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August 25, 2006

OK Go To Do The Treadmill Thing Live

At next Thursday's MTV Video Music Awards, YouTube house band OK Go will perform their treadmill instruction video "Here It Goes Again" live, much to the delight of Daddy Yankee and James Blunt.

I admit I was a bit harsh on these guys when we first talked about the new video. Although, in response to this reader comment...

"When they performed the song (actually they just danced) on Good Morning America, the hosts didn't even say that they were OK Go, they said they were dancing to an Ok Go song. Why can't dancing be their trademark?"
...I say: trademark? Sure. Lots of bands have gimmicks. But I assume OK Go want people to know that foremost they're a rock band!

Of course, it's more challenging than ever to sell records these days, and both "A Million Ways" and "Here It Goes Again" are (1) truly entertaining (2) a brilliant way to get Gen Y's attention (and hopefully sell concert tickets). That said, one more of these synchronized dance videos and I think OK Go would be doing themselves a disservice.

Lead dancer singer Damian Kulash visited The Colbert Report earlier this week and you can watch the witty banter at onegoodmove.org.

Wow. I never knew I felt so strongly about synchronized treadmill routines.

Posted at 12:38 PM
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5 Comments

i've seen these guys live and they know what's up. i had instant respect for damian when he introduced a cover by saying this was the best band of the last 30 years and went into the pixies' wave of mutilation.

so file them under "lots of fun, not going to save the world" music and just enjoy :)

Posted by: lyn at 08/25/06 1:25 PM | Reply
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They cover a Zombies song (and not Time Of The Season!). And they do it well. That gives them instant credibility in my pamphlet.

Posted by: aaron.spacemuseum at 08/25/06 2:36 PM | Reply
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they are in a jcpenney commercial!!!!!!! gen y'ers are sooo cool! that's def the best way to reach their desired audience.

Posted by: t-bird at 08/25/06 2:59 PM | Reply
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I've only seen them live once, and I actually left early, but I do remember that their power was going out constantly.

They ended up recreating scences from "Les Mis."

Posted by: chester at 08/25/06 4:08 PM | Reply
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I sat near these guys on the plane back from SXSW and they are hilarious!!! I think the tunes are poppy and fun on the new album, and I'm happy they are getting the press from this stuff, even if it is for the dancing, at least you're still spreading the music and the album. And, so they're a JCPennies commercial? So what? Electric Light Orchstra's "Living Thing" was in a JCPenny or Marshall Field commercial or something like that for christmas. . .Its still a good pop album in my book

Posted by: Laura at 08/25/06 5:17 PM | Reply
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