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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Food

What's the Sound of One Burger Flipping?

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Wendy’s – home of square hamburger patties, decent fast-food chili and the Frosty – is giving aspiring musicians and producers a chance to show off their stuff by promoting their new “Baconator” burger. (That includes six strips of bacon! At 830 calories and 51 grams of fat for the Baconator, LAist asks only one thing: What obesity epidemic??)

But we digress: By submitting an original song, contestants will get a chance to win “a full-day session with a professional producer, music industry connections, $5K and guaranteed online distribution and radio airplay.” (Not just any producer, mind you, but a professional one ...)

But there’s a catch to this contest, naturally.

The song must feature beats and sound bytes from the “Baconator” tool – synthesized sounds that are straight outta Wendy’s test kitchens: sizzling meat, lettuce ripping, salt shaking and a spatula flipping. No, we’re not kidding, but we do know that $5K will go a long, long way a few of LA’s starving artist types.

So what if you have to sell your soul? Bob Dylan’s hawking Victoria’s Secret, Iggy Pop’s got Royal Caribbean Cruises covered and we know we heard Badly Drawn Boy over a Target commercial awhile back.

So good luck laying down those tracks. Just remember: $5,000 will buy a boatload of fries.

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