Wilco Explain Volkswagen Ads

"We feel okay about VWs. Several of us even drive them."
Wilco Explain Volkswagen Ads After millions of infuriated Wilco fans around the globe set fire to their copies of Sky Blue Sky and drove their Jettas off cliffs yesterday, Wilco took it upon themselves to explain their recent involvement in a Volkswagen ad campaign.

"With the commercial radio airplay route getting more difficult for many bands," wrote the Chicago sextet on its official website, "we see this as another way to get the music out there."

They continued: "And we feel okay about VWs. Several of us even drive them."

Wilco also clarified remarks made in the Volkswagen press release announcing their licensing deal with the German automobile manufacturer, which claimed this was Wilco's first such licensing deal.

"If you're keeping track, this is not the first time Wilco has licensed a song to or even been involved in a commercial -- most recently a TV spot for Telefonica Mobile in Spain used a Wilco song and some years prior Jeff Tweedy appeared in a campaign for Apple Computer. Wilco have licensed hundreds of songs to television shows and films worldwide... from festival-only indie films to major motion pictures and weekly TV shows."

So, there you have it. Life goes on, people buy cars, dads continue to rock Sky Blue Sky, and Wilco kick off their tour next week. Check out the dates and the complete VW statement after the jump.

As many of you are aware, Volkswagen has recently begun running a series of TV commercials featuring Wilco music.

Why? This is a subject we've discussed internally many times over the years regarding movies, TV shows and even the odd advertisement. With the commercial radio airplay route getting more difficult for many bands (including Wilco); we see this as another way to get the music out there. As with most of the above (with the debatable exception of radio) the band gets paid for this. And we feel okay about VWs. Several of us even drive them.

If you're keeping track, this is not the first time Wilco has licensed a song to or even been involved in a commercial -- most recently a TV spot for Telefonica Mobile in Spain used a Wilco song and some years prior Jeff Tweedy appeared in a campaign for Apple Computer. Wilco have licensed hundreds of songs to television shows and films worldwide... from festival-only indie films to major motion pictures and weekly TV shows.

Thus far the songs in the VW campaign are "The Thanks I Get" (a bonus track from Sky Blue Sky sessions, available for download via the Enhanced CD and via iTunes) and "You are my Face". We expect to have more details re: other songs shortly. The current plan (subject to change, like everything) is for 5 or 6 songs to be used.

That's it. Don't believe everything you read unless you read it here.

HQ

n.p. Kicking Television

When you get into Wilco, Wilco gets into you:

06-13 Davenport, IA - Adler Theater *
06-14 Cincinnati, OH - Aronoff Center *
06-15 Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theater *
06-17 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
06-19 Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheatre *
06-20 Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium *
06-21 Washington, DC - Merriweather Post Pavilion *
06-22 Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theater *
06-24 Northampton, MA - The Pines *
06-25 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom *
06-26 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw *
06-28 Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion *
06-29 Shelburne, VT - The Green at Shelburne Museum *
06-30 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall *
07-07 Kongsberg, Norway - Kongsberg Jazz Festival
07-08 Copenhagen, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
07-11 Montreux, Switzerland - Montreux Jazz Festival
07-13 Suffolk, England - Latitude Festival
07-14 Glasgow, Scotland - Indian Summer Festival
07-15 Dour, Belgium - Dour Festival
07-17 Turin, Italy - Spazio 211 Festival
07-20 Benicassim, Spain - Festival Internacional de Benicassim
09-14-16 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival

* with Low
Posted by Matthew Solarski on Tue, Jun 5, 2007 at 10:10am