The musical group Stars (not to be confused with celebrities or the TV channel) is tweeting strange takes and then seemingly walking the statements back as jokes. It’s a bit of a messy look. Something going on, guys?
The Canadian indie pop/rock band, which released its eighth album There Is No Love in Florescent Light in October 2017, posted some erratic tweets on Wednesday. The band said that Canada’s CTV News Channel had asked the members to go on live TV to talk about how musicians “don’t get paid anymore.”
“They want us to do it for free,” the tweet quipped. “Have a nice day.”
CTV wants us to go on the telly and talk about how musicians don’t get paid anymore. they want us to do it for free. have a nice day.
— Stars (@youarestars) September 18, 2018
The irony of the statement isn’t lost, of course. The band seemed frustrated that it would be asked to make a TV appearance—for free—to speak on compensatory issues they have as musicians. But the comment wasn’t particularly well-received by fans and followers. Many stated that it is, in fact, “unethical” to pay individuals for interviews. Some inquired as to whether Stars had been invited to perform.
If you’re invited for an interview for a news story, reporters will not pay you. It’s considered unethical. If you come to perform, then it’s a different ball game.
— Stéphane Giroux (@SGirouxCTV) September 18, 2018
Um. Are they asking you to play music?
Because if not you’re passing up a free opportunity (many orgs pay money to have their messaging on TV & radio) to educate people about the issue & your perspective on it.
What a daft tweet.— Luke Fevin (@According2Luke) September 18, 2018
Please don’t go on tv to whine. Also please don’t waste any more time or energy disguising whining as irony here. Get back to work.
— Music Fan (@MusicFa13867184) September 19, 2018
The Stars account then tweeted a string of responses dripping with sarcasm and seething frustration, seeming to backpedal and refer to the initial comment about CTV as a joke. Whichever of the six band members is running the account (in typical Twitter cool-kid lowercase fashion) seemed to be frustrated that no one got the “joke.”
“What Twitter really needs is a ‘semi ironic semi joke made in passing’ button,” the member wrote.
forget the edit feature. what twitter really needs is a “semi ironic semi joke made in passing” button. https://t.co/QMlpg6sA6o
— Stars (@youarestars) September 18, 2018
badly worded jokes take lives. we hope the word gets out too. thanks, luke.
— Stars (@youarestars) September 18, 2018
There was even this bizarre “apology” to those who didn’t get said “joke.”
we would like to apologize for this joke. it’s important that we all continue to appear on television for free whenever we are asked. television needs faces. and we all, every one of us, have faces. and we need to give those faces to the television. suck it up, face people. https://t.co/fJCbQywwzx
— Stars (@youarestars) September 19, 2018
The band has continued to tweet out bizarre, negative non-sequiturs about Twitter, the media industry, and other topics.
twitter goals, 2019: every tweet composed and sent must drip with deep, emotional, disturbing contempt for the medium that contains it.
— Stars (@youarestars) September 18, 2018
we would also like to apologize for this joke. journalism should never be the subject of humour, especially music journalism. we retract our statement. you are not in show business, people who write about drake’s feud with kanye. and we’re so goddamn sorry we said you were. https://t.co/OkH5J835dq
— Stars (@youarestars) September 19, 2018
The tweets kept coming out at rapid fire and appear to be getting even more aggressive, especially with the account’s barb attacking writers who cover Drake and Kanye West.
People were offering support, too, since it seems like the band (or its tweeting member) is in a bit of a dark place. In the end, we have to ask: Hey, Stars, are you doing OK?
Hey @youarestars. I love you and your music. I get that it was a joke. I'm going to make a point to spend money supporting you asap
— Tim Molloy (@TimAMolloy) September 19, 2018