Pop Evil endorsed by Michigan Players?
So there is a new piece at the Detroit News about Pop Evil's "In the Big House," a song regularly reviled in these here parts. http://detnews.com/article/20110930/SPORTS0201/109300356/‘In-the-Big-House’-finds-audience#ixzz1ZRqz4H1s
Brian's antipathy toward the song is well known, and some have blamed DB for giving it any positive credibility. However, the article focuses on one key demographic: Michigan Football players, who (supposedly) want the song. Here's a few money quotes:
Hunter Lochmann, Michigan's chief marketing officer, said there has been considerable interest — good and bad.
"It's gaining traction," Lochmann said. "We know there are people who love it and some people who hate it, but our core customers — the players — they want to hear it."
That's an interesting quote, and one which has to be considered. What do the players want? And beyond them, the student body? I am clearly over the hill, and my opinion doesn't really matter that much. But it strikes me, if the team, and football alums, and the student body, are behind something, well, you might hate it and think it has terrible taste, but it isn't for you to decide. In fact, apparently, other Michigan athletes like it:
Lochmann said other Michigan teams have responded positively to the song, available for download at iTunes and Amazon.
"The other teams like it even though it's about the Big House, because it's also about being Wolverines," Lochmann said. "It's going to have (some) shelf life."
The article ends with what some what consider the ultimate nightmare scenario:
For Kakaty, (Note: author, lead musician) who hasn't attended a Michigan game since he was a kid, he has one goal for the song, and Lochmann said Michigan would be all ears.
"We'd love to get into the Big House and play it," Kakaty said. "It would be our dream to play with the Michigan marching band. It's a song for fans, and we're fans, too."
EDIT: I realized that I should put my personal opinion down. I am neither for nor against the song, but I don't particularly view it as a terrible abomination. Musical tastes are just that: tastes, and they change. I am sure that "In the Big House" will be dated soon enough, and won't have the staying power of the Michigan Fight Song, etc., but if it pumps people up now, well, that's ok. And also, I don't find it nearly as ridiculous as "We Are Notre Dame."
September 30th, 2011 at 2:49 PM ^
If you read the quote carefully, he says the players are the "core customers." Apparently we, the people who buy tickets and merchandise, are simply ignored.That comment (from the M marketing guy) really irks me.
September 30th, 2011 at 8:54 PM ^
I can't argue with that. If the players are more fired up because of songs like this, they'll play better - and recruits will see that and be more likely to come here. The better the players play, the more satisfied the fans will be. It's a player-driven product.
September 30th, 2011 at 12:23 PM ^
I am 47 and like In the Big House because it is unique to Michigan (and because I otherwise like it). Although I like the song Seven Nation Army and the chant that goes with that, are we not just copying of what Penn State has been doing for some time. Maybe we should copy Wisconsin and do the jump around between the 3rd and fourth quarters?
I am glad to see a band of some renown writing such a song and certainly don't think we should go out of our way to express hatred for it. I think this should be encouraged.
We have a very intelligent fan base and should have a unique game day experience and should not go about copying what other fans do.
One thing we do that is unique in a bad way, however, is chant "you suck" after every failed third down attempt by the opposing team even when we are losing (which hopefully is not often at home). Don't people understand what that says about our team by yelling that an opponent sucks that is beating us? Does that mean we suck more? I guess I just find that to be something that is not very classy ... something that you would find at Ohio or MSU.
September 30th, 2011 at 2:48 PM ^
I agree that the Seven Nation Army song seems a bit stolen, but it is exponentially better than a sh-tty specific tune like the one we are discussing. I would rather copy a school that uses good music than use sh-tty music just because it was specially-made for Michigan.
Also, the "you such" cheer is fun. True, its kind of silly when Michigan is sucking (for lack of a better word) and I don't do it during that time, but its extremely fun when its properly employed. Cut out all these "not very classy" thing and what do you have? A wine-and-cheese gathering for a polo match. No thanks.
