I recently watched the new Rammstein clip 'Pussy'. I had heard a lot about this clip since it was released not long ago, and I'm sure anyone who knows this band has heard about this new track.
I wasn't surprised to hear that this clip was pulled and banned from YouTube when it was released. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, 'Pussy' is a satirical, tongue-in-cheek look at censorship and the band's inability to get laid in Germany. The film clip begins as series of staged porn sets, each with the typical porn archetypes, for example, the CEO and the secretary.
The film clip then turns into graphic hardcore porn, complete with money shots (Not quite what I was expecting, but not totally random, considering Rammstein's onstage antics).
To me, it a parody of the music clip, and the effect of censorship on artists' work. In between each scene, the band performs in front of the German flag, so I guess they have some beef with German censorship laws. My German is nowhere near is as good as it should be, so looking at the English translation of the lyrics, it is based around the narrator travelling internationally in search of a shag.
The clip legally can't be viewed by anyone under the age of 18 (in Australia anyway), and in theory, this could isolate a large group of their fanbase. Interesting to note though, I was told about this clip by a 17 year old.
I'm reminded of the drama surrounding Marilyn Manson's clip for (s)Aint, which was subsequently banned because it is alleged that everything that occurs in that clip actually occurred and is graphically represented.
I understand, and fully support, artists who challenge what is deemed acceptable and push the envelope, but is there a line between art and decency? If I wanted to watch porn under the guise of art or a music clip, I would do so. At what point does it cease to be art and become gratuity?
