Ray Pettibon fucking around with the American dream

"Before illusions can be lost, you must have them" writes Robert Storr in his essay "Survey" on the words and pictures by Raymond Pettibon. No doubt that Pettibon never had such illusions, his work explores the dark underside of the American dream. For Storr the 70s are the downer days of that dream with events and people like Charles Manson, J. Edgar Hoover, Patty Hearst and last but not least King Elvis and his tragical death on a commode in 1977: "Pillpopping Elvis Presley (1935-77) plays Las Vegas in Liberace livery, cadges a special narcotics agent's badge from Richard Nixon, accuses the Beatles who eclipsed him of being druggies, and dies on the commode."

Pettibon's version of "Wooden" Heart on Brigade Commerz' upcoming 10 inch record is another flirtation with the darkside of the American culture.