I've been a pillows fan for years, and recently, I've been wondering if they have sold out. With the sign to Avex Trax (who control youtube content,) the constant anime theme songs (ben 10,) and the lack of quality in music (Youngster), it sounds like any other band that has sold out (green day, wheezer, fall out boy [yes apparently they were really good before the signed to a major record label...plus the members of fall out boy hate what they have become]) Thats why i am bringing this up to discussion, do you guys believe that the pillows have sold out?

Also in regards to FLCL, the pillows didn't truly sell out, cause they didn't just give the creators a copy of their music, The Pillows worked hard with FLCL to make a good soundtrack, actually making two unique songs for it, and properly integrating their music into the show. If you consider the pillows contribution to FLCL as fully selling out, then that means you agree with many other cinematic creations that have properly integrated the works of other musicians. When ACDC allowed "the school of rock" to use their music, they were worried that their fans would believe that they had sold out, but everyone agreed that the topic of the movie craved ACDC, it was integrated well, and didn't seem as if ACDC was trying to make a quick buck. That's not really selling out.

[quote="Little Bastards"] lack of quality in music (Youngster),[/quote]

...excuse me?

I'm not even going to waste my time with this one.

Everyone sold out.

Didn't sheerheartattack quoted me on this before?
haha if i remembered correctly you must sell out
like to appear in shows and stuff in order for you music to be heard
and stuff. or something i just came home from collage bit tired.-_-

at what point has someone sold out? if taken literally it means that they sold all their stuff for the money.

personally I consider
youngster
Rock'n'roll Sinners
my girl [document version]
ladybird girl (I like the song, but it's really built for fans, not really a work of passion.)

sold

but
Wake Up! Dodo
Private Kingdom
SCARECROW
Century Creepers
My Foot
The Third Eye
Gazelle City
AIR RESISTOR
March of the God
Sayounara Universe
Sweet Sweet Baggy Days.

are just the highlights of the songs that are not sold out.

so I guess my answer is. Are they part of Japanese Pop Culture? Yes. Have they sold out? No, they've sold a few songs out but they themselves are far from sold out.

In fact I think theirs evidence that they are becoming something that will be in the Japanese History of Rock n Roll since they've started playing stuff from more of their discography recently. That kinda says to me that it's not just their recent stuff that's getting popular. Especially the Lostman Go To Yesterday tour, shows that they're trying to show their classics and little known music instead of just hashing out kitchy tunes according to what people like.

Now that I think about it, I'm excited to hear the new single because of the Lostman Go To Yesterday tour. Maybe it will bein a new style for them.

[quote="Camio"]ladybird girl (I like the song, but it's really built for fans, not really a work of passion.)[/quote]

My bullshit-sense is tingling!

[quote="Camio"]The songs I don't like are prime examples of the pillows selling out, whereas the songs I do like are examples of the pillows not selling out.[/quote]

My moron-sense is tingling, but that does tend to happen whenever I involve myself in human interaction.

This entire thread is bullshit, founded upon bullshit, which aspires to be bullshit.

I suppose I should point out that my aforementioned opinion does not mean I want this thread to be locked.

i didnt read the top (which i think no one did....) part of your argument, but i read the second and i do agree with you there. it does leave a sort of sell out sentiment when you just sort of look over the FLCL thing, but again, like you said, they did work to make a decent set for each of the moments the songs in question came up during the show....

but its usually an "ehhh..." feeling when you see a band go to an anime. it almost feels as if they were saying "we're not popular enough with the world so by adding our music to an anime (which the world, sadly, loves too much) then we can get the word out." in a sense it worked out that way but i notice that it could just be, like you said, the ACDC school of rock complex.

Yeah, they sold out. Great thread.

Also: http://www.pirouzu.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3545

To address this as unorganizedly as possible

Marekenshin - pretentious asshole who believes his/herself too high and mighty...from what he/she posted. But i will give him/her the benifit of the doubt and assume that he/she was referring to the "sawao's creativity" thread.

