@dallowsaratoga my fav bands money is split 49/50, 49 to Haiti, 50 to Darfur, and 1 to the band itself. They definitely don't do it for the money, they do it for the love. What kind of artist would do something for the money?
I read an online interview that Win had with a reporter. Win said that he smashed the guitar because that particular guitar was old, he'd been using it a long time and it was giving him problems, the strings would snap in the middle of a performance forcing him to mimic guitar playing for the rest of the performance. So Win decided that he would put it out of it's misery on SNL in a very dynamic sort of way, I might add. I got say, Win certainly has a flare for the dramatic!
The guitar strings broke right before that happened. And honestly, he could have gone and ripped the violins and drum kit up if he wanted, he's WIN BUTLER.
People, does it really matter if he breaks a guitar on stage for whatever reason? People are passionate when they play their music. Ok, he may have broken a couple of strings and decided to break it. No big deal. It's not like he's hurting anyone. And to those of you who say that The Who and Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain break guitars better should just go crawl into a little hole and die. Lastly, what does it matter if it's an acoustic guitar or not? IT DOESN'T MATTER. Stop bitching about it.
I read an online interview that a guy had with Win Butler and Win said that he smashed that guitar because it had been giving him problems, like there were times when strings broke and he had to mimick playing it. It may have been on it's last gasp. So I guess he decided to get rid of it in style or more like put it out of it's misery! SMASHING!
@TheMattmassey lol what? a shitty player? i don't understand... how is it shitty? he plays chords. that's not shitty, they're chords. just because someone plays something simple doesn't make it shitty... you don't hear guitar solos in this music do you? that's not what it's about. you can say you don't like AF but how is he a shitty player? he plays exactly what he wants!
Oh yeah they arent making any money at all man...
Oh wait they're basically the most obvious indie band out there, making millions on every tour they go on. I like AF, but please pass the pity on to another band.
@sushilll111 95% of all of their Tour money goes to Charity (Especially Haiti) and they spend the rest on what they need to tour. They don't play music for money, they play because they love it and they want to make a difference in the world. And so far, they've done a fantastic job. And @TheMattmassey He is the best guitarist in an indie band today. Go AF! And @TomWhaley621 He didn't do it to be cool, he did it because the string snapped and cut his hand you dumbcrap.
They are hardly starving artists, good on them for donating so much though . Also he isnt the best guitarist in an indie band today - pretty sure Stephen Malkmus is multiples better, not that hes bad or anything.
This is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my entire life. And I don't care if the hipster douches hate me for saying it, because unlike them I don't need indie cred to feel like an informed member of society.
Breaking an acoustic on stage (for whatever reason) just comes off as tasteless and pretentious.
@VelvetSnow12 what part of the performance did he cut his hand? i jus watched the video and didnt see it. search "arcade fire snl" and come back to this and tell me when in the vid (if u wanna) im really curious about that...
anyway all you faggots out there SHUTTUP! he can do watever the hell he wants to do. he might hav cut his hand, it couldve been the song getting to him, or he was mad about something but who gives a crap! like sushill111 said they make a LOT of moolah on tours... AF ROCKS
@ReloadTimes2 I don't know about cutting his hand but I do happen to know that the reason he smashed his guitar is not because he was mad or anything like that. It's because a string broke on his guitar and he might as well break it because it's easier to buy a new guitar than to get new strings.
@micalishis oh well that makes sense micalishis. and by the way calvinmontgomery your probably just jealous of thier success. just because you probably sing like crap and can only play smoke on the water on guitar doesn't mean you have to b***h about good bands.
Jeez guys, hating on him because he broke his guitar? Childish. He broke the guitar because he broke a string. Honestly, I thought he somewhat paniced and had to cover it up. You retards who think he did it because he was "in the moment" are just...well...retarted. And besides, he has enough money for another guitar.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
I remember watching this when it aired and thought..."Kurt Cobain smashed his guitar way better on SNL...and I wish music was as good as the 90's, not like this.. "
After watching the whole video I have to say that Mr. Butler has some issues.
I mean, if the whole song is played with chords, then one string breaking isn't going to make any difference at all. If he played lead it'd be different, but he was fine with 5 strings.
Ripping the others out and smashing it just looks bad and is a waste of a good guitar.
I love their music, but my opinion of Win just dropped way way down..
