I guess everyone has his price. Even Bob Dylan.
Friday's Wall St. Journal story by Brian Steinberg delivered the news: Dylan has sold his soul for a sack of gold.
He's now the celebrity pitchman for Victoria's Secret. He appears in the new TV commercial for the chain's "Angels" line while models writhe to a remix of his 1997 song "Love Sick."
Some fans are distraught. "I'm going to have to go blow my brains out," says John Baky, curator of a collection of Dylan material housed at Philadelphia's La Salle University.
This is Dylan's first-ever appearance for an outside marketer. It won't be the last, trust me. Is nothing sacred?
Here's the Journal's story:
- Bob Dylan Gets Tangled Up in Pink
Victoria's Secret Campaign
Drafts Counterculture Hero;
Just Like the Rolling Stones
Bob Dylan has gone from "Tangled Up in Blue" to tangled up in women's lingerie.
As part of a move to bring Mr. Dylan's music to new audiences, the enigmatic singer-songwriter, one of the last cultural figures from the 1960s to continue to live outside the boundaries of mainstream pop culture, is making his first appearance as a celebrity pitchman — for Limited Brands' Victoria's Secret.
A mustachioed Mr. Dylan, 62 years old, appears in a new television ad for the sexy chain's "Angels" line while models cavort to a remixed version of his 1997 song "Love Sick."
Mr. Dylan spent two days on a shoot in Venice after Victoria's Secret approached his label, Sony's Columbia Records. The concept was suggested by Leslie Wexner, Limited Brands' chairman and chief executive, says Ed Razek, Limited Brands' president and chief marketing officer.
The TV spot debuted this week during "American Idol" on News Corp.'s Fox, and is expected to air on various channels for about three weeks, according to Mr. Razek.
The commercial, created in-house, may return in the fall, he adds.
Mr. Dylan once sang of "Advertising signs that con you/Into thinking you're the one/That can do what's never been done/That can win what's never been won/Meantime life outside goes on/All around you" in his 1965 song "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)."
Now, some fans are distraught: "I'm going to have to go blow my brains out," says John Baky, curator of a collection of Dylan material housed at Philadelphia's La Salle University.
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
headline: "Bob Dylan in Women's Underwear! Ad" Shock, horror, etc.
2 - Douglas Mays
I saw that commercial for the first time last night. At first I was wondering if it was real or not.
I wonder how much coin was attached to it...
3 - Natalie Davis
The price was higher than mere coin. Others may poke fun, but for me, this is yet another sad, sad development in an increasingly broken, seemingly hopeless world.
4 - Al Barger
Yes, the Jew Dylan took Victoria's thirty pieces of silver...
No, wait- maybe I've been just a little TOO involved with that Mel Gibson movie.
Sorry. I couldn't help myself.
5 - Douglas
Al,
Oh yeah, that movie by Mel Gibstein making all that money.
6 - J-DOG
Its Alright Ma, I'm only greedy, or is it needy?
Nothing is sacred anymore, me being a 25 year old, HUGE fan of Dylan and his music, I feel torn about all of this. Like when Rage Against the Machine played on the MTV music awards (the biggest "machine").
I know I like his music, even his new stuff is brilliant, but now I feel a little sick everytime I hear his songs.
What the f--- was he thinking?!?
7 - Natalie Davis
Ka-CHING!
8 - js
truth of the matter is that bob dylan has generally tried to not let the general expectations of the audience govern his actions....this is akin to the reaction to his first electric concert and the vehement negative response from the fans in the auditorium at the time. If there is an overwhelming feeling that the fans would think of him as a sellout for participating in a victoria secret commercial like this then I think he probably feels all the better about it. If you think about it, really, the shocking juxtaposition of his iconic nature with the trite material image of the lingerie giant is very andy warhol-like in it's satire
9 - sheri
Bob Dylan, rockin' with the angels in their itty bitty panties. Eat your heart out!!
Nevermind me, I'm on a roll .
10 - js
touche' sheri...I'm sure bob's had enough social commentary and songs protesting injustice....time for a little fun...
11 - Law Journal Review
Bob Dylan sued over "Dignity"
See Link below
http://www.geocities.com/Proposal112000/James_Damiano.html
12 - Bob A. Booey
I wrote a lot about this on that ridiculous Madonna posting. Look there.
That is all.
13 - Douglas Mays
I am watching A&E Biography about Bob Dylan right now. Though it may seem a bit odd himm being in a Victoria's Secret ad, but he knows what he is doing. He is actually being the Dylan we know him as.
He always had to suffer with the 'sell out' accusations. Like when he went from acoustic to electric. Anyway, very intetesting piece on A&E. Catch it on the reruns.
peaceloveguidance
14 - James
Hey,
Could someone cap the commmerical, both Bob's and Adriana's parts/sections and e-mail them to me?:)
Thank you:)
15 - Clive Melton
“Dylan Sells Out!”
Bob Dylan has sold out! What, again? Let me see; how many times is that now? Well there was that time he went electric. Then he started to play Country and Western music. That won him a lot of new fans in the C&W fraternity. Of course he got God. And that “Endless Tour” was nothing but a money making machine to pay off his ex-wives. Oh, yeah; then there were The Times They Are A-Changing and the underwear ads. And finally we have the "“Oh my God, he’s finally made into the twenty first century”- ipod advert! (Please, correct me if I’ve missed something out.)
Well what did you expect? Dylan has the needs of a man like any other. He needs to pay his rent and have a bit of enjoyment on the side. If you don’t know this, what HAVE you been listening to for the last 45 years? You might like to think he’s the messiah but he’s not. He’s an artist who’s been showing us the inside of his head and his heart with a consistently greater degree of skill, even brilliance, than any other singer/songwriter of the last 50 years. And for this, I for one am eternally grateful. So shut up, stop your whinging and be happy that the poetry of this man is liable to find the ears of new listeners. By the way, Bob Dylan is not answerable to anyone other than Bob Dylan, and I’m not even sure about that.
16 - Grace MOrga
I don't understand why everyone is so upset about the commercial. I've bee a huge Dylan fan since I was born and when I saw the commercial i was cracking up. It's funny, he's said he'd never "sell out" unless it was for an underwear commercial, and he did it. He's in a commercial with some of the most beautiful women in the world and they are in their undies. why would any man turn down the offer?