Pixies “Where is My Mind” partnered with 2016 Acura ILX

Thank God Kurt Cobain is dead! Musicians no longer need worry about accusations of pandering to the masses. With the concept of artistic integrity gone straight out the window it comes as no surprise the generation to birth both Nirvana and that group’s closest progenitor The Pixies are inching ever closer to retirement and taking up the torch of 401k’s, suburban residency, and finally the finely manufactured automobiles America has to offer.

Every generation likes to think they discovered sex. Equally, every generation thinks their contribution to the arts was the greatest to ever be birthed of this nation. For us, for a while, we got to believe in the illusion the Pixies cared more about the music than their bank accounts. Over the course of their career, the Pixies never sold out while so many others giddily cashed in.

Of course, the Boston four piece is no stranger to licensing agreements. We all looked the other way when it came to “Where is My Mind,” being featured in the cult film Fight Club. The movie was a solid enough affair and some were happy to introduce a new generation to great underground music.

Last year’s Iphone commercial featuring “Gigantic” was a bit harder to swallow. But even for a mega-corporation Apple remains one of the good guys, taking responsibility for their messes in China and constantly striving to innovate their field.

But with the recent pairing of (again) “Where is My Mind,” this time with the new 2016 Acura ILX one can’t help but scream “Bullshit.”  The edges are still soft here, the product is a hybrid auto- which means we can all feel a little bit better about our frivolous consumption. The song too is an orchestral rendition that is pleasing enough in its own right.

At the end of the day this commercial is just another step towards the crass pop objectification of a band some people actually believed in. Sure the Pixies never “sold out,” but it seems like with the disappointing release of last year’s Indie Cindy and the increasing rush to monetize past hits, the Pixies have taken a great leap from the status of legend to being just another band.

Leave a Reply