Glenn Frey Quotes - on doing ads

My Own Business
On selling music to corporations, self-righteous-rock stars, and the Long Road Out of Eden Walmart Deal
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 On selling music to corporations for use in commercials
"Sure, I did an ad for Pepsi, they're a corporation, but no-one talks about the $20 million, $40 million that these corporations injected into inner city projects. I'm a songwriter, I've got 21 people directly dependent on my turning over at least $1 million a year and these are the ways I make my songs work for me." (Juke 1988)

"There were a number of considerations I took into account before deciding to do [the Pepsi commercial.]... I have 20 people working for me who depend on how much money I make a year. Plus two elderly parents to support and you know Reaganomics is doing nothing to help them. Someone offers me a million bucks to do something, I think twice about it. Also, I have what is called in this business 'an image problem.' I didn't have one when I was with the Eagles. After we broke up, we had this joke about having cow skulls, neon lights, and hotels on the album covers. No one knew what we looked like, which made the leap into solo stardom a bit difficult. The Pepsi spot offered me visibility and a chance to work with Ridley Scott and Don Johnson. I also liked the premise of the commercial, and Pepsi was supposed to start a 'You Belong to the City' campaign where they'd donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to inner city projects to buy athletic equipment." (1988)

"People drink soda pop. I don’t consider Pepsi to be the enemy." (Bob Costas Interview 1992)


On self-righteous rock stars who look down upon it
"Having a social conscience doesn't make you a better songwriter." (Juke 1988)

"If Little Steven and Neil Young don't like me doing Pepsi commercials, I trade insults at 40 paces. When has integrity ever been synonymous with rock'n'roll? [...] I know rock'n'roll is supposed to have a rebellious edge, a non-compromising, anti-establishment, us-against-them, alternative approach to the mainstream, but I don't know what's worse -- releasing 17 albums that sound like demos and taking the public's money for that or me taking a million dollars from Pepsi. Right, Neil? Who's ripping off who, guy? You haven't made a decent record since Harvest,Neil... I just don't think he should set himself up as rock'n'roll's conscience. As someone once put it, 'I have seen the future of rock'n'roll and I want my money back.'" (Hits 1988)

"I’m not so sure if you’re making millions of dollars as a rock’n’roll star that you can protect your outlaw image by not doing commercials." (Bob Costas Interview 1992)


The Long Road Out of Eden Walmart Exclusivity Deal
"I am in the business of selling records and I want to be in a place where we have the opportunity to sell the most records. It's also nice that Wal-Mart pays us a very lucrative royalty; a royalty that no record company could come close to matching. But that's because we are not a loss leader at Wal-Mart. If the Eagles put out a record at Warner or any other major record label, part of the reason they can't pay up is we've got to pay for all of the bad acts they sign and release." (Billboard 2007)

"They gave us the best chance to sell the most records and they're also going to pay us more than anybody else would pay us. I feel like my job, as a leader of the Eagles, is to give us the best chance to sell the most records. Sometimes it's real easy to stand on the outside and point the finger at all the bad guys around the world. Sometimes you have to get inside and work with other people, the way Democrats work with Republicans, or should work. Wal-Mart's got some interesting ideas about what they need to do to be a better corporate citizen, and we'll see how that goes." (Denver Post 2007)

 

 

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