Yes, I know: Danny Boyle managed to incorporate the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" into the gala celebration of Britishness that was the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics.
Proof to be sure, that along with the music of British Invasion Groups, '70s punk has become a vital part of National Heritage discourse, despite all of its anti-establishment rhetoric.
Rather than bemoan the fact, or even remark on it, I thought I would mention the canonization of punk as a reminder that John (Rotten) Lydon cannily anticipated the recuperation of his band by establishment culture as soon as he left the band. For at least five years or so, Lydon successfully constructed a self-consciously alternative musical identity, with the ironically named Public Image Ltd., or PiL. (I know that he does dairy commercials now, and the person who posted this "Country Life" ad blasts Lydon for it: but I think they're pretty funny. Besides, the new PiL record is great).
That the SP eventually received an establishment imprimatur seems less remarkable to me than the fact that Lydon, along side visionary musicians like Keith Levene and Jah Wobble, created a musical mode that resisted appropriation at the time, and still does to this day.
I'm pretty sure no one thought of using this song at the gala event last night:
Or this:
Proof to be sure, that along with the music of British Invasion Groups, '70s punk has become a vital part of National Heritage discourse, despite all of its anti-establishment rhetoric.
Rather than bemoan the fact, or even remark on it, I thought I would mention the canonization of punk as a reminder that John (Rotten) Lydon cannily anticipated the recuperation of his band by establishment culture as soon as he left the band. For at least five years or so, Lydon successfully constructed a self-consciously alternative musical identity, with the ironically named Public Image Ltd., or PiL. (I know that he does dairy commercials now, and the person who posted this "Country Life" ad blasts Lydon for it: but I think they're pretty funny. Besides, the new PiL record is great).
That the SP eventually received an establishment imprimatur seems less remarkable to me than the fact that Lydon, along side visionary musicians like Keith Levene and Jah Wobble, created a musical mode that resisted appropriation at the time, and still does to this day.
I'm pretty sure no one thought of using this song at the gala event last night:
Or this:
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