NME

Prodigy Court Outrage in New Video

• 25th October 1997

PRODIGY are set to cause a storm of protest if the video for their controversial forthcoming single 'Smack My Bitch Up' is released in its current form. The video, filmed last week at London's Base nightspot, features topless model Vicky Lee playing a lesbian who lurches around a club grabbing topless dancer's breasts, vommiting on some people and punching others while in the background revellers simulate having sex and taking drugs. None of the band appear in the film, which is the work of Scandinavian director Jonas Ackelund.

A Prodigy spokesman explained the video was still being worked on and that no decision would be made until the end of the week as to its final form. "Theres a very funny balance to them really, because they revel in people objecting to things they do," the spokesman said. "If we don't go ahead it won't be because we've bottled out of being controversial, it'll be because the band didn't like it. " The single has already provoked a wave of complaints from womens groups.

Liam Howlett has also hit back at Chumbawamba, who hit the UK Number Two spot recently with "Tubthumping", after they criticised 'Smack My Bitch Up' Chumbawamba have recorded their own version of the Prodigy single called 'Smack My Keith Up' which will be released to fan club members. The band's Boff said last week: "The Prodigy look radical but their songs aren't. They should go away and read some books about feminism. " Prodigy's Liam countered "I heard that Chumbawamba got together in 1982 - so it's taken them 15 years to come up with one piece of shit record. I'd like to point out that anyone of my cymbal patterns is more radical than their entire recorded output - which is basically a waste of plastic. "

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• Drugs
• Smack My Bitch Up