Unless you habitually avoid prime-time network television, chances are you've caught at least one of the striking black-and-white commercials in VH1's new, $15 million blitz. The 30-second spots feature musicians like Jewel, Mariah Carey, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, John Mellencamp, and Pete Townshend talking about music (Richards recalling how he cowrote "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," Jagger ruminating on stardom) in a loose, conversational manner. But the spot that really rocks -- one of two featuring Townshend -- has yet to make its debut.

Filmed in a pub in London, it shows the Who's major domo, surrounded by friends and barflies, reminiscing about seeing the Rolling Stones in the early '60s. The guitarist casually recalls his gut reaction to watching Jagger dance backstage: "It was the first time I realized that I wanted to f--- a man."

Of course, rock stars talking boldly about their sexuality is nothing new. Nonetheless, Townshend's revelation caught the spot's director, Jon Kane, off guard. "When he said it, there was this sort of uncomfortable silence, and then everyone started laughing," says Kane. "I think I may have said, 'Okay, good, we're done here, and I'm going home now.'"

Kane subsequently edited the commercial, with the randy quote intact, and Townshend approved the finished cut with no problem. Not surprisingly, the guitarist's candor presented something of a dilemma to the powers that be at VH1. "We weren't expecting it," says VH1 prexy John Sykes, laughing. "My first reaction was, wow, 30 years later, he's still catching us off guard. He really is the consummate rebel. He just laid it on the line, as if to say 'Let's see you get that one on the air.'" After much discussion, the station has decided to rise to Townshend's challenge, and VH1 will begin airing the spot soon -- but with the offending verb bleeped out.