Obey Squier Telecasters

[funkyguitar]

One of the guys at last Sunday's jam had one. It sounded okay, but I think it looks horrid.

[Gravity Jim]

I actually like them, but I think the other Tele graphic looks cooler.

[curtisstetka]

I think it would look okay if I were about 20 years younger.

[ziess]

I think it would look okay if I were about 20 years younger.

Nah, i'm 20 and it still sucks!

[clayville]

I pulled one of these off the rack at a GC yesterday just for jollies, but didn't plug it in. The neck edges and fret ends were surprisingly comfy to me (compared to a lot of Squiers). I didn't care for the rough, matte hardware much, and the paint job didn't do much for me either (not exactly a sentiment I share!). Cheap, though...

[Gravity Jim]

Yeah, that's the cooler one. I like the Strat with the Big Brother face, too.

[DRL]

I'd give her a try, but we're gonna have to throw a nocaster neck on her, probably put some callaham hardware on her, and possibly some duncan antiquity or fralin pickups in her, if what shes got in her aint cuttin it. After that i'm pretty sure she's ready for a night out on the town (through a tubescreamer, of course, and dont tell my blondes!).

[bonefish]

ya know, theres a really strange market out there for "pre-customized" guitars. I gues it's a corrallary to the "relic" market. I don't get it. My guitars are seriously owner reliced and/or customized, 'cuz they get played every freakin day. the one axe that i haven't monkeyed w/ is my gibson es135 goth. haven't been able to figure out how to make that beast stranger than it already is.

My Tele-

[NeoFauve]

Yesterday I saw someone's been spraypainting "Obey" stencils (w/ a sort of foreboding face ) on the steps of the brand spanking new stairways and wheelchair ramps at the Milford, CT RR station.

That's sooo rock & roll!
Not very obedient.

What's the deal with this "Obey" anyway?
Some kind of pseudo-punk/metal-double-post-ironic merchandise line?

[Wilko]

Sheperd Ferry was a pop artist who specialized in "grafitti" and has grown to a whole marketing empire.

Here in San Diego we had years of his posters being starched up all over with basic red/black silk screened art of André the Giant (that's who that face is) with the word OBEY all over the place. Stickers, stencils etc.

[telecast]

Thanks for that. I was going to ask what it's all about too, being hopelessly out of touch as I am.

I even missed the whole Tommy Hilfiger thing.

[Kap'n]

What I miss by not living in CA.

I like this one.

[95strat]

LOL!

[usc96]

What I miss by not living in CA.

I like this one.

I'd buy one of those.

[clayville]

[Wilko]

WHat? no supersize pickups?!

[telecast]

What I miss by not living in CA.

I like this one.

Wow, it has Oldbay graphics.

[funkyguitar]

I like the "with/without" toggle.

[Guitar_Mc]

I've been wondering what the heck "Obey" is myself. After the above reference to Andre I was able to find this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obey_Giant

[boobtube21]

The essential appeal of the campaign is its parody of propaganda, both political and corporate, that permeates modern American culture. The ubiquity and placement of the André the Giant/OBEY GIANT imagery resembles an advertising campaign, a campaign for a non-existent product. Fairey mocks the idea of branding by creating his own fake brand, subversively using advertising techniques to elevate André the Giant's image to iconic status.

Somebody else did something similar to this a few years back, can't recall it but the theory behind the whole thing sounds familiar...

[Cogs]

I guess I'm gonna have to dis obey.

[Wilko]

I'll bet Fairey is making profit and has his "fake brand" registered.

He's a total sellout.

[Kap'n]

Word MarkOBEYGoods and ServicesIC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: laser discs featuring entertainment and music, pre-recorded audio and video tapes and cassettes featuring entertainment and music, multi-media software recorded on CD-ROM featuring entertainment and music, computer software for use to enable viewing of graphics for entertainment purposes, video game software, and instructional manuals sold therewithMark Drawing Code(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERSDesign Search Code02.01.01 - Busts of men; Heads of men; Men, heads, portraiture, busts
26.11.20 - Rectangles inside one another
26.11.21 - Rectangles that are completely or partially shadedSerial Number78336709Filing DateDecember 4, 2003Current Filing Basis1BOriginal Filing Basis1BPublished for OppositionOctober 12, 2004Owner(APPLICANT) Fairey, Shepard INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 3780 Wilshire Blvd. #210 Los Angeles CALIFORNIA 90010Attorney of RecordVictoria NewlandDescription of MarkThe color(s) RED is/are claimed as a feature of the mark. The color red is apart of the mark.Type of MarkTRADEMARKRegisterPRINCIPALLive/Dead IndicatorLIVE

[Kap'n]

