, I noticed a Meat Is Murder poster on the bedroom-wall of the main (human) character.

I hate seeing this in movies, where the characters have posters of bands that they would never, never listen to. Bands that the film itself (if it could be magically personified,) would never even have heard of. Meanwhile, their soundtracks are filled with Nickleback and Linkin Park.

Off the top of my head, I remember this happening in Disturbia too.

And the worst (in a different way) in recent memory was Juno, whose titular character wouldn't shut up about Patti Smith and Raw Power, but whose soundtrack was insipid cuddle-core. And the Jason Bateman character who was pushing 40 but could claim with a straight face that history's best rock and roll was made in 1993 [which was likewise missing from the soundtrack.]

Can you guys name any other examples of this infuriating phenomena?

Reminds me of Brad's thread from a few months ago re "The Time Traveler's Wife."
[www.trouserpress.com]

What was the character like who had the Smith's poster? Yes, I know nothing about Transformers, except as a Lou Reed album title (Another "You know you're a TPer when...")

There has been epidemic of poser-ism in recent years: Britney Spears wearing MC5 caps, Howard Stern getting the Black Flag bars tattooed on his arms, Starbucks selling "post-punk" collections next to their madeline cookies.

Guess it makes people feel cool to name-drop the stuff they beat us up for liking in the '80s. Let's go to our high school reunions and say "Gang of Four? Pshaw, that stuff sucks. I love Supertramp now."

(Psst, don't mention "Juno"! Only a certain album pertaining to auto tyres on rural pathways can set off more alarms in Reno-land.)



Post Edited (10-21-09 02:42)

I seem to recall an edgy, middle-aged character on The O.C. sporting a Husker Du tee. Now, how did I know he was edgy? Well, he was wearing a Husker Du tee!

John Hughes may have been a bit heavy-handed in his writing, but one of the things I appreciate about all his teen movies is how spot-on they got the look of the sets, props and characters. It was genius.

Dont know about T-shirts, but I am just tired of hip music in movies in general. So many people are suckered into thinking a movie is a good movie because they like the soundtrack. First starteed getting bothered by this with Rushmore many years back. Saw Invention of Lying last night and felt the same way: Mediocre comedy with a patina of "cool" smeared on top via the soundtrack. The same people who respond strongly to this would not be able to watch an 80's movie with a cheesy synth-pop soundtrack and enjoy it, regardless of the movie quality. A film professor at my school did not permit any pre-made music in the student movies for this very reason, and I now appreciate the wisdom of this policy.

This is the difference between our generation and the Baby Boomers - the Boomers loved being pandered to. It fed into their self-absorption: "Hey, this commercial is using a Motown oldie! Here's a product that speaks to my generation!" Advertisers have had a much harder time figuring out how to push our buttons.

Yes, no other generation has ever had popular music used to sell them stuff.

Or nostalgia.



Post Edited (10-21-09 14:32)

MrFab wrote:

> This is the difference between our generation and the Baby
> Boomers - the Boomers loved being pandered to. It fed into
> their self-absorption: "Hey, this commercial is using a Motown
> oldie! Here's a product that speaks to my generation!"
> Advertisers have had a much harder time figuring out how to
> push our buttons.

Yeah, almost every person born between the years 1946 and 1964 somehow turned out a self-absorbed, easily pandered narcissist wholly lacking critical thinking abilities. Just like sheep, except more stoned.

The kids today aren't shallow and self-absorbed like those dirty hippy Boomers. They're clearly superior beings. They're practically resistant to marketing. Companies just can't sell them stuff like video games, mini MP3 players, mobile phones with texting, cute little cars, or any of that other consumerist crap. They're simply too self-aware and enlightened. Don't envy them...it's not their fault they were made that way.

Amazing how quickly the human race evolves. Today's generation is more fabulous then ever, and they're none too shy to tell you so.



Post Edited (10-21-09 15:24)

Hence The Traveling Wilburys' classic "Pander Me with Care"...

Ha ha, okay, maybe over-generalizing, but as anyone in the ad world can tell you, it is more difficult to market to a generation that's far more media-savvy, and suspicious of being pandered to. (I'm the son of one of those "Mad Men.") It really did used to be alot more easy and straight-forward, but they have to go to increasingly out-of-the-box methods and use much more sneaky subterfuge to sneak ads in.

