Johnny Rotten has done an advert for butter
January 22nd, 2009First of all, Johnny Rotten has done a commercial for butter. It’s below, so you can check it out, and yeah, it’s a fine advert I guess, but damn it feels tough to have those sell-out feelings about Johnny Rotten. Granted, I guess the Pistols were a manufactured band to a certain extent, so they were always about selling out, and I guess JR is all about pushing people’s buttons and showing them that they’re never as free-thinking as they think they are, but still, damn, a commercial for butter. [via]
The youtube comments are as divisive as possible, with people condemning and defending on both sides. My favorite though, is this filmed response. I can really feel what this guy is saying! He means it! I love that filmed responses can happen, and so quickly, and so well done.
Amazing! amazing ad, amazing response, amazing shot of Johnny in his country kitchen. so very bizarre. have you seen johnny on that amazing tom snyder tomorrow dvd that came out featuring old punk/new wave characters? the most awkward interview i’ve ever seen – right up there with lewis largent vs. stephen malkmus and bob nastanovich. Johnny Rotter is a dirty whore.
It’s like a piece of performance art!–by doing a butter commercial, Johnny Rotten is still promoting the Sex Pistols’ ethos that the music establishment (which he is now a part of) has sold out, your parents’ music doesn’t cut it for the next generation, and our rock gods ultimately fail us. Plus he’s probably got kids to put through college.
Of course you are both right. But when I see it, and when I think about it, my gut feeling is one of disappointment and sadness, while only my pure rationalizing mind thinks maybe it’s ok ‘cuz who decides what selling out means. And when it comes down to gut vs. mind I gotta go with gut. Sellout = lame.