Would you burn a used million dollars from this man?

October 27, 2007 3:50 AM

Rockman Rock buys a lemon.

Previously.

posted by PeterMcDermott (19 comments total)

That's the guy who sidelined Jimmy. Jimmy wants a piece of him.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:49 AM on October 27, 2007

I love the concept but there don't seem to many images of the 'bad art' itself. Is that 'cause I'm a philistines and the art isn't the art the process is the art, or something? Or are they just on some part of the site I haven't found? I'm especially curious about what came out of the crushing machine that they were so unhappy with the result. Geez, I mean it almost killed him. That's bad art! :)

I'm also not sure they they seemed to find the money part so confusing. I feel like I'm missing something... :/
posted by adamt at 7:07 AM on October 27, 2007

Sweet story. Brought tears to my eyes.
posted by Floydd at 8:08 AM on October 27, 2007

Here in Liverpool, the police have a scheme whereby when they stop a motorist who can't produce tax and insurance, they put them on display. So for a couple of months, on the dock road outside the main police station, you'll see a line up of flash expensive cars -- porches, BMW's, Mercedes, Range Rovers, etc. These are displayed for a couple of months. Then, at the end of that period, the cars go off to the crusher and for the next few weeks, they display the squashed cubes of metal. Somebody walking past it might not realize it's supposed to be a cautionary tale. As it's just across the road from the Tate Liverpool, people may well think they've accidentally stumbled on a Jimmy Cauty exhibition.

The reason they squash 'em rather than auctioning them off or donating them to charity is that these cars generally belong to gangsters or drug dealers. Everyone else would tax and insure them. The concern is that anyone driving one of these cars after they'd bought it might accidentally come across the cars previous owner on their travels. Then, things probably wouldn't go so good as Mr. Respectable finds himself being dragged out of a car he's bought from the police prior to being beaten to within an inch of his life. So, presumably the lawyers just said 'crush 'em'.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:06 AM on October 27, 2007

So Cauty is the Portslade Avenger.

He shoulda got the Jetsons' car.
posted by nickyskye at 9:12 AM on October 27, 2007

I had no idea he was artist behind this. I had that poster in my bedroom in high school (late 70's).
posted by doctor_negative at 9:31 AM on October 27, 2007

Brought tears to my eyes.

As did the ALL CAPS. No Digg.
posted by doublesix at 9:40 AM on October 27, 2007

What I wanna know is, why wasn't he driving either the Timelords' singing police car from Doctoring the Tardis or KLF's Ice Cream Van. A Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear sounds awfully mundane by comparison.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:41 AM on October 27, 2007

A Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear sounds awfully mundane by comparison

I've always thought the older Super Exceed versions were very cool (and come with turbo diesel & 4wd) and could make a great Westfalia style camper van.
posted by Staggering Jack at 10:48 AM on October 27, 2007

WHY DO USED CARS ALWAYS INVOLVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY?
posted by 517 at 11:32 AM on October 27, 2007

Staggering Jack, that's amazing. Although, I think the third mirror is a bit excessive.
posted by doctor_negative at 1:54 PM on October 27, 2007

"As did the ALL CAPS. No Digg."

dumb question -
what does "no digg" mean? people have written it in several of my threads and I don't get it.
posted by vronsky at 2:33 PM on October 27, 2007

Staggering Jack, that's amazing. Although, I think the third mirror is a bit excessive.

I think they only get more excessive from there.
posted by Staggering Jack at 2:33 PM on October 27, 2007

Wow. I never really wanted a mini van before but those are really cool.
posted by doctor_negative at 2:43 PM on October 27, 2007

vronsky -- It's an ironic stab at the Digg community. If they like whatever's linked, they "digg" the post. If they don't, they'll often comment about why they don't like a particular article/link/whatever by giving a reason followed by "No Digg".
posted by spiderskull at 5:01 PM on October 27, 2007

Thanks spiderskull.
posted by vronsky at 5:07 PM on October 27, 2007

There is a video linked at the bottom of the story which shows lots of the "art." Definitely bad, but overall a nice way of working out a problem. However, don't try this yourself unless you already have a reputation as an artist.
posted by maxwelton at 7:04 PM on October 27, 2007

Whoa, those Aptera's look cool. They really do look like something off the Jetsons. Unfortunately, unless they're mass produced by one of the big companies, they'll probably be prohibitively expensive and suffer from poor build quality, but even so. If I was a pop star who had a million pounds to burn, I'd buy one of those. Or an Ariel Atom. Or both.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:27 AM on October 28, 2007

Pleased you enjoyed that link, Peter. It's fun to look at. Ooh, that Ariel Atom is a classic roadster. I think the Aptera is more of a not quite yet Minority Report style suburbia. It'll sure get some rubbernecking when it comes out.
posted by nickyskye at 8:01 AM on October 28, 2007