Seems like a good a time to dust off this classic from the late, great Bill Hicks.

BTW, I really am going for the righteous indignation dollar...

Post-Modernism (or postmodernism) has infiltrated our culture so much that America is eating its own culture before it's had time to settle. And the reference points for a lot of the things younger people mock or worship are lost. So you get 70's clothes that once were ironic, but are now fashionable (hip to crap to kitsch to hip-because-it's-kitsch to Wal-Mart) and constant references to various "unknown" or "cultish" bands because it's a short cut to emotional significance. Some reviews of Midnight Cowboy wondered if we would ever be able to have an emotional moment in a film without some song on the soundtrack to enhance or explain it. 40 years later, that sort of thing is forced upon us because of the synergistic relationships between corporations: whoever owns the show also owns the record label, which also owns the clothing stores, which...you get the idea. The worst part? Post-Modernism (or Postmodernism) used to be a tool to critique society, and various race, class, and gender issues, but now it's just been stripped of any intelligence, and all that's left are the gimmicks. When's the last time you saw a commercial that actually tried to explain why you should buy something, instead of simply having a comedy sketch -- with someone getting their comeuppance, of course -- or animated mascot, or zip-pow computer graphics? I mean, besides some car ads, ShamWow ads, or "new-crap-product-that's-supposed-to-make-your-life-easier-when-the thing-you're-trying-to-do-is-actually-pretty-damned-simple" ads?

Lots of generalization here, and sorry about that, but where songs were once used to help create mood or meaning along with story or spacial representation on screen (former film teacher, sorry), now it's all that's used, which cheapens the experience. America is experiencing a vast anti-intellectual movement right now -- worse than others we've had before -- and until people start taking shit a bit more seriously, we'll find ourselves surrounded by the products of Idiocracy, a film that is a hell of a lot more prescient than most people think.

And exhale.

Blasmo, are you still in the greater Norman area?

I'm just asking because my cousin is a sculpture professor at OU...you guys might cross paths now and then.

And just to be contrarian, I believe adapting fraudulent signifiers is as American as apple pie, postmodernism be damned!

The "pompous and faggy" was a quote from Idiocracy, by the way. Funniest line in the movie.

"The English language had deteriorated into a hybrid of hillbilly, valleygirl, inner-city slang and various grunts. Joe was able to understand them, but when he spoke in an ordinary voice he sounded pompous and faggy to them."

Oh yeah, I was all there, I just recognized my own pomposity. And to pepper it home, I've been dancing and explaining the brilliance of Scritti Politti to the unimpressed wife. I love Cupid, and Provision isn't far behind. The last two have some good moments, but not quite as brilliant.

on beverly hills 90210 the guy who was tori spellings boyfriend was a singer and was asked who his musical influences were. he specificially said graham parker .

I am OF mixed opinion on the use of good music in movies . lets give an example of the sopranos. one part of me applauds the good taste in music and also the relevence of the lyrics to the scenes.
Another part of me says these guys would be listening to bad dance music or pop music.

Not that it is to my taste, but I can see people wearing Iron Maiden shirts for the love of the design.

This thread rules. I want to bronze it.

this thread is great... but back to the point... rhett, how much do you want for that box of shirts?

That's the thing, jcakp (damn, that's a hard handle to type) - I couldn't bring myself to sell those shirts. I can't wear them, I won't give them away, and nobody will ever see them again, most likely. Makes me want to fucking cry....

I suppose if Miley called me up and offered me $1000 for the 30-year-old Buzzcocks shirt, I'd consider it.

That's cuz y'all are potheads.

I dunno, Blasmo. Your post kinda sounded pompous and faggy to me.

As to movie soundtracks, I've made a habit of buying every Tarantino score. Although his movies may be alternately thrilling or aimlessly silly with cinematic self-reference, he has a knack for cinema song. I can always hope to find an obscure soul hit or something that's never been played in movies.

How about Paul Rudd's 688 shirt in Clueless? I wonder what percentage of moviegoers had any idea what that shirt was about. It was like a secret handshake in the southeastern US about 25 years ago...

