Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

"Selling out" refers to the compromising of one's integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money, 'success' (however defined) or other personal gain. It is commonly associated with attempts to increase mass appeal or acceptability to mainstream society. A person who does this, as opposed to continuing along his or her original path, is labeled a sellout and typically regarded with disgust and immediate loss of respect. Selling out is often seen as gaining success at the cost of credibility.
Is this really true? What if the shoe was on the other foot and if we all had the opportunity to make money in a different way would we take that road in damaging our credibility?
Whats yer thoughts?

Mr Pop?
Car insurance?

Huge fame has been the death of many a good act. I think it is the single biggest preoccupation for artists once they've achieved it and the most difficult obstacle to their integrity. And it's rare when the cult of personality won't overwhelm the creative life of a band or artist. I think it's terrifying for a sensitive person to experience what amounts to mania on the part of their fans; read remarks from Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, or any of the great huge stars. How do we define selling out, though? It's one thing to accept free guitars but another to tout the virtues of some mega-corporation for money. It's hard to draw the line but one thing is sure, that we all know when one of them has crossed it.

All just my half-baked observations, of course

Sellout...such a relative term! There was a time when, as a serious folkie and bluegrass music enthusiast, I would have labeled the 2007 version of me a sellout for entertaining, let alone actually ordering an electric guitar. The fact that I went with Rickenbacker would have made no difference.

As one ages, starving gets to be less and less romantic. And at some point I took stock and realized that all my life I had done nothing except sing in other people's choirs, or play in other people's bands. I had no skills except those of a musician. This begged the question "What else can I do?"

"Plug in, become more versatile, a renaissance man. That Rick sure does look purty, doesn't it? Sounds distinctive, too, doesn't it? Why don't you buy it," the siren voice said. So I did.

JimK

The problem with selling out is that the fame and popularity is many times short-lived, but the stigma of selling out goes on and on...

My favourite take on selling out:

Regardless of what they might like you to think, every single artiste that sells their work is in it for the money.
From John Lennon to Curt Cobain, I can't name one single musician who has sent back their royalty cheques from day one. Though some do re-distribute a small part of their wealth once they have a few million in the bank.
Commercial music is a business, and like it or not, every artists that sells his/her wares is part of that business.
'Selling Out' is a romantic term dreamt up mostly by already rich artistes who can afford to pick and choose which brands they do or don't want to be associated with.
There really is no difference between someone like John Lennon reieving a free Rickenbacker, and Iggy doing an insurance commercial, both were done for personal and corporate gains, it's just that most folks would think a Ric is cool and insurance is not.
Integrity is usually more of a concern for the fans of an artiste than the artiste himself. The artistes main worry is that he will alienate those fans by openly promoting a particular product, so some do tread carefully. Others would sell there own mothers for a $.
I would think that Iggy is now at a point in his career where he couldn't care less. "You wanna pay me that much to do that? bring it on!"

If you are playing music for the money you are doing it for the wrong reason. However you have to eat!
Eden.

weemac wrote:If you are playing music for the money you are doing it for the wrong reason. However you have to eat!
Eden.

I love playing and writing songs, but I'm certainly not good enough for anyone to want to pay for my stuff.
But if madonna wanted to record one of my songs and stick it on her new album, I'd say, "hell yeah!" and then watch the royalty cheques roll in.
I'd still continue to write and play in the same way though, so where is the evil in that?

I was sort of meaning more like. For theoretical example:
If you liked to play punk music and did not like to play C&W (even though you may be good at it) at all and the only gig you can get is at Al's Country Bunker and you took it. You are probably playing music for the wrong reasons. You are probably also hungry.....
It's the difference between playing music because you love it, and playing music because you have to. I've done both....

Jonny Rotten once said about one of the pistols reunions "It's not selling out, It's cashing in!"

Madonna would be welcome to one of my songs as long as she used a real band on it!

Eden.

For my part, and to be entirely candid, I have only one thing to say:










Where do I sign?

weemac wrote:I was sort of meaning more like. For theoretical example:
If you liked to play punk music and did not like to play C&W (even though you may be good at it) at all and the only gig you can get is at Al's Country Bunker and you took it. You are probably playing music for the wrong reasons. You are probably also hungry.....
It's the difference between playing music because you love it, and playing music because you have to. I've done both....

Jonny Rotten once said about one of the pistols reunions "It's not selling out, It's cashing in!"

Madonna would be welcome to one of my songs as long as she used a real band on it!

Eden.

No, I completely understand where you are coming from, but it's difficult to remain idealistic in the real world when bills need to be paid.
When I was younger I had very strong ideals and beliefs about what music should and shouldn't be, but age and experience has led me to temper my views.

weemac wrote: If you liked to play punk music and did not like to play C&W (even though you may be good at it) at all and the only gig you can get is at Al's Country Bunker and you took it. You are probably playing music for the wrong reasons.

Sort of like working in a supermarket when you really want to be an astronaut!

Still, given the choice, I'd rather be playing just about any type of music to make a living, rather than having to take on some other job I really hated. Although I would technically mainly be doing it for the money, I don't think it would be classed as me 'selling out'.

"Sort of like working in a supermarket when you really want to be an astronaut!"

I think we have found the quote of the month!
Brilliant!

I have always been blessed to have a full time job. I walked out of school and into this job and have done it for 20 something years.... It allows me some freedom to play music.
I had a friend that was a fantastic muso. He played in about 3 bands at a time, did lessons, had his own midi file buisness (in the days before the internet), and was always hungry!
He died young but happy!

I've always been too chicken to do what he did so I have a secure, and at times boring job.

I take my hat off to anyone who lives by music alone!

Eden.

weemac wrote:
I take my hat off to anyone who lives by music alone!

Eden.

+1!

beatlefreak wrote:The problem with selling out is that the fame and popularity is many times short-lived, but the stigma of selling out goes on and on...

Very profound...and very TRUE!

I would sell out in a hot minute, but nobody wants to buy.