Prog in Commercials

You hear all these songs, like Zeppelins rock'n'roll and Dust in the Wind in car commercials today, but no prog songs.

Which song would go with which car OR which song would go well with which product.

The Hummer / Larks Tongues In Aspic pt. 2

Sweet! I didn't realize there were any prog songs in commercials (at least recently), but maybe in the 70's there were more.

Dream Theater - Take The Time... this would go well with any commercial advertising to "take the time" and get involved with saving the planet or helping others

I have recently been watching the Tour de France with the sound off the TV while listening to Marillions Marbles and Porcupine Tree stuff as well as some others. Sometimes the vision fits so perfectly into the whole narrative being performed that it is uncanny.

I think this is because there is such a rythmn in those activities that the cameras get into a rythmn with the bikes and their visuals flow in and out of this to the natural beauty of France such as the Alps and the valleys through Notre Damme that if you choose the correct style of prog it just flows naturally with it to produce this incredibly effect.

The same thing happened a couple of weeks ago watching a movie. I had seen it before so I just turn the sound off and play prog and there is this amazing coincidence with the music and the movie sometimes, that it totally enhances the overall experience.

 

          This is my first (attempted) entry so be patient !

 PINK FLOYD - yes DSOTM has often been used particularly Great gig in the sky on NUROFEN some years ago (and often in docuentaries) I think also the fabulous ringing guitar intro to Crazy Diamond. They could use anything, as they do - often you hear songs (quite obscure ones) you've not heard for years. I think I heard something by Stanley Clarke or was it Chick's Return to Forever a few years ago. But it's good because you want to hear it again and if you havn't got it - buy it (or borrow it).

   I think Yes's Starship Trooper could be a good one. It dosn't even have to be a particularly good piece of music but properly done it will fit beautifully - like a glove.

  I'm just waking up after seeing Queen last night at Hyde Park, London. Boy what a gig !! Not really a Prog band of course but it was REALLY entertaining. Which brings me to another idea for another time - bands that are not normally considered Prog but have certain elements of the genre - Beatles (from Revolver on) Byrds (constantly changing - a fabulous band) Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Chicago (early albums) ......... oh I could go on. 

 Right now listening to soundtrack to Dances With Wolves, won on EBAY. Also listening to Zombies 'Odyssey and Oracle' (now that was a Prog album) plus can't get away from Spock's Beard, IQ, Transatlantic. I must dig out my old 70's Prog - what a wonderful legacy (ANY) music is as long as you enjoy it. (that's for Queen)

That's probably one of the more well known "prog" tunes.  A lot of people are probably familiar with this tune.

You're right with Pink Floyd and Neurofen, that was a great choice of music.  Neurotic wailing and headaches...

If you class it as prog, then _Moonlight Shadow_ by Sally Oldfield and Mike Oldfield I believe has been used on a commercial.  It was definitely used on The Fast Show though.

James.


Edited by Geck0

Rush's Tom Sawyer was used in a Nissan Maxima car commercial in 2000.

Interview with Geddy:

Last question . . . Do you get a little, er, rush when that Nissan commercial with "Tom Sawyer" comes on?

I haven't heard it. I swear to God. I haven't seen it, but people keep asking me about it. We agreed to loan them like ten seconds of music like eight months ago, and I totally forgot about it. At the time they asked us, we were getting requests from all these independent movies and TV shows, like Futurama -- all these people wanted to use Rush songs. I guess people are getting hard up for soundtrack material, so now they're even coming to us for it [laughs].

"The Aerosol Grey Machine" by Van der Graaf Generator for a tv-ad for hairspray. The song obviously is a commercial ditty already.

Hawkwind's 'Silver Machine' was recently used in a car commercial, and although it's not prog as such, I remember 'The Intro And The Outro' by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band being used in an advert in the early 90s (for Cadbury's Creme Eggs, I think). Prog doesn't seem to be used that much in TV theme tunes these days, but when it was cutting edge in the 70s it seemed to be used quite a bit - 'Natucket Sleighride' on 'Weekend World' and 'House Of The King' on 'Don't Ask Me' are two obvious examples. Also several prog musicians like Dave Greenslade, Rod Argent and Andy Mackay have composed their fair share of TV themes.