Word MarkOBEYGoods and ServicesIC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S: Printed paper articles, namely trading cards, post cards, posters, stationery, stickers, unmounted photographs, magazines featuring extreme sports, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing and information about rebellious teen lifestyle activities, and books featuring extreme sports, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, and information about rebellious teen lifestyle activities. FIRST USE: 20000915. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20000915 IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: clothing, namely, t-shirts, jackets, caps, and shoes. FIRST USE: 20000915. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20000915
Mark Drawing Code(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERSDesign Search Code02.01.01 - Busts of men; Heads of men; Men, heads, portraiture, busts
26.11.02 - Plain single line rectangles; Rectangles (single line)Serial Number75856775Filing DateNovember 23, 1999Current Filing Basis1AOriginal Filing Basis1BPublished for OppositionDecember 12, 2000Registration Number2632359Registration DateOctober 8, 2002Owner(REGISTRANT) OBEY GIANT JOINT VENTURE JUSTIN MCCORMACK (U.S.A.) PHILIP DEWOLF (U.S.A.), DAVE KINSEY (U.S.A.), AND SHEPARD FAIRY (U.S.A.) PARTNERSHIP CALIFORNIA c/o RICHARD SIGLAR 6420 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, 19TH FLOOR LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA 900485502 (LAST LISTED OWNER) FAIREY, SHEPARD INDIVIDUAL 3780 WILSHIRE BLVD., SUITE 210 LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA 90010
Assignment RecordedASSIGNMENT RECORDEDType of MarkTRADEMARKRegisterPRINCIPALOther DataThe person depicted in the mark does not represent a living individualLive/Dead IndicatorLIVE

[Kap'n]

Word MarkOBEYGoods and ServicesIC 028. US 022 023 038 050. G & S: Sporting goods, namely skateboards, skateboard wheels, and hardware and parts therefor. FIRST USE: 20010118. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20010119Mark Drawing Code(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERSDesign Search Code02.01.01 - Busts of men; Heads of men; Men, heads, portraiture, busts
26.11.20 - Rectangles inside one another
26.11.21 - Rectangles that are completely or partially shadedSerial Number76184615Filing DateDecember 22, 2000Current Filing Basis1AOriginal Filing Basis1BPublished for OppositionJanuary 21, 2003Registration Number2762299Registration DateSeptember 9, 2003Owner(REGISTRANT) FAIRY, SHEPARD INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 705 Twelfth Ave. San Diego CALIFORNIA 92101
(REGISTRANT) KINSEY, DAVE INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 705 Twelfth Ave. San Diego CALIFORNIA 92101 (REGISTRANT) DEWOLF, PHILIP INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 705 Twelfth Ave. San Diego CALIFORNIA 92101 (REGISTRANT) MCCORMACK, JUSTIN INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 705 Twelfth Ave. San Diego CALIFORNIA 92101
Assignment RecordedASSIGNMENT RECORDEDAttorney of RecordMatthew Miller AttorneyType of MarkTRADEMARKRegisterPRINCIPALLive/Dead IndicatorLIVE

[Gravity Jim]

I don't understand "sellout." If you are creating a icon for sale, how is selling it "selling out?"

You don't imagine that anybody has some kind of pure, artistic soul, do you... one that makes art for it's own sake and rejects all commercial application? I don't think they do. Bach and Mozart sold out. So did DaVinci and Michelangelo. The only artists who haven't sold out are the ones you won't have the luxury of judging, because you have not and will not ever hear of them.

Starving artists don't exist. Everybody sells the work. The Obey Giant is an icon for sale, just like J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and his sinister, pipe-clenching grin.

[Kap'n]

Not bad, three registered trademarks. Not bad for a non-brand.

I like this part:

"The person depicted in the mark does not represent a living individual"

Seeing as Andre the Giant is dead......

[Kap'n]

I don't understand "sellout." If you are creating a icon for sale, how is selling it "selling out?"

It's selling out, because the whole concept (t least from what I got from Wikipedia) is a non-brand mocking the idea of brands.

Now in my opinion, the whole idea isn't exactly great, but if you actually liked his stuff....

It would be like Thoreau selling renewable-resource "Walden" bracelets.

It would be like PETA licensing a line of 'gently killed' cold cuts.

It would be like the "radical revolutionaries for da people" from Audioslave signing a big record deal, and selling their songs as soundtracks for TV shows...

[boobtube21]

Not bad, three registered trademarks. Not bad for a non-brand.

(LAST LISTED OWNER) FAIREY, SHEPARD INDIVIDUAL 3780 WILSHIRE BLVD., SUITE 210 LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA 90010

An address on Miracle Mile in LA ain't too shabby either.

