Pop Eats Itself (again and again)

A quick post, I know it doesn't matter, I know I shouldn't care.  But The Clash's 'London Calling' being used in an advert?  It just seems wrong.

I know 'Should I Stay, Or Should I Go' got re-released off the back of a jeans commercial, becoming a far bigger hit than the original single and plenty of Clash songs have made it to film soundtracks, with varying degrees of success.  But the effect of hearing 'London Calling' co-opted for the benefit of a large British airline, still doesn't sit well.

Much better to hear it used in the excellent French film 'Mesrine: Public Enemy Number One', recently shown in two parts on BBC Four.  A fascinating story and great use of the song to signal a shift of location to north of the English channel.

Or am just showing my age?  Once upon a time the BBC banned the Sex Pistols Jubilee number one (or rather colluded in claiming 'God Save The Queen' was at number two while some lacklustre Rod Stewart effort was claimed to be the nation's favourite).

Now of course the Pistols (and The Clash, for that matter) are part of the soundtrack to the Olympic opening ceremony, played out before the old Queen.  Of course music changes over time, we only have to look at the hysteria over Elvis, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones - all demonised in their time before becoming part of the establishment.

Perhaps it says more about me that I still regret seeing my heroes succumbing to 'the man', when I know fine I'd take the cash.   But a far more satisfying meeting of great British music and a global audience was Danny Boyle's Olympic opening ceremony.

I didn't see it all, but I heard it and linking Grieg, with The Who, The Kinks, the Sex Pistols and The Clash, all with nice comforting dubby interludes from Underworld made more of an impression on me than any jingoistic success in rowing or three day eventing will at London 2012.

For a far better exploration of the cultural impact of Danny Boyle's 'Isles of Wonder', you could do a lot worse than reading John Robb's open letter to Danny Boyle