I might be remembering this wrong - but when Campbell Scott takes the girl back to his apartment and they scatter out his vinyl - the album in the forefront is The Heartbreakers "L.A.M.F.".

I remember thinking - "either he's not cool enough to have one of my favorite albums, or I am not as cool as I think I am"

Probably a little of both .......

Jennifer Aniston's character wore an MC5 shirt in Friends I remember.........

In the 4400, a girl gives a CD she burned to one of the 4400 to bring him up to date with what's hot.
Hand-written on the case was Handsome Boy Modelling School and ....... Killing Joke.

Hillary Duff wore a Motorhead T-shirt onstage at her Sydney concert in '04.
(I only know that because a mate of mine had to photograph the event)

Quote

Idiocracy, a film that is a hell of a lot more prescient than most people think.

Just saw an ad for some reality/game show kinda thing that was pretty much "Ow, My Balls!"

I think the hands-down best example of this was Peter Cetera wearing a FUCKING Bauhaus t-shirt in the video for whatever that lame piece of shit song from the 80s was called! The one by Chicago. It's probably on YouTube or whatever.

:::Gnashes teeth - moshes around the room:::

What nerve! What unmitigated cheek!

I don't like to resort to profanity. Quite seriously. I don't. I edited out about four more F-Bombs before this got posted.

But that felt damned good.

Peter Cetera and ... Rick Astley. Even saying the names makes me want to puke (Linda Blair "head-on-a-swivel" style) ... all these years later.

DAMN HIM TO HELL!

Not only Et Cetera, but (gulp) New Kids On The Block.

Aside from the fact he has a severe underbite and is responsible for some of the worst garbage to infiltrate the culture over the past 30+ years, I don't know anything about Peter Cetera. Therefore, I'd like to posit that perhaps Peter Cetera is actually a Bauhaus fan. Maybe Peter Cetera has really hip musical tastes but knows his bread is buttered doing songs from Karate Kid soundtracks.

The thought of Hillary Duff hanging backstage with Lemmy...sure, why not?

Now Fishbone's Truth & Soul is among my favorite albums ever, they are/were a fabulous live act, and their logo is/was one of the best ever. During my college years, I delivered pizzas with a Fishbone sticker on the back of my Honda. Of the 10 or so people I delivered pizza to who commented on the sticker, 7 or 8 of them invited me in to share a bowl or grab a beer. Once again, I'll invoke the secret handshake analogy.

I have a T-shirt with "E=MC5" on it, and invariably whenever I wear it I'll run into a least a couple of folks who'll nod or comment knowingly.

The idea that Britney Spears would wear a MC5 shirt with likely no clue as to who the band was or what it represented makes me roll my eyes and shake my head. Especially since I doubt her young fans will ask what it means. And any knowing looks would no doubt be met by a puzzled one from her.

Though to point out my own hypocrisy, I do own a Jethro Tull T-shirt that I keep around just because I like the design, not to support the band. Though I'll admit I enjoyed the (comped) Tull show at which I bought it.

The replicas of old concert t-shirts, with the dates and locations unchanged, bothers those of us who kept their actual concert shirts for just such an occasion.

I've been wondering about that. I mean, what's the point of buying a replica of a shirt for a show or tour that happened before you were born? Even if you like the artist and want to support them, it seems like buying a non-tour specific shirt makes more sense.

I say this having just yesterday spoken to a mid-20s co-worker who was wearing a Kansas T-shirt for an album (Audio Visions) that came out before she was born. She just liked the design. Which echoes my ownership of the Tull shirt, so I can't bitch.

This could also spin off into a topic about old concert/band tees and how to keep them alive. One of my most beloved was a Pogues shirt I bought at their show in Houston in 1987/88 (Peace and Love tour) that I wore on a weekly basis for years, but had to eventually throw out as it became so faded and thin. Broke my heart to toss that shirt.

Yet the Tull shirt, which I admittedly don't wear as often as I did the Pogues, looks almost as new now as it did when I bought it 10 years ago. Has to do with printing quality, I suppose.

Have you considered an intervention for the mid-20s colleague wearing a Kansas Audio Visions T-shirt? Man, that is a cry for help if there ever was one.

It's not as sad as seeing Kansas themselves do one of their songs at a karaoke bar.

It looks good on her. Of course, everything looks good on this particular colleague.

