Remember that urban legend about the spider inside a taco who laid her eggs inside some girl's mouth and then they hatched and all these spiders came crawling out of her cheek? Well, it's not arachnid birth, but it's still pretty icky: another late-night food promotion!
Feed the Beat is Taco Bell's take on the AllNighter. Hopefully, it won't end up as lame.
The website encourages indie bands (with a dedicated fan base and at least a MySpace page) to sign up and rock on tour this fall, fueled by after-hour burritos. They call it "Fourthmeal," that little pick-me-up you need when you're out late. Like after you just smoked a bowl and last week's pizza is moldy? Oh, like after a gig. So you can still get stoned, which you might need to dine at Taco Bell.
The company will select 100 bands to get $500 in $5 Bell Bucks to spend on Fourthmeals during their tours. Additionally, three bands will have a "well-known indie rock producer" record their singles on a compilation CD, which Taco Bell will promote online next spring.
This promotion has been going on for a couple of years now and it's touted some great artists and bands. Okay, Girl Talk is the only guy I like. But I'm pretty supportive of campaigns that support musicians—even ones not of my taste. However, what gives Taco Bell—owned by PepsiCo—the authority to harness the (supposedly) "hip" energy of the indie-rock scene? Putting a couple of skinny, bearded kids in faux-Hispanic eateries will not make them cool. (And it will not convince the rest of us that consuming 520 calories and 28 grams of fat in a chicken quesadilla is okay.) Furthermore, for a chain trying to piggyback a late-night scene, most
Taco Bells go to bed way too early. What bands are home by 1 A.M.?
Not all artists happy with the results. Last year, Ted Leo, a vegan and PETA supporter, was irked to find he had been entered into the contest without his consent.
Kids: Don't do drugs. It will hinder your judgment. You might make a decision to eat at Taco Bell. Melty, crunchy, spicy, or grilled, it's just all gross.