October 1st, 2011 at 2:15 AM ^
I disagree on the Seven Nation Army point. I always made fun of Ohio State fans for taking a band from Detroit's song and making it one of their most popular cheers. That's a hell of a long way from Woody driving buses back to Toledo during The Game so that they didn't have to spend any money in Michigan.
September 30th, 2011 at 12:24 PM ^
This whole "the players like it" thing is getting old and silly. What do you expect them to say? Of course they won't publicly say that Pop Evil sucks, RAWK doesn't belong in Michigan Stadium, or the throwback uniforms were stupid and disappointing.
<br>These kinds of claims mean nothing.
September 30th, 2011 at 12:26 PM ^
I'm 32, male, raised on Varsity / Temptation / Hawaiian War Chant, and I like it. But, as I've gotten older, I've become equally as likely to listen to Lady Gaga / Katy Perry as I am to try to find new indie / alt rock. If you're listening to music and worrying about how it will make you look or what other people think about your tastes, you're doing it wrong. Listen for something that you enjoy and makes your day better. There's no need to make it so complicated and important.
September 30th, 2011 at 2:23 PM ^
I'm fascinated by this. So you used to listen to indie/alt rock, and now you like Katy Perry? It's hard for me to dismiss this as merely trying to hold onto your youth, since you could always just con tinue to find new bands in other genres to accomplish that, I'd think.
Actually, I can sort of deal with Lady Gaga - in a vaccuum, if I never heard people shriek about how creative and talented she is, her music would be perfectly inoffensive pop. (She's like the Tebow of music - she's maybe a little bit annoying on her own merits, but I can't fucking stand her because people won't - or wouldn't, for a while - shut their bleeding yaps about her. I digress.)
But Katy Perry, really? What, would you say, do you like about her music?
September 30th, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^
For me there are really only two things that stand out about Katy Perry.
/RCMB'd
October 3rd, 2011 at 8:50 AM ^
I realize this is days old, but not to ignore a direct question...
I don't really know what I like about her music. I don't think I'm likely to go to a concert or pay for any of it, but if I'm scanning through Sirius and end up with that Extra Terrestrial song or I Kissed a Girl (I am still disappointed that wasn't a Jill Sobule cover), I'll probably leave it on and enjoy it. It's easy, catchy, gets stuck in your head...
September 30th, 2011 at 10:39 PM ^
September 30th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
What with Maryland's uniforms (and new FUKKIN WARRIORZ uniforms all over the country really), Pop Evil and other rawk music, and whatever else is going into college football these days, I think we've basically established that all you have to do is throw a bunch of flashy shit into the eyes of 17-year-olds, whether or not it's classy or tacky as fuck, and 4 out of 5 will like it as long as it's different than the flashy shit that was thrown into their eyes last week.
September 30th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
Who cares what the players or students like? The atrocious tastes of teenagers already dictates so much of radio and tv play, do we really need it polluting the Big House as well?
September 30th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
This has always struck me as an issue about which people will differ and it's not really worth getting het up over. Sure, I'll chuckle over a few funny comments about how dreadful some of us find it, but it's not the kind of thing I'd draw a line in the sand over. Or dedicate a lot of main page entries to, either.
<br>
<br>Start a petition about having crushed ice rather than cubes in the stadium drinks, I'll quit my job and start a foundation over THAT issue! But a song? No.
September 30th, 2011 at 8:31 PM ^
Nothing better than the tiny little ice "pellets" Taco Bell used to have.
October 1st, 2011 at 1:27 AM ^
Is the truth
September 30th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
Mike Martin plays to the music of breaking bones
September 30th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
I like the song - hate the band and all that and would rather of not known who produced it. I'm in section 16 and haven't heard a negative comment about it.
I do not like when they play it just before the team comes out of the tunnel and then quickly get to The Victors. That sucks..
September 30th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
Whether you like it or don't bears no relevance on whether it should or should not ever be played in the Big House.
September 30th, 2011 at 1:11 PM ^
Boo-effin'-Yah.
September 30th, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
If a football player needs to hear Pop Evil in order to get excited to play in the Big House, then they suck as a football player.
