Originally Posted by soulslot

ok, so i want to try to respond without coming off as a prick, which is often a feat in this forum. Having said that, the people here responding to you are largely correct about record companies having the right to publicize its product. Granted, i/we dont know the specificities about tool's particular contract, however, i am a law student and have taken a fair amount of classes in intellectual property and entertainment law. From my admittedly theoretical understanding, even contracts where artists maintain a relaitvely considerable amount of control over their distribution, production and creative preferences and what not, the record company still has to have the ability to make make a fair market return on its investment. After all, contracts are just that, contracts, and an essential aspect of this is an exchange of value. I guarantee you that tool has neither the time nor the interest in micromanaging every single marketing decision it makes. When we start hearing vicarious playing on saturn commercials, ill start worrying a little bit and will give up this point. But i dont see why a band and its record company shouldnt be able to publicize its product in a meaningful way on a media outlet that is on the whole , of great quality. I love comedy central and dont find it particularly offensive that tool would be advertised there. Bottom line, music is a business and unfortunately a very shallow one in recent times. However, when a band can still have not 1 but several songs on an album pushing the 10 minute mark, that is a sign of a band with some leverage and a sign of a band that hasnt entirely "sod out." So, try and look at this with a little perspective. Tool is a band, not a religion and they want to fucking sell some records. So be it.