The Black Keys scared of selling out

The Black Keys turned down "crazy money" to use their music in TV adverts, as they were "scared".

The 'Tighten Up' group were reluctant to let their songs be used to advertise products because they didn't want to "sell out", and were advised by a manager it would ruin their career.

Drummer Patrick Carney said: "The first offer we ever had to have a song in a commercial was from an English mayonnaise company, and they offered us a lot of money - crazy money.

"Especially at the time, it was insane."

His partner in the group, singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach added: "We're hearing this, seriously, as we're driving around in a 1994 Plymouth Grand Voyager car that smells like pee. And going home to our modest apartments, and we were scared. We were 23 years old. So we passed on it."

The opposite of what the group were worried would happen came true however, and when the duo finally allowed their song 'Set You Free' in one advert for car company Nissan, it actually brought them to a much wider audience.

Dan added: "It's helped us immensely. Before 'Tighten Up', from our latest album, we'd never had a real song regularly played on rock radio. We didn't have that support, and getting these songs in commercials was almost like having your song on the radio."

The Black Keys' album 'Brothers' is out now.