Well, he sure has a bigger wallet than you, man. He can afford breaking guitars every once in a while. And as for Win Butler being a pussy...why don´t you try breaking an acoustic in a single stroke? If you do so, post a video, please. : )
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
It's not a matter of me being in the past, it's a matter of this band being in the past. It's like a modern day poet still writing sonnets or something. It's been fucking done, mate.
@WUS: Okay, you're right, everyone should keep playing 1990s style rock 'n' roll forever, rather than innovating anything. That's a good way to live: Fuck progress, change, evolution, etc. Let's just keep doing what's already been done.
You make it sound as if they're the only band in the world ? how about they stick to this - what they're good at, and you get your fix of new 'folktronica' or w/e the fuck the new 'in' thing is.
why are you guys hating on this guy? he's right, it is a creole saying that he probably picked up from haiti. its loosely "an empty sack can't stand" or something like that.
are you kidding me? arcade fire is one of the great bands out there who doesn't make much money but keeps making great music purely for the sake of great music. win butler in my opinion is an incredible lyricist and composer
@antiirony They make lots of money! They won "Best Album of the Year" at the Grammys (I think that was the award show, I don't know I always mix them up). Why don't you just go crying to your little Justin Beiber or Rebecca Black.
How is it ridiculous? AF is the only good band left of the decade. His guitar was fucked up, so he smashed it. No big deal. It's not like he kicked in a speaker or an audience member's face.
You obviously aren't searching hard enough. Look beyond mtv and you'll see a slew of bands that are good. They're just not publicized. Arcade Fire is pretty up there, though. Loved neon bible.
HAHAHA This is ridiculous, he can't do that, it doesn't look right ... I mean i like Arcade Fire and their stuff is quite good ... but seriously smashing guitars looks good on stage when people like Pete Townshend and Jimi Hendrix do it.
For better or for worse, and for whatever reason whatsoever - that was probably the most "rock and roll" moment on SNL since Fear did the Hallowe'en episode in the 80s. Or when Elvis Costello switched songs mid-set.
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i thought arcade fire were cooler than that. what a stupid, cliche stunt to pull. makes me wonder if they'll write another 'funeral.' that last album didn't have it. buncha brats, likely.
If you watch the whole thing, his string breaks and he starts breakking of all the rest until their are like, 2 left so he plays the last notes and smashes the guitar.
You know I wondered why he started pulling out his strings. I watched this episode of SNL. I was really enjoying the song until all that. Now I understand he was pissed that a string broke during his set. But I still think he went a little overboard.
I saw them play in San Diego, the guy was getting pretty pissed that the sound was cutting out. He's just a perfectionist, and it shows sometimes. If they weren't so damn awsome I wouldn't excuse it, but note he never does his outbursts during a song. He wouldn't compromise the music more.
ok, i am a musician myself, and there is no reason for other people to get mad at you for being a perfectionist on the music YOU write! if you want something to sound the way you envisioned it then you have every right to do so!
well I agree, however music evokes emotion, and if the musician is yelling and smashing things, the reaction might be anger at a sloppy performance. I'm sure Arcade Fire is so damn good because they are perfectionists. Like when they re-released "No Cars Go" on their second full album, it was 10 times better than the single. And the single was great.
I think that Arcade Fire knows how to give a good image of the band. They are fabulous and they show at everybody that they're fabulous... Win Butler is a fabulous person, but we can't forget all the band : I love Regine, (caus' she speaks french I think), Will is crazy and hilarious, Jeremy too, Sarah is beautiful, Tim is class and relax...
This band is fabulous and Win Butler is incredible.
amazing comments he smashed the guitar ...he felt the need t do it...if he felt the need to have a wee on the floor hed have done that..all part and parcel so put up with it...fact is its the best song ive heard for a long long time
I love the band, love the song, love this performance, but it would have been such a moment if the song had just ended. Totally threw me off seeing him smash the guitar. I just think that this is something I'd expect to see Iron Maiden do or something.
"During the performance one of Win Butler's guitar strings broke prompting him to rip the strings from his acoustic guitar and smash it on the floor until it shattered. On this guitar, "sak vide pa kanpe" was written in duct tape across the front. A Haitian proverb meaning "that which is empty cannot stand up" in Creole, this was a reference to the extreme poverty of Haiti, the country of origin of Régine."
