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From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: Dire Straits: Making money for nothing
Message-ID: <1719@pyuxd.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 15:09:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1719
Posted: Tue Sep 17 15:09:02 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Sep-85 04:22:51 EDT
References: <1169@mtgzz.UUCP>
Organization: Whatever we're calling ourselves this week
Lines: 29

> 	A friend of mine just gave me a big insight in the new Dire
> Straits hit "Making Money for Nothing." It seems that the lead singer
> for Dire Straits (sorry I don't know his name) was in an appliance
> store and he overheard two people who worked there commenting on rock
> stars as they watched all the tv's in the place play MTV. If you listen
> to the lyrics and see the video you will see how this all fits in.
> You should really listen closely to the lyrics. They are hilarious.
> My signature line contains some of them this week, and once you know
> about the appliance store, they make a lot more sense.   [Sharon Badian]
> 
> ...we got to install some microwave ovens, custom kitchen delivery.
> we got to move these refrigerators, we got to move these color tv's...

Mark Knopfler claims the song is not anti-MTV.  When I first heard it,
though, it sure sounded like it.  I interpreted him as saying the purpose
of videos was to "move" (i.e., sell) refrigerators and color TV's (referring
back to my favorite term for Manilow/Rodgers/Ritchie pap -- refrigerator music).

Ironically, it seems that THE way to get your video played on MTV is to
start a controversy about their not playing it.  Remember when MTV refused to
play ANY of Michael Jackson's videos (too "black"), and CBS threatened to
withdraw all video product from MTV if they didn't play them?  Now, Jackson
is a mainstay on MTV and they are "proud" to mention this (especially the
world premiere of the all important Thriller video).  Remember how MTV
refused to play "Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat (too "gay")?  Now, a clip
from it is used in a promo spot to show how much great "new music" MTV plays.
-- 
"Wait a minute.  '*WE*' decided???   *MY* best interests????"
					Rich Rosen    ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr


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