October 1st, 2011 at 9:56 AM ^
There is a difference between "when i take the field, that song really pumps me up" vs. "without this song, I am meh about playing my best for this team."
September 30th, 2011 at 1:08 PM ^
...which I just don't happen to like. But that's taste, and it doesn't matter.
It's just that canned music in Michigan stadium irks me. I mean, if the band wants to play it, that would be pretty funny, and I'd be all for that.
Honestly, I don't want anyone's musical tastes, whether they're for or against it, having anything to do with what happens inside Michigan stadium on a football Saturday.
We already have a beautiful song written by Louis Elbel. Blare that if things are needin' to be blared.
September 30th, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^
Our band, if asked, would probably be willing to play other things too!
September 30th, 2011 at 1:36 PM ^
I offer no alternative, just nothing at all is perfectly fine.
September 30th, 2011 at 2:17 PM ^
I rarely post and haven't in a while but this issue really annoys me.
I actually enjoy some moderate piped in music (especially pumping up fans while we're on D), but this song is an absolute abomination and needs to be killed immediately. Are we going to start playing songs from any band that plays out of their mom's garage just because it talks about Michigan?
I think this is one issue that can unify the fanbase. Everyone I talk to HATES this song. Players can't get everything they want. If they love it so much, they can put it on their iPod or watch the video on YouTube. Just don't force me and 110,000 others to listen to this garbage.
September 30th, 2011 at 2:30 PM ^
Let me further clarify that this is not a "kids these days" rant. This song is simply that bad and is an embarrassment on the level of "We are ND" or, say, having "The Situation" on our sideline. In my opinion, it just seems way too busch league for the winningest program in college football.
September 30th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^
Suppose you were a player who didn't like the song. Suppose you were even in the majority. Would you want to be "that guy" who directly contradicted the official statement of the athletic department to the media?
Didn't think so...
September 30th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^
September 30th, 2011 at 2:32 PM ^
Hey at least this band named themselves accurately.
September 30th, 2011 at 2:34 PM ^
Here's the problem with that song - it would've been maybe a little too corny, but ultimately well-suited to its purpose ... in 1995. It sounds immensely dated. It sounds like a middle-aged, white, marketing executive's vision of what is cool and young and fresh (yes, these are the terms such a person would use.)
Now, there's some RAWK from the 90s that would be perfectly hype-inducing. There's RAWK from many eras that have transcended their particular era to be adrenaline-encouraging songs for decades. But when you take something that sounds like a C-grade temporary hit even before the utterly inane, middle-school level lyrics, it fucking sucks. That's all.
September 30th, 2011 at 3:01 PM ^
This is getting to be pretty funny. Mgoblog is great for sports info, but maybe not so much for pop culture. DB gave us Hoke, who is working out well. He gave us the night game, which was a pleasant evening affair. He gave us the "throwback uniforms" that were mercilessly critiqued on here until y'all realized the players and recruits loved them. Now we are hearing the players and students like this song (which I personally don't mind). When can we give DB a little credit for knowing what he is doing? Based on the previous examples pop evils record will go platinum (maybe a little /s on that last bit).
September 30th, 2011 at 3:34 PM ^
September 30th, 2011 at 10:46 PM ^
I have a degree in old-school pop culture from U of M.
September 30th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^
Personally, I'm not in love with the song, but I don't know why people hate it more than the other piped-in songs, like "Welcome to the Jungle." It's at least Michigan-specific.
September 30th, 2011 at 3:52 PM ^
is a better band than the dog groomers by an enormous margin?
September 30th, 2011 at 3:46 PM ^
4 skinned ferrets
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Butter
1 cup Sherry
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 jar sliced mushrooms
Cover whole ferrets with flour, salt and pepper. Brown in melted butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat until nicely browned on all sides. Remove pieces from skillet and arrange in oven casserole with cover. When ferrets are browned, add 1 cup white wine or sherry to skillet. Then mix in 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of celery soup, and 1 jar sliced mushrooms. Mix well and bring to boil, then pour over ferrets. Cover and bake in 325-degree oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until done and tender. Remove ferrets to serving platter and pour some of the sauce over, and serve the rest alongside. Serves 4.
