General Motors Sews Cow's Udder to Waits' Face

He may sound like a diesel engine, but he sure isn't going to let others use this sound to promote their own engines. Tom Waits is looking into the legal options against General Motors for impersonating his voice and style in a Scandinavian Opel commercial. The commercial can be viewed here, wrongfully credited to Waits. The resemblance is uncanny indeed.

Marketers must find something in Waits' gravelling voice that makes it ideal for car commercials, because earlier both Audi and Lancia ripped it off. Waits sued them, as he sued chip maker Frito-Lay and his own record company for using one of his songs for a Levi's ad. He certainly does not want to be associated with commercials in any way:

"Commercials are an unnatural use of my work. It's like having a cow's udder sewn to the side of my face. Painful and humiliating."

Ahw, that must hurt. Maybe he should start a support group with Supergrass (and Bowie and Iggy and Radiohead and...)

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