Wow, mejaii. Thanks for unlocking the meaing of this proverb. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Shows something about their social commitments. How cool this band is.
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I knew something bad was going to happen when I thought that I saw strings breaking early into the song............sure nuff, the retard smashed the axe. Way to go Pete Townsend didn't break enough in the 60's?
Oh the anger, these guys and girls really mean business. Listen up world we're one of those bands thats anti-music industry and tv, but we roll up on a Friday night and make little angry gestures to the world, cos we're serious about our craft. These guy's have sadly lost it and believe their own hype. I was a fan of the music but not the gestures, R.I.P.
He bought the guitar and he can do anything he wants with it. If your bookbag strap breaks halfway through the year, and you decide not to "fix it" or "give it" to someone who needs a bookbag regardless of the strap, but throw it away - It's the same thing. It's not an insult to the company who made the bookbag.
If you think it's not a justifying analogy, I'd like to see you justify your pissyness at Win with something better.
win butler is an incredible man. and it said on his guitar in reflector tape something in haitian proverb about hunger and hollowness, so yeah, that is amazing that he did that while millions of people were watching him. this song really sends out a good messsage, what a great preformance!
The guitar smashing was really lame. It has already been done before (The Who, who is a much better band than these clowns.) so there is no point in doing it because they just look stupid.
When you're playing a live show and you count on your guitar to sound good and half you strings break, that is fucked no matter how you say it. It's cute how you ignorant little boys are desperate to take the man down.
All those people who continue to say that Arcade Fire suck, please, leave them alone. They may be as close as my generation ever gets to a really good band.
Also, please note that the duct tape on Win's guitar has some haitian proverb, which speas about freeing Haiti. Also note that Win's wife, Regine, is Haitian.
In case anyone hasn't seen the whole song, the strings on his guitar were breaking, to which at the end of the song he started pulling them out himself, and ultimately smashed the guitar. Probably out of frustration that is was unplayable halfway through, plus the fact it's live TV you don't really think improvisational things out, you just do them.
@dallowsaratoga my fav bands money is split 49/50, 49 to Haiti, 50 to Darfur, and 1 to the band itself. They definitely don't do it for the money, they do it for the love. What kind of artist would do something for the money?
PtAltmVansanTarr 2 months ago
I read an online interview that Win had with a reporter. Win said that he smashed the guitar because that particular guitar was old, he'd been using it a long time and it was giving him problems, the strings would snap in the middle of a performance forcing him to mimic guitar playing for the rest of the performance. So Win decided that he would put it out of it's misery on SNL in a very dynamic sort of way, I might add. I got say, Win certainly has a flare for the dramatic!
pytko3 8 months ago 3
A string broke :P
thehappiestcamper 8 months ago 2
anyone know if the full performance exists anywhere? I can't find it on youtube.
attrition4u 8 months ago
The guitar strings broke right before that happened. And honestly, he could have gone and ripped the violins and drum kit up if he wanted, he's WIN BUTLER.
GraceMccThe1st 9 months ago
People, does it really matter if he breaks a guitar on stage for whatever reason? People are passionate when they play their music. Ok, he may have broken a couple of strings and decided to break it. No big deal. It's not like he's hurting anyone. And to those of you who say that The Who and Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain break guitars better should just go crawl into a little hole and die. Lastly, what does it matter if it's an acoustic guitar or not? IT DOESN'T MATTER. Stop bitching about it.
7399me 9 months ago
FUCK YES!!! GO WIN!!!
7399me 9 months ago
to old to be emo
RRyyNNee 10 months ago
@RRyyNNee Uh....guitar smashing is NOT emo.
7399me 9 months ago
@7399me i don't know... i saw a lot of emotions
RRyyNNee 9 months ago
He's Win fucking Butler. If he wants to break a guitar, he damn well will.