HollowbodyKay wrote:

> I think the hands-down best example of this was Peter Cetera
> wearing a FUCKING Bauhaus t-shirt in the video for
> whatever that lame piece of shit song from the 80s was called!
> The one by Chicago. It's probably on YouTube or whatever.

That would be You're The Inspiration. I have absolutely no interest in finding the video for that schlock.

Skronk and Schlock. There is a difference.

I honestly couldn't recall the title. Thanks. It seemed like "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" should have been the actual answer, but that's another shitty band's shitty tune. It' a symptom of encroaching decrepitude that I can't remember all of the bands that I loathe with a white-hot passion.

Peter Cetera's head on a stake in the front yard as a warning to all lame-assed bands ("GO YE ELSEWHERE!") would be a great Christmas present.

Or even better - a mix CD list of everybody's most reviled tunes. I did this at work once and the results were side-splitting.

Anyone up for a little "Tom's Diner?" No? "Puff The Magic Dragon?"

"Feelings?"

:::runs for cover:::



Post Edited (10-23-09 19:37)

HEY!!

I love Puff The Magic Dragon!


"It's the only song that made me cry." - David Bowie


You can file that under Lumpen Throat, too.

HollowbodyKay wrote:

> Or even better - a mix CD list of everybody's most reviled
> tunes. I did this at work once and the results were
> side-splitting.
>
> Anyone up for a little "Tom's Diner?" No? "Puff The Magic
> Dragon?"

You revile "Puff The Magic Dragon?" What's next..."Itsy Bitsy Spider?"

Sheesh. Call me crazy, but I don't begrudge 4 year olds their corny songs. Does this mean I should start wearing cardigans and change my name to Mr. Rodgers?

Quote

You revile "Puff The Magic Dragon?" What's next..."Itsy Bitsy Spider?"

I can't say that I revile "Puff The Magic Dragon!" Nor can I say that I hold it in any special regard.

I should have been clearer - the titles listed were all suggestions from co-workers. I have the list somewhere. One woman said "Anything by KISS." When I told her she had to pick ONE song, she refused! Another person listed "Yellow Submarine." That was borderline heresy.

It's "Eensy-Weensy" by the way. Not that anyone cares.

HollowbodyKay wrote:

> It's "Eensy-Weensy" by the way. Not that anyone cares.

Either is correct:

Quote

From: [en.wikipedia.org]

"Itsy Bitsy Spider" (also known as "Incy Wincy Spider"[1]) is a popular nursery rhyme that describes the adventures of a spider as it ascends, descends and reascends the downspout or "waterspout" of a gutter system (or, alternatively, the spout of a teapot). It is usually accompanied by a sequence of gestures that mimic the words of the song. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 11586.

1. ^ Or "Incey Wincey" or "Teensy Weensy" or "Inky Pinky" or Inky Winky.

Off the top of my head, I remember Tim Robbins' character in Bull Durham wearing a Fishbone shirt. I guess his character was supposed to be this surfer airhead type, so the "rocker" t-shirt made sense...but I couldn't picture his character actually in the crowd at one of the Fishbone concerts I attended back in the day. To this day, one of the best shows I've ever seen, Fishbone, Reality of My Surroundings tour, Cameo Theater, Miami Beach.

Yeah, real pompous. I bought those words and phrases, and I have to use them sometime. However, sometimes the actors/whatever are actually fans. Robbins was a Fishbone fan from waaay back. They're in Tapeheads with him and John Cusack. If Cetera was a Bauhaus fan, then my mind is blown.


Fishbone was a great band. One of the best live shows ever.

Hey, that felt great to write. Much better than that my attempt to channel Roland Barthes -- or the Roland keyboard. (I am so sorry).



Post Edited (10-21-09 20:37)

Even better: the Lincoln commercial I just watched that uses a teeny-bop, auto-tuned version of "Burnin' For You" by Blue Oyster Cult. Well, 3 sentences from it, at least.

Remember the video included a guy committing suicide in a car? Which is what the song is about?

Nice.

edit: It's Shiny Toy Guns, acc. to the Wiki.



Post Edited (10-21-09 20:37)

I've always been amused when a tv show either lands some minor band for a guest spot or has a cast member who's a fan of a particular band, so that in the universe of that show these bands become huge deals, way out of proportion to any regard anyone might have for them in the real world.

