If you’re like me (and I know you are), you did a double take
when you saw the new commercial for Wendy’s. Actually, I didn’t
even see the whole spot -- I was in another room at the time. But
when I heard the Violent Femmes’ seminal hit, “Blister In The Sun” on
the TV, my ears perked up. Then my jaw dropped. Then my heart sank.
OK, I’m exaggerating a little bit. But I was really shocked to
hear the Femmes in a Wendy’s commercial. In case that
statement didn’t sink in, let me say that again: Milwaukee’s own
Violent Femmes provided the soundtrack to a Wendy’s fast food
commercial.
Gordon, Brian, Victor … come on. I know it’s been a few years
since you’ve put out an album, and a few more since you’ve had a
hit. But you’re still my favorite band, and I gotta say, I’m a
little bummed.
“Let me go on, big hands I know you're the one.
Body and heat I stain my sheets I don't even know why.
My girlfriend she's at the end and she is starting to cry.”
Is this really an appropriate song to pitch chili? Apparently I’m
not the only one who finds this a little weird. I Googled “Blister in
the Sun + Wendy’s commercial” and came up with 762 results. The
general consensus was puzzlement, as well as more than a few people
questioning why a vegetarian like Gano would be pitching meaty chili.
But hey, who am I to judge? I hope the trio got a fat royalty check for
lending their biggest hit to the fast food chain. And it gives me
a good excuse to call Vic and catch up, who last I checked, had a studio down
the street from the OMC headquarters. (Stay tuned for that.)
I can’t imagine it’ll do much for the band’s street cred, but I’m
reminded of a story I heard about the Dandy Warhols, in which they
gained a ton of momentum from a song of theirs that was played in a
European cell phone commercial. The royalties and added CD sales
built them a new studio in Portland and funded their subsequent work.
Granted, the Femmes have already sold zillions of records to several
generations of surly teens, and their concerts still sell out
worldwide. So I’ll reluctantly take the glass-full attitude here:
Let's hope this bizarre musical pairing gets Milwaukee’s native sons
back into David Vartanian’s studio, creating some fresh music -- that
won’t find its way into a Wendy’s ad for another 25 years.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
