25 February 1998

This is the sellout issue.

I am so sick and tired of people calling this band or that band a bunch of sellouts merely based on the fact that they have some semblence of financial success. The Bosstones for instance, a band that has been working their asses off for years to bring to you today what is commonly referred to as skacore, are a prime example. Everyone I know automatically labeled the new CD as a corporate product just cause it got mad airplay. Uh hello? Excuse me? Isn't that what you are supposed to do with new albums? Geesh, how fuckin' selfish are we? Everyone always wants to be the first person to know about something and have it all to themselves. Granted, when things become publicized they get sorta played out, but to hate a band for having commercial success is just downright wrong. Success is what everyone strives for in this crazy world we call the music business. I don't care if someone tells you, "All I care about is the music," 'cause deep down, they would kill to get paid for doing what they love. I know that I would. Greed is a horse of a different shade though. I don't see any real greedy ska bands out there. They all try to keep the admission to their shows low and sell merch at really low prices, sometimes at cost. That is really cool.

So here's my definition of sellout: