The fall-out over Dr. Martens' dead-soles ad campaign continues: Last week, Courtney Love complained about the use of Kurt Cobain's image in the shoe manufacturer's promotional materials–and now, the family of Joey Ramone is speaking out:
"Obviously, we are in the same position as Courtney Love, as well as the Estates of the others depicted [in the ad]," said Mickey Leigh. "We were never consulted about this ad. We were never asked for permission to use Joey's image, or paid for the use of it. As executor of my brother's estate I never would have approved this ad as Joey never wore these shoes. And, not that my brother was terribly religious, but the fact that he was Jewish, and this ad is not exactly Kosher, makes it that much more inappropriate, inconsiderate and contemptible."
Such guilt! Of course, at this point, everyone responsible has been taken to task: Dr Martens fired Saatchi and Saatchi–the agency that created the campaign–late last week, and the person responsible for leaking the images has been sentenced to five years of polishing Love's Oxblood-red boots, which she stole from Michael Stipe after a 1986 R.E.M. show at Brixton Academy.
