Filthy Lucre
June 15, 2015 § 1 Comment
Last week, news broke that the Sex Pistols, those paragons of punk rock, were going to be featured on new Virgin Money credit cards in the UK. Not surprisingly, the response has been pretty passionate in attacking the Pistols for “selling out.” Even I posted a firmly tongue-in-cheek tweet:
But in all honesty, I don’t quite see what all the hubbub is about. Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols were pretty clear about their motivations in the song, “Pretty Vacant” off Never Mind the Bollocks:
I look around your house, you got nothing to steal
I kick you in the brains when you get down to kneel
And pray, you pray to your god
And if that wasn’t obvious enough, the 1996 reunion tour, which spanned 6 months, was entitled “The Filthy Lucre Tour.” There’s even a live album. The Pistols were always about making money, that’s not changed, and, frankly, despite all the hot air ridiculous marketing lines from Virgin Money, a Sex Pistols credit card is about the most punk rock thing the band can do at this point. C’mon, they’re a bunch of punters in their 50s dancing around like they’re still 22. What else did you expect?
Matthew Barlow 
Reblogged this on no sign of it and commented:
Interesting complement to remarks I posted this week-end, thinking about the “Filth and the Fury” documentary.
Selling music is what professional musicians do, that’s their job – for a fortunate few, their career. It’s absurd to think a song can cause a revolution. At best, it can only cause us to think.
The Pistols were important because they raised some interesting questions, even about the nature of rock music itself. It was an historical moment. The moment has passed.
(I admit finding irony – somewhat amusing, somewhat sad – in a credit card with words like “sex” and “anarchy” printed on it, though….)