Sons Of Maxwell, the guys that put this video together are a small Canadian band from Nova Scotia. Was this a display of marketing genius? Definitely. Has it got them tons of press and views on Youtube? Absolutely. Will United make things right? Maybe. But will it help them win new fans & help take the band to the next level? That i’m not so sure about, at least not the way they may have wanted.
This video is catapulting them from playing pubs in Nova Scotia to coverage on CNN overnight. I just don’t think this is necessarily a good thing for a band because it turns you into a meme, which (as we have seen) have a limited shelf life. This video is going to cast a shadow over everything they do, shows, interviews etc – for the rest of their careers. I guess if they are going the Weird Al Yankovic path that’s ok, but didn’t you start a band to be known for the music?
I agree (although on the SoM website it’s clear that it’s a single by Dave, not the band). Still, it’s kind of like the kilt thing with Enter the Haggis. Do they really want this song requested at every show ten years from now?
It’s very much like the kilt thing with ETH. I actually just heard an interview with Dave on CBC radio, were they didn’t ask a single question about the band or their music. Dave did mention the fact that this song is not representative of the rest of the Sons of Maxwell music, which means they are going to have thousands of people visiting their website and discovering SOM is not what they expected and leave.
Interesting, my husband and I checked out the band’s website after seeing their catchy little video and we were completely impressed with their music. We plan to order a few CDs to check out their work and will certainly see them if they are touring in our area.