"If you're off the grid, I'll listen to you"

Damon W. Root | May 22, 2008

Via Brooklyn Vegan, I see that post-punk heroes Sonic Youth have announced the track listing for Hits Are for Squares, a new "best of" compilation that will be available exclusively at Starbucks stores. The album's other gimmick is that each song has been selected by one or more of the band's famous fans (Beastie Boy Mike D, Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody, etc.). But what about the dread charge of selling out? And to Starbucks, no less?

Here's bandleader Thurston Moore talking sense to the Boston Globe:

There's no difference between working with Starbucks and working with record labels like Universal and Geffen. It's a knee-jerk reaction from PC watchdogs. I mean, really, which long-distance company do you use for your cellphone? Are you on the grid? If you're off the grid, I'll listen to you.

Whole interview here. Back in 2002, Senior Editor Brian Doherty took a stage dive into "the strange politics of millionaire rock stars." Read that here.