Bloodless Coup

They are also doing stuff like this. Fun as it sounds, it still wouldn't get me on a Carnival cruise. Norwalk? No thanks.

hey binky, here's a question: how seriously can you take a band that a) performs on a carnival cruise and b) draws equal billing with the hopelessly obsolete g love (what, no special sauce?).

now, granted, i love MMW, but still . . .

how indie rock is playing a cruise ship?

Or even better, how punk rock is it, 'cause that's where they started. My guess would be that there are few factors. The major label is one. I have seen several things in the last couple of years that make me cringe (Do You Realize in a Mitsubishi ad, for one) that scream major label. The FLips have been with Warner an amazingly long time, and Warner has held on to them while dumping other similarly placed (as in record sales) acts. I think as career professionals who understand the business and know that there are more bands without financially rewarding contracts than with, there is a certain acceptance of this stuff. After all, these are "just humans with wives and children" or dogs, more accurately. Second, they are trying to get that darn movie finished and money to pour into it is welcome. Third, the Flips are one of the most fan accessible bands out there, and it does not surprise me at all that they are doing something where they will be mixing and mingling. FInally, there is the circus atmosphere of their shows, and of the Xingolati (they ask people to pack costumes and stuff). They are trying to make it out like some kind of floating burning man or something (the cruise organizers). So, is it indie? No. But I think the FLips are beyond caring about labels.