WeissStudios 10 months ago 4
I read an online interview that a guy had with Win Butler and Win said that he smashed that guitar because it had been giving him problems, like there were times when strings broke and he had to mimick playing it. It may have been on it's last gasp. So I guess he decided to get rid of it in style or more like put it out of it's misery! SMASHING!
pytko3 10 months ago 2
if you or a loved one suffers from guitar abuse please call 1-866-neonbible! XD
uniqueandepic 11 months ago
Wow that's pretty impressive. He just pummeled that guitar!
micalishis 11 months ago
NOOOOOOOOOO!!! well at least one guitar has been saved from a shitty player! *snickers*
TheMattmassey 1 year ago
@TheMattmassey lol what? a shitty player? i don't understand... how is it shitty? he plays chords. that's not shitty, they're chords. just because someone plays something simple doesn't make it shitty... you don't hear guitar solos in this music do you? that's not what it's about. you can say you don't like AF but how is he a shitty player? he plays exactly what he wants!
misterbuckethead 1 year ago
Oh yeah they arent making any money at all man...
Oh wait they're basically the most obvious indie band out there, making millions on every tour they go on. I like AF, but please pass the pity on to another band.
sushilll111 1 year ago
@sushilll111 95% of all of their Tour money goes to Charity (Especially Haiti) and they spend the rest on what they need to tour. They don't play music for money, they play because they love it and they want to make a difference in the world. And so far, they've done a fantastic job. And @TheMattmassey He is the best guitarist in an indie band today. Go AF! And @TomWhaley621 He didn't do it to be cool, he did it because the string snapped and cut his hand you dumbcrap.
dallowsaratoga 1 year ago
@dallowsaratoga
They are hardly starving artists, good on them for donating so much though . Also he isnt the best guitarist in an indie band today - pretty sure Stephen Malkmus is multiples better, not that hes bad or anything.
sushilll111 1 year ago
It's cool when The Who did it... not Arcade Fire....
TomWhaley621 1 year ago
i guess Win didn't like that guitar too much.
TmasterREY 1 year ago
"...and I wish music was as good as the 90's, not like this.. " "
I'm still laughing at this comment. Good one!
Melodicnoisepop 1 year ago
you guys are all stupid haha. he can break his fucking guitar if he wants to
mitchkuhnert 1 year ago 6
This is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my entire life. And I don't care if the hipster douches hate me for saying it, because unlike them I don't need indie cred to feel like an informed member of society.
Breaking an acoustic on stage (for whatever reason) just comes off as tasteless and pretentious.
calvinmontgomery 1 year ago
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VelvetSnow12 1 year ago
@calvinmontgomery He didn't do it do be cool or anything. One of his strings broke and cut his hand during the performance so he broke it.
VelvetSnow12 1 year ago
@VelvetSnow12 what part of the performance did he cut his hand? i jus watched the video and didnt see it. search "arcade fire snl" and come back to this and tell me when in the vid (if u wanna) im really curious about that...
anyway all you faggots out there SHUTTUP! he can do watever the hell he wants to do. he might hav cut his hand, it couldve been the song getting to him, or he was mad about something but who gives a crap! like sushill111 said they make a LOT of moolah on tours... AF ROCKS
ReloadTimes2 1 year ago
@ReloadTimes2 I don't know about cutting his hand but I do happen to know that the reason he smashed his guitar is not because he was mad or anything like that. It's because a string broke on his guitar and he might as well break it because it's easier to buy a new guitar than to get new strings.
micalishis 11 months ago
@micalishis oh well that makes sense micalishis. and by the way calvinmontgomery your probably just jealous of thier success. just because you probably sing like crap and can only play smoke on the water on guitar doesn't mean you have to b***h about good bands.
ReloadTimes2 11 months ago
@calvinmontgomery How on earth do you not think your coming off as pretentious right now?
adamcj2010 1 year ago
@calvinmontgomery He broke the guitar because a string broke and he might as well have gotten a new one than buying new strings.
micalishis 11 months ago
@calvinmontgomery FUCK. YOU.
7399me 9 months ago
Jeez guys, hating on him because he broke his guitar? Childish. He broke the guitar because he broke a string. Honestly, I thought he somewhat paniced and had to cover it up. You retards who think he did it because he was "in the moment" are just...well...retarted. And besides, he has enough money for another guitar.
luigimarionn 1 year ago 3
@luigimarionn he has enough money for twenty
ReloadTimes2 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I remember watching this when it aired and thought..."Kurt Cobain smashed his guitar way better on SNL...and I wish music was as good as the 90's, not like this.. "
bunnygal079 1 year ago
Ahahah, funny.
azzz555 1 year ago
After watching the whole video I have to say that Mr. Butler has some issues.