[Wilko]

I don't understand "sellout." If you are creating a icon for sale, how is selling it "selling out?"

In the case of Shepard Fairey, I'd be surprised if he could defend his use in court based on the precedent of it being public art. He even encourged downloading stencil art and such for all to use ina very "communist" sort of way. He used to say it was for the public and the point was that no one could own it.

In that sense, he has reigned it in and now wants to profit from it. The whole vision as previously put forth as public art is now gone corporate.
In that classic pnk rock sense, Sellout.

[Gravity Jim]

Well, punk rock was for sale, too. For big bucks, as it turned out.

The difference in my mind, Kap'n, is that both Thoreau and PETA have clearly stated agendas. Fairey's stated agenda, as far as I can see, was to sell some "art," closer in spirit to The Church of The Subgenius than anything else.

I can't blame the guy. Robert Indiana got massively ripped off by everybody on that damn "Love" sculpture... never made a dime while it got merchandised by a thousand slimy retailers. Everybody else should turn a buck on the skateboards while you make nothing and retain your diginity? Whatever.

[NeoFauve]

Based on the initial explanation of what Fairey WAS up to, I'd say he sold out.

Most visual artist types I know, the ones who are just naturally creative, have, at some point, had some outlandish, devil-may-care, romanitic idea about living an artist's life, whatever that means.
It hasn't worked out for any of 'em.
Okay! Not for me either.

Inspite of our training and efforts to harness the muse, most of us are ingrained, by every responsible voice in our lives, with the idea of having a real job.

So deep down many of us doubt we'll ever amount to anything, and we're all bums and freaks and our dreams are worth sh**, by all accepted standards.
We all set out on some wild path to create masterpieces and such, but 99.9999% wind up with masters, just like everybody else.

When an idea like Fairey's, as goofy as it is, catches on, I can't blame the guy for "selling out."
Maybe it's a great way to say F U to all the responsible voices who recommended he take a civil service exam way back when.
(FWIW-I doubt FMIC would reward a true subversive )

[Kap'n]

The difference in my mind, Kap'n, is that both Thoreau and PETA have clearly stated agendas. Fairey's stated agenda, as far as I can see, was to sell some "art," closer in spirit to The Church of The Subgenius than anything else.

I can't blame the guy. Robert Indiana got massively ripped off by everybody on that damn "Love" sculpture... never made a dime while it got merchandised by a thousand slimy retailers. Everybody else should turn a buck on the skateboards while you make nothing and retain your diginity? Whatever.

Well, from what I had gathered from the Wiki article, he had a pretty well stated agenda, too. Obviously you can't retire on a groovy idea, but the whole concept was a big 'f you' to corporate marketing.

I'm sure he thinks to himself "hey, by becoming the man, it becomes even more ironic." Whatever. It just takes whatever deep meaning he thought he had, and flushed it into the toilet.

Speaking of Love Sculpture.....Sabre Dance, anyone?

[usc96]

This thread reminds me of some of one of my favorite comedies.

Who can name this one?:

Michael Bolton: You think the pet rock was a really great idea?
Tom Smykowski: Sure it was. The guy made a million dollars. You know, I had an idea like that once. A long time ago.
Peter Gibbons: Really, what was it, Tom?
Tom Smykowski: Well, all right. It was a "Jump to Conclusions" mat. You see, it would be this mat that you would put on the floor, and it would have different conclusions written on it that you could jump to.
Michael Bolton: That's the worst idea I've ever heard in my life, Tom.
Samir: Yes, this is horrible, this idea.

[frank thomson]

selling out (aka; growing up) is realizing that only money will feed the bulldog.

it's a shame the *love* dood didn't (c)/TM that idea.

i'll bet if he could do it all over again, he would have TM'd it.

wanna bet some money?

[Cogs]

What happened to pure artists like Andy Warhol & Yoko Ono?

[Kap'n]

What happened to pure artists like Andy Warhol & Yoko Ono?

They went the same way as pure researchers like Felix Hoenekker.

[frank thomson]

only bad artists can hold out and not sell out....

know why

...`cause nobody's buying their *art*

[Jonnda]

Personally, i'd rather buy a cool looking graphic guitar like the emily the strange Epi:

As for the fast food ax, the following is how one uses it to play "Us and Them" by Pink Floyd. Flip the switch to the proper position on beat in the pattern of: With with with with with with with Without.

And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about? Yeah I thought so.

[Kap'n]

Personally, i'd rather buy a cool looking graphic guitar like the emily the strange Epi:

I've seen that and thought it was pretty cool, other than having a Doors lyric pasted on it. It looks better than Clapton's SG, I'll tell you.