September 30th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^
Does ferret, prepared in this manner, taste good? Like chicken?
September 30th, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^
I would guess it probably does, if not better
September 30th, 2011 at 3:47 PM ^
the Notre Dame game, everyone around me seemed to enjoy the song. That honestly was the first time I have ever heard it, but It seemed to have a pump up feel to it. If the players want to hear it and it pumps them up, then blast it for them.
September 30th, 2011 at 4:10 PM ^
They could have played Celine Dion (sp?) at that game and people would have been pumped up. The occasion was electric - the PA and music "director" could do no wrong that night.
September 30th, 2011 at 3:48 PM ^
Are people unable to separate things they like from those that belong in the stadium?
I happen to hate the song but that is irrelevant. My favorite genre is punk rock but I sure as hell don't want punk rock playing at the Big House. As much as I love Phish concerts I wouldn't want a Phish show at halftime.
Similar thing with jerseys. Go ahead and get on the Maryland and Oregon bandwagons (I happen to hate those as well). You are free to like those styles and not want to see our players sporting crazy uniforms. It doesn't make you a hypocrite or anything.
Dave Brandon et al continue to run our "brand" into the ground. I hate that brand management and money seem to be the only motivating factors for the guy. He is one loathsome dude.
September 30th, 2011 at 11:12 PM ^
Given your choice of username, I'm going to guess that your beef with Brandon is rooted in something a little different than the music selection at the games. Are you really this worked up over the song, or is this a bit of displaced frustration over your favorite coach being let go?
October 1st, 2011 at 9:30 AM ^
That's completely ridiculous and unfair. So if someone liked Rich Rodriguez, the only reason they might ever have to criticize Dave Brandon is because Rodriguez was fired, and not on the merits of the criticism itself? How very quasi-Freudian.
September 30th, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^
THis is all marketing bullshit. There was mention on Rivals a few weeks back about the players BITCHING about the song being played.
Don't buy this bullshit hype.
September 30th, 2011 at 4:56 PM ^
I hate the song. I HATE the song. But the players like it. The students like it. Whether some market-savvy dog groomers hatched a plot in conjunction with the Market Buzzology Department or not is debateable, but the swell itself is rising from within the student body.
As did the Marching Band, originally.
As did The Victors, originally.
As did Football, originally.
I think the best thing the U could do, instead of uttering occaisional official inanities on the subject, pretending to be leading the Parade, or sprinkling imprimateurs, would be to hand it to the MMB and see what the MMB's always-brilliant arrangers could do.
When I was that age I remember the Marching Band on the field with a rock combo at halftime with at least one amplifier set up on the 50 (and a band guy rotating it around and around like a Leslie speaker or the Perdue drum). I remember them doing some work with Frank Zappa.
And most importantly, I remember how ultimately cool I felt being with the old stogie-chomping fogies in the good seats with my Dad while they sat scowling and I stood, singing, while the MMB tore up EARTH WIND AND FIRE. This is, and always will be Funky Michigan, Fer Godsakes. If you don't feel it, it's time to pass the torch.
September 30th, 2011 at 5:04 PM ^
Does anyone else remember circa 1998 or 9, there was an attempt to market a Big House rock song? They sold CD's of the damn thing at the MDen and such, the whole works. And it was massively shot down because it was just as bad as this thing is...
September 30th, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^
Look. It's a bad song.
It is neither the first nor last time a stadium will play a shitty song.
This shitty song will not un-do anything that Michigan represents. It is a shitty song perfect for blending seamlessly into the crap ESPN plays going into and out of commercial breaks. No more.
September 30th, 2011 at 5:43 PM ^
It's a sign of the apocalypse. MSU fans should similarly accept that the Jersey shore clown showing up at thier stadium is also a sign of impending doom.
September 30th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^
Night game jerseys = pop evil
Supposedly the players liked the night game jerseys, too. I don't believe that they liked the jerseys or the song. No one could.