I mean, if the whole song is played with chords, then one string breaking isn't going to make any difference at all. If he played lead it'd be different, but he was fine with 5 strings.
Ripping the others out and smashing it just looks bad and is a waste of a good guitar.
I love their music, but my opinion of Win just dropped way way down..
Just my two cents.
nBode 1 year ago
@nBode
Yeah, well, he can do whatever he wants.
Antihero829 1 year ago
i remember this! he broke a string and cut his hand open. great performance otherwise.
mrgeoovanni 1 year ago
I remember watching this on SNL a few years back, It was the first time I've had heard of them but since then not much.
pwm9433 1 year ago
I watched them perform this. I had heard of them a bunch of times, but i never HEARD their music before.
Anyway, when he smashed his guitar, it came off as so fucking lame and unnatural. Very unnatural, not intense at all.
madeyes4u 1 year ago
@madeyes4u He didn't intend to break it but a string broke so he decided to get a new one instead of replacing the strings.
micalishis 11 months ago
Expert? How many acoustic guitars have you smashed?
Not as if he's a fucking NFL tightend, he's a lead singer, where exactly is it written that he has to demolish guitars in a single stroke?
SunShawnSean 2 years ago
What song where they playing?
SebastianKillerQueen 2 years ago
sounds like intervention
callmejake22 1 year ago
that is some highly contrived guitar smashing. and how many times did he have to slam it on the ground? it's a fucking acoustic. what a pussy.
BruceWillisInDieHard 2 years ago
@BruceWillisInDieHard
Well, he sure has a bigger wallet than you, man. He can afford breaking guitars every once in a while. And as for Win Butler being a pussy...why don´t you try breaking an acoustic in a single stroke? If you do so, post a video, please. : )
kurokieva07 1 year ago
If I was playing live on saturday night live and 2 of my strings broke and I couldn't play the song right because of it, I'd smash my guitar too.
JRFproductions 2 years ago 5
Totally agree! What a fucking bad time for a string to snap! I'd soooo fire my guitar tech,
Stra2casterAtHotmail 2 years ago
@JRFproductions I loled at this comment hahaha
UseTheLoo 1 year ago
i saw this live on tv. kinda blew my mind.
PieceofMindmusic 2 years ago
He broke a string and figured fuck it. I got no problem with it. Besides, they're awesome.
Subway4Lunch 2 years ago 7
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How original. No one's ever done that before ... except The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Yardbirds, The Clash, Nirvana, and on and on and on.
BlackProteus 2 years ago
get out of the past asshole
slappop7 2 years ago
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It's not a matter of me being in the past, it's a matter of this band being in the past. It's like a modern day poet still writing sonnets or something. It's been fucking done, mate.
BlackProteus 2 years ago
@BlackProteus but if the sonnets that were "already done" are emotional and beautiful, who cares?
WakeUpStudios930 2 years ago
@WUS: Okay, you're right, everyone should keep playing 1990s style rock 'n' roll forever, rather than innovating anything. That's a good way to live: Fuck progress, change, evolution, etc. Let's just keep doing what's already been done.
BlackProteus 2 years ago
You make it sound as if they're the only band in the world ? how about they stick to this - what they're good at, and you get your fix of new 'folktronica' or w/e the fuck the new 'in' thing is.
mattcattt 2 years ago
@BlackProteus
So none of those bands are original either? You must have a shitty music collection.
JohnyJoe 2 years ago
wow that sounded like an organ just how muse's megalomania ends like
mgutierrez7500 2 years ago 3
no it was some saying in creole about haiti and he did tht for some reason on the poverty of the country
ybag3169 2 years ago
why are you guys hating on this guy? he's right, it is a creole saying that he probably picked up from haiti. its loosely "an empty sack can't stand" or something like that.
xxSchrutedItxx 2 years ago
One of his strings broke, and, well, I guess he wasn't too happy about it.
Mineav 2 years ago 7
I don't think anybody understands, I'm pretty sure he smashed the guitar because he was upset about the set-up
he wasn't trying to symbolize anything lol
SorthNarolina 2 years ago
His string broke during the song.
MonsterBeverage 2 years ago 5
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Just another idiot with more money than sense!
