So Volkswagen has this whole new series of commercials running on TV lately promoting one of their new cars with an interesting little gimmick: Buy the car and they'll give you a free guitar that you can actually plug into the dashboard and play. Apparently they've got this little guitar amplifier wired into the car's stereo system -- which I have to admit is a pretty cool idea, albeit not a new one (back in the day ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons comissioned Marshall to retrofit a number of his cars with amps as well).
The commercials themselves have featured three famous guitar players -- Slash from Guns and Roses, Nigel Tufnel (aka Christopher Guest) from Spinal Tap, and blues guitar hotshot/teen idol John Mayer playing in their own styles on different versions of the guitar. When the first ad featuring Slash came out, I found myself kinda caught up in the idea because even a crappy free guitar (and believe me, the ones they're ponying up utterly suck) still counts as a free guitar. Plus, it's not like I couldn't take one of my own non-crappy guitars and plug it in there if I wanted to.
But then I came to my senses and started asking myself some serious questions like, "Just where the hell am I gonna use this?" I mean, it's not like I can drive the thing up the stairs of my apartment complex so that I can sit home at night and practice my favorite songs.
Of course I know that's not really what they were thinking when they put this idea together, but really -- are guitar players supposed to drive this up on stage? Are entire bands supposed to buy cars so that if they should ever break into one of those "impromptu" concerts on the beach all the parts can be heard?
Sure, chicks love guys who play music - but do you honestly think women around the world have been dissapointed by the lack of opportunities to meet rocker bad boys in parking lots?
Not to mention the fact that no matter how much they want to call it a guitar amplifier, it's still hooked to a car stereo -- and there's only so good something like that's gonna sound. Anyone who's ever had that one buddy who's madly in love with his car audio system knows the ultimate joy of having to cram into a CRV and listen top Boston's "More Than a Feeling" over and over again so that you can appreciate the full tonal range of that one little speaker at the top of the door.
Now imagine that same guy strapping on a $150 Les Paul ripoff, plugging into his glove compartment, and struggling through Stairway to Heaven for all to hear, over and over and over again.
But above and beyond all of this lies another issue that's been eating at me ever since I saw the first commercial.
I think all of this really hit home the most when the commercial with John Mayer started running. John Mayer, who despite his best efforts to establish himself otherwise - is kind of a teen idol/pop star kind of dude. John Mayer, who played in one of Dave Chapelle's funniest clips - talking about the ways white people react to guitar music.
Maybe I'm making something out of nothing here, who knows -- but it just occurs to me that if the commercial featured a DJ cutting records on the thing, it would sell like absolute gangbusters. I mean lets face it, custom cars and hip-hop music is a marriage made in heaven. Or to put it another way -- How many times have you found yourself at a redlight next to some tricked out Mitsubishi Gallant booming Eric Clapton out of the speakers?
The commercials themselves have featured three famous guitar players -- Slash from Guns and Roses, Nigel Tufnel (aka Christopher Guest) from Spinal Tap, and blues guitar hotshot/teen idol John Mayer playing in their own styles on different versions of the guitar. When the first ad featuring Slash came out, I found myself kinda caught up in the idea because even a crappy free guitar (and believe me, the ones they're ponying up utterly suck) still counts as a free guitar. Plus, it's not like I couldn't take one of my own non-crappy guitars and plug it in there if I wanted to.
But then I came to my senses and started asking myself some serious questions like, "Just where the hell am I gonna use this?" I mean, it's not like I can drive the thing up the stairs of my apartment complex so that I can sit home at night and practice my favorite songs.
Of course I know that's not really what they were thinking when they put this idea together, but really -- are guitar players supposed to drive this up on stage? Are entire bands supposed to buy cars so that if they should ever break into one of those "impromptu" concerts on the beach all the parts can be heard?
Sure, chicks love guys who play music - but do you honestly think women around the world have been dissapointed by the lack of opportunities to meet rocker bad boys in parking lots?
Not to mention the fact that no matter how much they want to call it a guitar amplifier, it's still hooked to a car stereo -- and there's only so good something like that's gonna sound. Anyone who's ever had that one buddy who's madly in love with his car audio system knows the ultimate joy of having to cram into a CRV and listen top Boston's "More Than a Feeling" over and over again so that you can appreciate the full tonal range of that one little speaker at the top of the door.
Now imagine that same guy strapping on a $150 Les Paul ripoff, plugging into his glove compartment, and struggling through Stairway to Heaven for all to hear, over and over and over again.
But above and beyond all of this lies another issue that's been eating at me ever since I saw the first commercial.
Who are they really trying to sell these things to?I mean yeah, I'm a guitar player and I love my instument. But what's this favoritism being shown to the six string? I mean, even as much as I'm excited about a car that seems to be custom-made for shredders, when's the last time you saw a rocker driving around in a new car at all? Furthermore -- when you get right down to it you can plug just about anything you want into a guitar amp and make it louder. A bass, a vocal mic..
Two turntables, perhaps?
I think all of this really hit home the most when the commercial with John Mayer started running. John Mayer, who despite his best efforts to establish himself otherwise - is kind of a teen idol/pop star kind of dude. John Mayer, who played in one of Dave Chapelle's funniest clips - talking about the ways white people react to guitar music.Maybe I'm making something out of nothing here, who knows -- but it just occurs to me that if the commercial featured a DJ cutting records on the thing, it would sell like absolute gangbusters. I mean lets face it, custom cars and hip-hop music is a marriage made in heaven. Or to put it another way -- How many times have you found yourself at a redlight next to some tricked out Mitsubishi Gallant booming Eric Clapton out of the speakers?
The song's called "Ridin' Spinners," not "Riding Johnny Winters"I'm not saying that Volkswagen doesn't want minorities to buy this car.. but I'm telling you, there's just something a little fishy about the whole thing.
I mean, just imagine if they started showing commercials
for those old school-type VW buses covered in bumper stickers
and flower paintings with a bunch of cops behind the wheel.
[Listening to: Brazilian Girls, "Jique"]
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