If you haven’t noticed lately, Camel Cigarettes have established a campaign in which they are involving themselves with and promoting “indie rock” in your community. I first started to notice the Camel sponsored shows earlier this past summer and quickly had my first Camel supported experience at a CD release party for a local band whose name I’ll not mention. I had been anticipating the release from this band and figured the perfect way to support the band was to attend the show and purchase the disc. The fact that it was a free show was a bonus as well. To the short of it, the CD’s were not for sale, only available if you signed up with Camel and received a pack of cigarettes. I don’t smoke and mention of that ruled me ineligible to register and receive the CD. I eventually got my CD, but came away with a sense of confusion and distaste. What does a band have to gain by offering their CD at a CD release party only to those who willing hand out their information to a Big Tobacco company knowing that they be bombarded by endless piles of mail advertisements? I guess that the idea of free cigarettes to a smoker is a powerfully enticing one, no matter what the consequences. Keep in mind that I was a smoker for 10 years.

Shortly after this experience, I began to take notice of the Camel sponsored shows popping up around town, almost all of which are advertised to be free or with a limited number of tickets available to the public. What’s not to like about free? Some of these shows were big shows with touring acts, not just local bands looking to score a larger audience. Some of the larger shows required you contacting your local Camel representative for ticket information. How was I to know who my local Camel representative was? Was this an officially elected position that I wasn’t aware of? With a bit of concern and confusion in tow, I began a discussion with band members that I knew or representatives of bands in order to gain a better understanding of this Camel involvement. I quickly came to learn that Camel pays bands for these shows, and pays them well, very well compared to some standards.

Enter my dilemma.

If you read this blog at all, you know that I have issue with bands working with certain corporate entities in order to make a little money, so that they can continue on with their craft, their life, their love. “Certain” corporate entities is where it gets tricky. VW, Ford, Apple, Dell, and Jaguar would be examples of companies I don’t have issue with as I haven’ seen any evidence that any of these companies conduct questionable practices that involve poor wages, workers rights, or discrimination, just a name a few. Wal-mart on the other hand would be a corporation that I do have issue with, and anyone that involves themselves with said corporation might loose my interest. How do I feel about Camel? That’s the dilemma. I think that it’s great that some of my favorite bands have an opportunity to make a little green in order to pursue their goals, like touring Europe when otherwise it would be almost impossible financially, or covering a weeks worth of expenses while on a nationwide tour as a lesser known band playing small clubs. It’s not like the bands are going to be associated with Camel on a regular basis, like if you were to hear a certain song every time you saw a Wal-mart commercial. It could be a one off deal, a one off profitable deal. I just don’t like the idea of Camel meddling in my rock and roll but, I guess I have no choice in the matter.

What sparked this conversation today, you may ask? I came across a post on The Daily Swarm blog site, that discusses the Camel involvement to great lengths, even discussing the controversial 4 page pullout section in Rollling Stones 40th anniversary issue, nestled in between 5 pages of Camel ads. The pullout is entitled “Indie Rock Universe” and is considered by some as a violation of the 1998 settlement between state attorneys general and tobacco companies which bans the use of illustrations that look like cartoons in tobacco ads. I highly recommend a read of the post, as it covers in great detail Camels involvement the music scene as well as a comments on the issue from Rolling Stone, The Austinist, The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and others.

Read full article @ The Daily Swarm

Images from The Daily Swarm.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 26th, 2007 at 1:33 pm and is filed under general music news.