TheMattwelch 2 years ago
are you kidding me? arcade fire is one of the great bands out there who doesn't make much money but keeps making great music purely for the sake of great music. win butler in my opinion is an incredible lyricist and composer
themellowmello 2 years ago 52
@themellowmello LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO "doesn't make much money" LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO billboard LMAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO "doesn't make much money" LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO "doesn't make much money" LMFAO LMFAO LMFAO
antiirony 1 year ago 4
@antiirony They make lots of money! They won "Best Album of the Year" at the Grammys (I think that was the award show, I don't know I always mix them up). Why don't you just go crying to your little Justin Beiber or Rebecca Black.
micalishis 11 months ago
It's not about how hardcore the song is. it shows his passion for what he does. arcade fire is full awesome.
HandsBySide 2 years ago 5
It always gives me a kinda sad feeling if I see someone smashing a guitar.. I respect my intrument, these people seem not to.
Schwampz 2 years ago
The important part of the music is the person playing it.
TheOdderOne 2 years ago 3
why does a song have to be hardcore? the passion, emotion, meaning, build up, of the song explains the guitar smash, and the fact 2 strings broke.
flaredfullyfinally 2 years ago 8
jeez, some you guys need to lighten up. It's his Guitar to smash......
interestingusername 2 years ago 6
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what an assclown. yea, i said it. wayne coyne knows what im talking about.
KC7689 3 years ago
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rollingstones faggot
leetsawcee 3 years ago
yeah you and wayne coyne can go and hate on radiohead, arcade fire, beck, and any other band that is bigger than him.
flaredfullyfinally 2 years ago 19
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KC7689 3 years ago
Not only did he smash the guitar cause one of the strings broke, but he ripped like 3 others off after it broke.
wideogames 3 years ago 2
haha that was dope
Redsocks343 3 years ago
He smashed it because one of the strings broke.
OfCanada 3 years ago 3
The hell did he do that for? What kind of music was this band doing again? The hell is wrong with the world.
dcrcjoo 3 years ago
3 hits?
h0ck3yguitar 3 years ago
what does his guitar say???
jaimedelgado 3 years ago
Sak Vide Pa Kanpe - means "an empty bag can't stand.", apparently. Haitian proverb, there's a bit more about it if you google the phrase.
jennyhaze 3 years ago
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thank you maam
jaimedelgado 3 years ago
LMAO YAY
1godfather01 3 years ago
Who smashes an Acoustic guitar? Honestly.
Fenvox79 3 years ago
what a stupid question
domlo66 3 years ago 2
Correction: Best band from this decade. I think I got a little carried away there.
songforcarol23 3 years ago
How is it ridiculous? AF is the only good band left of the decade. His guitar was fucked up, so he smashed it. No big deal. It's not like he kicked in a speaker or an audience member's face.
songforcarol23 3 years ago
Only good band left of the decade?
Pfft.
papermatemusic 3 years ago 4
You obviously aren't searching hard enough. Look beyond mtv and you'll see a slew of bands that are good. They're just not publicized. Arcade Fire is pretty up there, though. Loved neon bible.
bilbomarks 3 years ago 3
i've now lost all faith in youtube.
kingtophe009 3 years ago
i wonder how much guitar smashing has taken place on saturday night live alone.
U2rock55 3 years ago
HAHAHA This is ridiculous, he can't do that, it doesn't look right ... I mean i like Arcade Fire and their stuff is quite good ... but seriously smashing guitars looks good on stage when people like Pete Townshend and Jimi Hendrix do it.
Aksentievich 3 years ago
dude if he wants to smash his guitar let him smash his guitar, its totally cool
numchucksteve 3 years ago 7
For better or for worse, and for whatever reason whatsoever - that was probably the most "rock and roll" moment on SNL since Fear did the Hallowe'en episode in the 80s. Or when Elvis Costello switched songs mid-set.
EcksAddikMcAddik 3 years ago 4
Fucking love this band. One of the best live bands in the world today!
AudioSuede 3 years ago
Win is a little bit... harsh,but that's part of his cooleness. Regine is the one who must worry about that, I guess.
Gui07 3 years ago
haha, awesome
cheezy98 3 years ago
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i thought arcade fire were cooler than that. what a stupid, cliche stunt to pull. makes me wonder if they'll write another 'funeral.' that last album didn't have it. buncha brats, likely.
starbuck26 3 years ago
i think he handled it pretty well considering his guitar string broke about halfway through the set..
firozfuryu 3 years ago 3
If you watch the whole thing, his string breaks and he starts breakking of all the rest until their are like, 2 left so he plays the last notes and smashes the guitar.
