Mainstream - The New Black

It doesn't look like Escape The Fate can escape the fate - the fate of online advertising that is. The truth is no band really can these days. 

If your band is online, chances are you're on myspace. It's perfect, really. Fans can hear your

music, see your pictures, be "friends" with you, watch videos and leave comments on how wonderful (or crappy) your music really is. Sounds appetizing, doesn't it?

Myspace used to be a social site where bands could really reach their audience personally. But those days are dying, and fast. It was only a matter of time before myspace would find a way to make money off of all you hard-working bands out there. Advertising was the answer to that.

Now, where does Escape The Fate fit into this scenario? Well, we all know them as a slightly dark, glam-rock band from Vegas. They've been through it all. Girls, drugs, jail-time and black leather jackets. 

You wouldn't really expect to see anything pink on their myspace, right? Wrong. Hit up the site, and try to watch their new video for the song "Something." Nine times out of ten you are going to have to first watch an advertisement by either Herbal Essences or Jack-In-The-Box. Now, Jack-In-The-Box I can handle, though I don't quite understand the actual advertisement. Herbal Essences on the other hand, just makes you laugh. 

All you want to do is watch the video for the new mosh-pit anthem. You expect it to be dark, dirty and maybe a little bit greasy, like the band members' hair. But no, adjust your eyes. You first get hit with a bright pink advertisement. "Hydrolicious by Herbal Essences, which one does your hair thirst for?"

It threw me off when I first saw it. Honestly, is that necessary? I want to watch a video of four guys with flat-ironed, slicked-up hair, not an ad for women's shampoo. I guess you would call that irony, huh? A greasy-headed band with a shampoo ad before their video. It makes you laugh.

It doesn't stop there though. I dare you to give their music player a listen through. Yeah, the whole thing. I bet you can't do it without the player stopping to flash an ad asking you to "Take the Dumb Test" or get "Domino's Sandwiches" delivered to your house. 

It's just lame. I doubt Escape The Fate actually eats those Domino's Sandwiches, or even gets a cut of the money from that ad on their site. And for that matter, I'd really like to know what they use for shampoo. Welcome to 2009.

As a side note, ETF will be playing the Middle East in Cambridge this Sunday the 22nd. They'll be joined by Black Tide, Burn Halo, William Control and Attack Attack!. I'll see you there, and don't forget to wash your hair kids.