Band Too ‘Punky’ For Cookie Commercial

Band Too ‘Punky’ For Cookie Commercial

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) – How do you know when your favorite punk band has become “too punky?” When the lead singer’s vocals scare off the big-wigs at a corporate cookie company. That’s what happened to Art Barrios, frontman for the L.A.-based band Audio Karate, when he was recently asked to record vocals for a Chips Ahoy commercial produced by Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh. Barrios lost his shot at the big-time when the Chips Ahoy powers-that- be told him his voice was “...too punky for chocolate chip cookie commercials.” Barrios, whose band’s new record Space Camp is in stores now, says they went with a singer who was “wackier and goofier” and his vocals wound up on the cutting-room floor. He claims he couldn’t care less about that, though he’s still miffed that he lost the opportunity to get all those cookie commercial royalties.

Tue 05-28-02