JRFproductions 3 years ago 2
You know I wondered why he started pulling out his strings. I watched this episode of SNL. I was really enjoying the song until all that. Now I understand he was pissed that a string broke during his set. But I still think he went a little overboard.
mckludge2002 3 years ago
i'm not a big fan of them, but i liked this song.
what's it called?
garscream 3 years ago
Intervention. It's one of their best!
WellWellMrBond 3 years ago
What song was this that they played?
w119bjk 3 years ago
Intervention.
WellWellMrBond 3 years ago
Thank you.
w119bjk 3 years ago
this band is ssssoooo BORING!!!!
sophiefromboonton 3 years ago
Arcade Fire kicks ass
mcphatjoe 3 years ago 3
OVERRATEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
scumface12 3 years ago
I saw them play in San Diego, the guy was getting pretty pissed that the sound was cutting out. He's just a perfectionist, and it shows sometimes. If they weren't so damn awsome I wouldn't excuse it, but note he never does his outbursts during a song. He wouldn't compromise the music more.
promontorium 3 years ago 2
ok, i am a musician myself, and there is no reason for other people to get mad at you for being a perfectionist on the music YOU write! if you want something to sound the way you envisioned it then you have every right to do so!
Fisheloph2 3 years ago
well I agree, however music evokes emotion, and if the musician is yelling and smashing things, the reaction might be anger at a sloppy performance. I'm sure Arcade Fire is so damn good because they are perfectionists. Like when they re-released "No Cars Go" on their second full album, it was 10 times better than the single. And the single was great.
promontorium 3 years ago
I think he was just adding some extra percussion as well though, notice how he keeps the smashing in time with the song lol
jdh1990110 3 years ago 2
erm guys he said in an interview that the thing kept cutting him and he hated it
l3inaryl3urnout 4 years ago
I think that Arcade Fire knows how to give a good image of the band. They are fabulous and they show at everybody that they're fabulous... Win Butler is a fabulous person, but we can't forget all the band : I love Regine, (caus' she speaks french I think), Will is crazy and hilarious, Jeremy too, Sarah is beautiful, Tim is class and relax...
This band is fabulous and Win Butler is incredible.
PS: sorry for my horrible english, I'm french
albionorarcadie 4 years ago 3
you write like a native speaker, and better than most of the "native speakers" on here!!!
lucperkins 4 years ago
amazing comments he smashed the guitar ...he felt the need t do it...if he felt the need to have a wee on the floor hed have done that..all part and parcel so put up with it...fact is its the best song ive heard for a long long time
chlolou10 4 years ago
he smashed it cuz a string broke in the middle of the song
jarhead1292 3 years ago
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shitty band and smashing his acoustic guitar at the end was the dumbest thing ive ever seen
mickmars69 4 years ago
you fucking suck
seanist 4 years ago 4
I love the band, love the song, love this performance, but it would have been such a moment if the song had just ended. Totally threw me off seeing him smash the guitar. I just think that this is something I'd expect to see Iron Maiden do or something.
chumbersdee 4 years ago
"During the performance one of Win Butler's guitar strings broke prompting him to rip the strings from his acoustic guitar and smash it on the floor until it shattered. On this guitar, "sak vide pa kanpe" was written in duct tape across the front. A Haitian proverb meaning "that which is empty cannot stand up" in Creole, this was a reference to the extreme poverty of Haiti, the country of origin of Régine."
mejaii 4 years ago 5
Wow, mejaii. Thanks for unlocking the meaing of this proverb. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Shows something about their social commitments. How cool this band is.
bhaktipoet 4 years ago
HAHAHA thats an exact quote from their wikipedia article
smellieslippers32 4 years ago
Notice the quotation marks.
jordanzed 4 years ago
lol ahah didnt notice that before
i just thought it was pretty darn funny
smellieslippers32 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I knew something bad was going to happen when I thought that I saw strings breaking early into the song............sure nuff, the retard smashed the axe. Way to go Pete Townsend didn't break enough in the 60's?
