Domo Arigato, Chuck!

[KWH17]

The biggest tribute to Styx I have seen in a long time [outdoing the Japanese man at the Oscars], was on NBC's show called Chuck, where a two man band called "Jeffster" [don't ask] played Mr Roboto in full. For anyone that doesn't know, Chuck is about an average guy who becomes a spy [thats kinda dumbing it down], and he gets his friends to stall his sisters wedding so he can do his spy thing and no one will know that he's misssing. So inbetween cool action/fight scenes is the song playing in the background, right down to the "Kilroy!" finish.

One thing I wonder is if anybody from either side knew that it happened. Permission can be asked to use a song without actually having to go to the artist, right?

I know it might not interest some of you but between this, the Rock of Ages musical, and the Rock Band promotions, Styx has had more media presence in the last couple months than they had for years following the breakup. I've said it before, if they could follow this well promoted tour with a new album then they could get themselves out of the rut they've been in for the last few years.

edited

[Bearded Clam]

that's the thing, they never seem to use the exposure to their benefit. It's like they have no management or PR at all.

[Ash]

Tommy and JY won't because it's Roboto.

Dennis can't because he can't use the name Styx.

And there you go.

[Blue Falcon]

Tommy and JY won't because it's Roboto.

Dennis can't because he can't use the name Styx.

And there you go.

...and Styx continues to take a giant dump on their own heritage. And what rut is the other user talking about? According to some people on this site, Styx is doing just fine and dandy without DDY...and having to play 100 shows a year as they approach age 60

I sometimes imagine JY as the chief inspector from the Pink Panther movies. Every time someone says 'Roboto' his eye starts twitching uncontrollably as he mutters "DeYoung!"

[blt man]

The biggest tribute to Styx I have seen in a long time [outdoing the Japanese man at the Oscars], was on NBC's show called Chuck, where a two man band called "Jeffster" [don't ask] played Mr Roboto in full. For anyone that doesn't know, Chuck is about an average guy who becomes a spy [thats kinda dumbing it down], and he gets his friends to stall his sisters wedding so he can do his spy thing and no one will know that he's misssing. So inbetween cool action/fight scenes is the song playing in the background, right down to the "Kilroy!" finish.

One thing I wonder is if anybody from either side knew that it happened. Permission can be asked to use a song without actually having to go to the artist, right?

I know it might not interest some of you but between this, the Rock of Ages musical, and the Rock Band promotions, Styx has had more media presence in the last couple months than they had for years following the breakup. I've said it before, if they could follow this well promoted tour with a new album then they could get themselves out of the rut they've been in for the last few years.

edited

I don't believe its as easy to clear music as you make it sound. Synchronization rights are required for TV and is much different than playing a song at a concert. In this particular episode, they had Lester sing the lyrics with music, a small symphonic part of the music, and then Lester signing over DeYoung's original styx version. Also, the co-creator of Chuck indicated that they first planned to use November Rain but could not clear it. Not sure if it is DDY, Styx and/or the label but someone had to approve.

The scene was hilarious. For those who don't watch, Jeffster (2 slacker employees of a GeekSquad/BestBuy like store who dream of being in a band) sang, played the keytar, and heavily used a vocoder at a wedding ceremony in order to delay the wedding while the good guys and bad guys fought a gun battle in the hall where the ceremony was to take place. There was also a great reference to Back to the Future.

It can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fgmcqvwLH4

It will be a shame if Chuck is not renewed.

[bugsymalone]

I love "Chuck," but have missed the last few episodes. Wouldn't you know I would miss this one! That song backed up the entire last part of the show. Very cool!

Once more into the trying to figure out of "rights". In the more recent interviews, Dennis has indicated that ANYONE can record your music to CD, but the writer does have to be paid for it. He/she does not have to approve the use of it.

Whereas ... to use someone's music in a movie, on TV, on a DVD, I gather(??), the songwriter has to give approval (???). This avoids the problem of using someone's music in an embarrassing way (???). That is what I make of it, anyway, and it makes sense. So using Roboto in "Chuck" had to be approved by Dennis. Not by Styx. If they had used Renegade, they would have had to have Tommy's approval.

Capitalizing on the exposure, however, seems to go back to what Ash said above.

"Mr. Roboto" is just the gift that keeps on giving, eh, JY?


Bugsy

[blt man]

I love "Chuck," but have missed the last few episodes. Wouldn't you know I would miss this one! That song backed up the entire last part of the show. Very cool!

It actually played in the first 20 mins of the show. After they saved the day, more stuff happend. You probably missed the episode where Chuck got the intersect out of his head with the help of his father. We, lets just say that the intersect 2.0 is now back in his head.

[styxfansite]

Interview with the Co-Creator of Chuck.

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/inde ... le_qa.html


Was it your idea of Allison (Adler)'s to use "Mr. Roboto"?

We kind of got it in our head. Back when we first started working on the show, my wife is a big "Roboto" fan, and if you listen to the lyrics, it almost sounds like it could be the Chuck story in a way. Allison and I were listening to different song options, we were trying to come up with something big and ludicrous and operatic. And then this being a Josh Schwartz show, you have to go through the man, and he kind of got into it.

Well, when you do a scene like this, particularly where you have characters performing the song, how far in advance do you have to get the legal clearance? Like, if Toto had refused to license "Africa" the last time Jeffster! appeared, would you have been in trouble?

It's a big huge process, and you have to start early. I think in the original script, we had "November Rain" in there, and we couldn't clear it. Then we started thinking about other, going new, a modern contemporary band, or did we want to go back to the 80s where we live, and Styx was just out there. I love me some Styx. We thought about "Come Sail Away," but "Mr. Roboto" seemed so perfect.

Are Jeffster! supposed to be getting better? Because it actually doesn't sound bad, and that's even before the Styx version comes in.

There's three different versions of the song. There's the Jeff and Lester version, then our composer Tim Jones in to add score, when Bryce comes into the reception hall, it's Tim's score playing an orchestral "Mr. Roboto," and when the paratroopers fly through the window above, that's the actual Styx music kicking in.

Jeff and Lester are not the best performers in the world, Jeffster's not the best wedding band in the world, but they've got enthusiasm. Since they are technically proficient, I thought this song was perfect for them, because they rock when they have a vocoder.

[bugsymalone]

I love "Chuck," but have missed the last few episodes. Wouldn't you know I would miss this one! That song backed up the entire last part of the show. Very cool!

It actually played in the first 20 mins of the show. After they saved the day, more stuff happend. You probably missed the episode where Chuck got the intersect out of his head with the help of his father. We, lets just say that the intersect 2.0 is now back in his head.

Okedoke. I did miss a few episodes. D'OH!

And thanks, Fansite, for finding that interview. I thought the same thing about the appropriateness of some of the lyrics in Roboto fitting the character of Chuck.


Bugsy