Metal2Hedgehog - selling out is beyond just putting your face on something. its putting your face on something bad, (of course thats subjective, but the society will have to eliminate whats not good through the negative.) and creating shit music. they must come in unison. read the first post.

Camio - wake up dodo is the theme song to ben10, scarecrow is the ending theme to some anime(no real integration - read the first post if you dont understand,) the rest sure...not sold out. BUT we're not talking about if individual songs sell out, its about the bands direction towards the future...and so far it points to sell out.

sheerheartattack - jerk...simply cause you are such a hardcore pillows fan you are afraid of being critical. being critical is a good thing, and is the only way things can get better.

pokemonmaster - thanks for actually reading

Jomei - sorry, i am a new member and didn't know a similar topic was posted.

Thanks for your constructive criticism. I will try to be less of a hardass when ignoring pointless topics idiots start that have been beaten to death a few hundred times already.

[quote="Little Bastards"]I've been a pillows fan for years, and recently, I've been wondering if they have sold out. With the sign to Avex Trax (who control youtube content,) the constant anime theme songs (ben 10,) and the lack of quality in music (Youngster), it sounds like any other band that has sold out (green day, wheezer, fall out boy [yes apparently they were really good before the signed to a major record label...plus the members of fall out boy hate what they have become]) Thats why i am bringing this up to discussion, do you guys believe that the pillows have sold out?

Also in regards to FLCL, the pillows didn't truly sell out, cause they didn't just give the creators a copy of their music, The Pillows worked hard with FLCL to make a good soundtrack, actually making two unique songs for it, and properly integrating their music into the show. If you consider the pillows contribution to FLCL as fully selling out, then that means you agree with many other cinematic creations that have properly integrated the works of other musicians. When ACDC allowed "the school of rock" to use their music, they were worried that their fans would believe that they had sold out, but everyone agreed that the topic of the movie craved ACDC, it was integrated well, and didn't seem as if ACDC was trying to make a quick buck. That's not really selling out.[/quote]

Im a bit awake now. I have re-read this topic.
You make seem as though the pillows had a choice but isn't it the people who they signed to's problems who or where they go?
The youtube control isn't really a big deal. Considering comedy central
Is doing the same thing. Or should we blame the specific show for that?
Let's say the've sold out as well. The pillows gladly helped with FLCL
As they even wrote the two unique songs.
They could of just given them the songs and just moved on.

You as well point out one song in particular.(Youngster) Just because you didn't like it does not mean they've sold out. What about secret slogan?
Is that also a sell out song?

Also didn't there contract with kind records expired or something like that?
So they had to move on other wise there carrers would of been over.

I remember when I wasn't alone in thinking youngster was a really really horrible song

The Pillows have always experimented with different musical styles.
It was a conscious choice for Sawao to try doing a more simple/clean sound for My Foot and Wake Up! 3x. Does it mean like they'll keep this sound for the rest of their career? I really doubt it.

Here's the thing with their current sound. It can become pretty popular on a larger scale with the right promotion. Let's face it, if you're random Joe/Hideki and you watch a bunch of music videos on MTV sort of passively, songs like The Third Eye and Ladybird Girl are going to standout more than Strange Chameleon and Bokura no HAREE Suisei. It doesn't mean it's better or worse, it's just that based on the newer songs simplicity, it'll be much easier to "digest" and get a feel of what the band is trying to do.

A definite criticism is that it's sort of hard to get more subtleties in your songs when you go for this sound. The thing with Youngster is that it's VERY simple, and straight to the point. If you like the simple hook (which happens to be a very playful vocal melody), then you'll probably like the song.

Either way - Avex has a lot of power and obviously likes to promote things that will sell well. If the pillows had stuck with their "blasting" (as Sawao called it) sound, then I doubt they'd be picked up by the label. But it just so happens that Avex said "This is music we can use to make money, we can promote the band to high heaven, and really get the word out."

That's all I can really say about it. I'm expecting their sound to shift in the next album or so, but not one can be sure.