So on Roseanne, Daisy Chainsaw was a huge band, so much so that when they were playing a show (in Rockford, IL, I believe - a city no band other than Cheap Trick has ever played in, I suspect) a huge contingent of kids from Lanford High School took a road trip to see them.

On My So Called Life, a Buffalo Tom concert was the social event of the year for whatever high school that took place in.

On Dirty Sexy Money, a Weepies concert was treated like a major event.

On Smallville, all the kids at Smallville High couldn't believe how amazing it was that Remy Zero was playing their prom.

That Buffalo Tom concert was hilarious. Everyone knows Buffalo Tom was mad famous in Pittsburgh!

Wasn't the singer from Remy Zero married to Alyssa Milano? Sa-MAN-tha!

Yeah, the singer for Remy Zero was married to Alyssa Milano, and she apparently dumped him because being married to the singer of Remy Zero didn't provide her with the wild rock & roll lifestyle she expected it would. Which makes me wonder if she had ever listened to a Remy Zero album before she married him.

And I'm sure that's the most times Remy Zero has been mentioned in one paragraph in nearly a decade.

Also, wacky cousin April back on the cruddy 80s Ted Knight sitcom Too Close For Comfort was always wanting to go see Romeo Void, which, since the show was set in San Francisco, made sense but it still seemed jarringly out of place every time she mentioned it.

In the German equivalent of the Oz soap opera, Neighbours, one of the characters always wears a Hard-Ons T shirt and in one show suggested that his depressed mother come to a Hard-Ons' gig to lift her spirits.

On Beverly Hills 90210, they frequently had some "hip" band playing at the Peach Pit After Dark. One or two bands that were WAY out of their element graced that stage, including The Flaming Lips.

Did anyone drop "euphoria", or "4", (90210's MDMA alternative) at The Flaming Lips show?

Sort of like how every time there's a strip club in a movie or on tv, the music playing is something grim & gritty, when in reality it would be Motley Crue or bad hip-hop.

Not that I would know this first-hand, of course.

But there was that Daryl Hannah stripper movie that came out a few years ago and they were all dancing to Leonard Cohen songs.

You can blame Exotica, the amazing Atom Egoyan film, for that. Again, another case of people not getting the idea behind its usage.

Here in Austin in the early 90s, one of the popular stripper songs was David + David's "Welcome to the Boomtown." (Um, so I'm told.)

When I was 15, I started working at Six Flags over Georgia, outside Atlanta. One of my co-workers was a black guy named Corey, who had an extensive collection of Iron Maiden shirts...like 7 or 8 of them, as I recall. When I told him it surprised me he was such a big Iron Maiden fan, he replied that while he didn't like their music much, he loved their logo and thought Eddie "just looks hardcore as hell..."

The Lips played - "She don't use jelly" and the Ian Zierling character (I think) uttered the immortal lines "You know I don't really care for this alternative music but these guys really rock!"

Regarding Toland's note above about keeping old T-shirts alive, I've had to retire many of my old shirts to a box in my closet because they were getting so frayed that I feared they'd completely fall apart if I didn't quit wearing them. My 688 Club t-shirt (like the one Jermoe mentioned earlier), my Skylarking shirt, my Let It Be ('Mats) shirt, and an old Pere Ubu shirt, among others, are all sitting in there waiting on some never-to-come day when I'll feel the need to tell a visitor to my home "Wait, I've got that t-shirt in my closet - come see!" Maybe when Andy Partridge crashes in my basement on his next US tour....

I recall reading an editorial on this general topic, where the writer said he saw Leona Naess in concert in New York. She was wearing a Motorhead t-shirt on stage, and at one point, told the crowd, "I don't even know who this band is; I just like the shirt." Some time later, he caught Leona at a gig in Europe; she was wearing a ZZ Top t-shirt on stage. And she made the exact same comment to the crowd.

what a L O N G
mutherfucking thread.
you should all be proud of yourselves.

adam sandlers ex's VAN HALEN



Post Edited (10-22-09 19:47)

This goes back further than you think.

MEATHEAD: So Arch, I like the White Stripes poster you put in the den.

