August 18, 2004

Warner Brothers selling original Green Day ringtones.

(from the NYT) I see two points of departure here: 1) Selling out. 2) What's next? "Hi this is Thom Yorke of Radiohead and you're listening to Aaron's phone ringing."

posted by little nemo 20 years ago
  • Someone's going to have to say something along the lines of "That presumes they have something to sell" so we might as well get it over with right now.
  • All you know about me is what I've sold you, Dumb fuck. I sold out long before you ever heard my name. I sold my soul to make a record, Dip shit, And you bought one. All you read and Wear or see and Hear on TV Is a product Begging for your Fatass dirty Dollar So...Shut up and Buy my new record Send more money Fuck you, buddy.
  • I'm personally looking forward to hearing a legion of numbskulls notifying the world that they're popular enough to receive a phone call with the strains of When I Come Around. It's OK to shoot them, right? I mean, this is *still* America, we still have the Justifiable Homicide statute, correct?
  • Oh please. Green Day "sold out" with Dookie (which is, actually, one of my favorite albums) ten years ago. If they want to exploit the ringtone market (which, I hear, is huge), let them. "Artistic integrity" has nothing to do with it. And, to be honest, I would prefer to hear some music instead of the annoying "-ding-ding- YOU HAVE AN INCOMING CALL" ringtone one of my cow-orkers has.
  • We're in the culture with each and every one of our artists,'' Mr. Whalley said. "The ring tone can help connect that fan to the artist. If it's done with taste, I don't think it crosses that line where it's commerce over art.'' Mmm hmm. Nice try. We crossed that line quite awhile back.
  • Do you have the time to listen to me whine?
  • Please, we're decades past the point where art stopped being a seperate entity to commerce. The difference between "selling out" and having "artistic integrity" is all about what group of people you choose to pander to.
  • Oh please. Green Day "sold out" with Dookie (which is, actually, one of my favorite albums) ten years ago. If they want to exploit the ringtone market (which, I hear, is huge), let them. "Artistic integrity" has nothing to do with it. I agree. Sell-out, probably, but it was one of the most rockingest albums of the early 90s. I also liked 39 Smooth and that other one, the name of which escapes me right now...
  • Huh? Art separate from commerce? Last time it was true was.. err.. in the 1700s or something. So that's more like centuries. Unless you have a mecenate of some sort, Art & Commerce go hand in hand. And yes, Green Day have been considered sell-outs since 1994. And even if someone with artistic integrety/starving musician was to market ringtones, what would be bad about it? If were to do ringtones, I, for one, would buy them. Well, if I had a cellphone.
  • I used to worship Satan...TILL HE SOLD OUT!
  • I really had no idea people actually paid money for a ringtone. Real, actual money. *mind boggles*
  • I am one of those melodramatic fools, neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it...
  • when someone releases a greatest hits album of ringtones, that's when it's time to call the kids inside and duct tape down the windows.
  • Ok, stocking up on duct tape, just in case.