[12-09-97 Tues] Yet more trouble in the world of Prodigy. They've been the center of attention recently, with their video and new single, "Smack My Bitch Up." The band's "The Fat of the Land" album has consequently been pulled from Wal-Mart and now K-Mart stores. Also, the women's organization NOW has been speaking out on this issue, while Prodigy have defended themselves by saying the single lyric was taken from another song, and that they do not believe in this type of violence.
Now, British billboards advertising the song have been denounced by "sickened" politicians who are expressing "disgust and outrage," according to The Press Association. Fifteen Members of Parliament, mostly women, filed an early motion Monday persuading Prodigy's record company, Maverick - part of Time Warner, "to withdraw this advertisement immediately."
The leader of the group, a man: Barry Gardiner, said that he first noticed the billboards while driving in his car with his ten-year old daughter who asked him what the title meant, which is written in big letters on the ads. "It is extremely offensive and particularly in the sense of violence against women," Gardiner said. "I am not a prude and I think the Prodigy are a very good group. But they should think about the message they are giving out, especially to young women, and to young men about the way they should treat women. (They should) sack their advertising manager." England's Advertising Standards Authority is also formally investigating the poster campaign after many complaints. A Prodigy spokesperson said that the campaign was over anyway.
Prodigy - December 09, 1997
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