ARCH: Why shouldn't you. Dey stand for America, a part of the red and blue. You know, on the flag. Not like a Polack like you would undastan dat.

MEATHEAD: They're a band.

ARCH: Hah?

LITTLE GOIL: They're a band, Daddy. Meg and Jack White play the best brand of Post-Modern punk soul fusion grunge ever. They sound great next to my Sonic Youth albums.

EEDIT: Diiiinnnnaa's Ready!!

Lucy: But XTC was better with Terry Chambers! Waaaah!

Desi: Luuuuucy!

Ladies New York Dolls T Shirt by Junk food


£28.00

Ladies 'New York Dolls' T Shirt by Junk Food. Junk Food t-shirts are popular with celebs such as Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston, Mischa Barton…to name a few!



The black tee brings out the electric pink foil giving the t-shirt a striking look. Super soft cotton and polyester blend for a perfect flattering fit.



Add a touch of glam to a casual outfit with this stunning t-shirt.



- Colour: Black
- Pink Foil



Super Soft 50% cotton, 50% Polyester



Model wears size Small. Limited Availability.






Product Code: JF_nyd



Post Edited (10-23-09 10:31)

Post Edited (10-23-09 10:35)

The Dolls sell that shirt on their website. I tried to buy one at their recent Austin show, but they were sold out.

I assume this is some celebrity? I imagine she has no idea who or what she's wearing.

yes, it's Lindsey!
Miley has one too!

how much do you think Culture made off this one?

As long as the featured artists get some cash out of this, Lindsey, Mary-Kate, and Miley can wear all the "Too Much Too Soon" shirts they want. If 100K kids see these shirts and each one forces their parents to buy New York Dolls CD's because Miley wears their t-shirts, more power to 'em.

I hope that is indeed the case. I'm sure the band gets some cash for the use of their image, but the cynic in me doubts the Miley/Lindsey/etc. fans will see those tees as anything other than vaguely "edgy" fashion accessories. Still, if even one kid buys a Dolls or MC5 album as a result... (Oh, wait, I forgot, those bands make music that's "obsolete.")



Post Edited (10-23-09 11:09)

In Paris Hilton's case, "Two Sevens Clash" must refer to her IQ and Nicole Richie's.

This thread reminded me of something cool that Blasmo posted, in a thread pertaining to Weezer ... Ahh, here it is:

> In an episode of Mr. Show, there's a bunch of high school students talking about a guy's shirt,
> which has "The Return of the Curse of the Creature's Ghost!" on it, an old horror movie.
> One of the kids says, "That movie sucks!" The guy wearing the shirt replies, "Well, I'm only
> wearing it cause I hate it."

i love the lifetime movie network as much as any satellite tv paying customer (remember back in the day you paid for cable tv because they told you NO COMMERCIALS?).

but imagine the hilarity of witnessing the psychopathetic character named 'harry' that Adrien Brody plays in the film 'oxygen'

Inbetween scenes of either humiliating a rich tycoons wife, a female cop or himself, the supposed sadistic & punk rocking harry somehow manages to never take off his HUSKER DU tshirt.

As good a redeeming quality as that may sound however, harry it seems can never quite shake the mental picture of Huntz Hall's East Side Kid character "Glimpy" from your head either.

now that is some satellite tv time & money well spent.



Post Edited (10-28-09 21:36)

I need a Husker Du shirt. Fer chrissakes, I have all their albums. Btw, STEVE, lifetime rulezz!

Me too. Where might we find one?

You know, I've seen Bob Mould multiple times both solo and with Sugar (though never with the Huskers) and I've never bought a tee. Does he even sell them? I don't buy rock tees much anymore, but back in the 90s I woulda been all over that shit if given the chance.

maybe the LT network, brody & mould could get together & press some (wish i could say TROUSERS here) shirts as a marketing strategy/gimmick to attract guys like us (though hesitant to admit it, there must be millions!) to go see the sequel.

that movie is ten years old. times have changed. this time around, the rich bitch must die!



Post Edited (10-28-09 22:49)

if i'd never taken off my husker du shirt i wouldn't have this stupid job...

you can still get metal circus and new day rising t-shirts at the sst store, but considering Bob's past troubles with sst i doubt he would profit at all..