Ulai777 4 years ago
Oh the anger, these guys and girls really mean business. Listen up world we're one of those bands thats anti-music industry and tv, but we roll up on a Friday night and make little angry gestures to the world, cos we're serious about our craft. These guy's have sadly lost it and believe their own hype. I was a fan of the music but not the gestures, R.I.P.
mattycfox 4 years ago
He bought the guitar and he can do anything he wants with it. If your bookbag strap breaks halfway through the year, and you decide not to "fix it" or "give it" to someone who needs a bookbag regardless of the strap, but throw it away - It's the same thing. It's not an insult to the company who made the bookbag.
If you think it's not a justifying analogy, I'd like to see you justify your pissyness at Win with something better.
Get over it.
gracie29w5 4 years ago 3
The best bit is how none of the others really look shocked by the fact hes twatting his guitar off the floor live on tv.
RobotGirlCandySwirl 4 years ago
Craig Nicholls Does it so much better
RemyRiz 4 years ago
win butler is an incredible man. and it said on his guitar in reflector tape something in haitian proverb about hunger and hollowness, so yeah, that is amazing that he did that while millions of people were watching him. this song really sends out a good messsage, what a great preformance!
jenniferlongbottom 4 years ago
It actually said, "that which is empty cannot stand up".
plopsack 4 years ago
che idiota
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motosikofoi 4 years ago
yup this was intervention. and
they played really well on SNL
at least i thought so
crisp3kr3am 4 years ago
despite the retro-theatrics, Arcade Fire is a rare wonder.
josephkraemer 4 years ago
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would it be "intervention"???
arydze2 4 years ago
WHAT SONG WAS THIS CALLED
SlimJim1432 4 years ago
what a complete fucking dickhead.....
jaj4764 4 years ago
Why?
yeahdude666 4 years ago
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what is that song called
peacexlovejackie 4 years ago 2
When he broke the string it cut his finger up somehow as he continues to strum. You can see how he wants to tear up in the video.
LightBulbFilm 4 years ago
win can do whatever the fuck he wants
ambermoon01 4 years ago
I never was a fan of guitar-smashing. Complete waste!
ohsosexydevinx3 4 years ago
this band is not the right type of music for guitar smashing.
MacDizzleABN 4 years ago
INTERVENTION
YESSS LOVE THAT SONG.
kick ass.
shyeahhman 4 years ago
Well, that was completely random.
Inappropriate dare I say?
Negat1veCreep 4 years ago
he broke a string and siad fuck it i might as well break the whole guitar. still a bit random though
drummastajoel 4 years ago
The guitar smashing was really lame. It has already been done before (The Who, who is a much better band than these clowns.) so there is no point in doing it because they just look stupid.
CoolDude8675309 4 years ago
he broke a string, got pissed at smashing his guitar.
fuck, educate yourself bitch
PortugalTheAccount 4 years ago
Yeah, no shit
yeahdude666 4 years ago
Yea no shit you like cocks in your butt?
yeah, no shit.
PortugalTheAccount 4 years ago
what a lame ass comeback I bet you are actually gay...
lestatspawnofmagnus 4 years ago
Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not gay.
If I ever decide to try it though I'll make sure to call you.
PortugalTheAccount 4 years ago 4
thanks
mtlhedty 4 years ago
AWESOMENESS!
1hotsauce1 4 years ago
what is this song called?
mtlhedty 4 years ago
nbc's takedown notices can suck my balls. i wanna see the full clip!!!
tungfu 4 years ago
he did it because the strings snapped while he was playing. it's on wikipedia.
placebo525 4 years ago
When you're playing a live show and you count on your guitar to sound good and half you strings break, that is fucked no matter how you say it. It's cute how you ignorant little boys are desperate to take the man down.
khybor 4 years ago
All those people who continue to say that Arcade Fire suck, please, leave them alone. They may be as close as my generation ever gets to a really good band.
Also, please note that the duct tape on Win's guitar has some haitian proverb, which speas about freeing Haiti. Also note that Win's wife, Regine, is Haitian.
hflevack 4 years ago
whats the name of the song they were playing?
Poaet 4 years ago
intervention
finnyjay 4 years ago
In case anyone hasn't seen the whole song, the strings on his guitar were breaking, to which at the end of the song he started pulling them out himself, and ultimately smashed the guitar. Probably out of frustration that is was unplayable halfway through, plus the fact it's live TV you don't really think improvisational things out, you just do them.
beehappy2day2 4 years ago