Punk History: October 1977

This month in 1977 saw the release of The Sex Pistols’ debut album “Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols”. This was a groundbreaking album at the time of its release. To give context, the top artists on Billboard at the time of release were Debby Boone, Shaun Cassidy, and KC And The Sunshine Band.

There have been many words written on the influence/importance of the band. It ranks on all the top album lists ever created. Here is one of the reasons why.

When the Sex Pistols are up for discussion it is usually about John Lydon, Sid Vicious, or Malcom McLaren. Often left out are Paul Cook (drums), Steve Jones (guitar), and original bassist Glen Matlock. Matlock was booted from the band earlier in the year and was replaced by Sid Vicious. When the band was recording some of the songs for the album Vicious’ playing was so bad they asked Matlock to come in as a studio musician. He wanted money up front but when that didn’t happen, he wouldn’t play. Steve Jones took over bass duties to complete the album.

Glen Matlock would go on to form the band Rich Kids with Midge Ure (future lead singer of Ultravox), Steve New, and Rusty Egan. They only put out one album. Matlock still records and performs to this day. I was going to see him this year but then Covid happened. One more reason to hate this year.

Paul Cook and Steve Jones would go on to form the band The Professionals. They released several singles and one full length LP. The band was short lived because of Jones’ increasing drug habit. Both of them would be active over the years with other bands and solo projects. Paul Cook fun fact: Cook gave the members of Bananarama a place to stay when they became homeless. He also helped out with their first demo.

The band members reunited for Sex Pistols anniversary shows through the years. Here is a link to a good documentary about the band.

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8 Comments

  1. …these posts of yours about music always rock…but I remember the days when london’s kings road sported a fair few day-glo mohawks with a certain amount of fondness…& in our own way I like to think our little band of deadsplinter misfits are kinda punk…in a good way?

    …while we’re on the subject of aging punks, though…I wondered if any of the ads john lydon ended up doing ever made it to the attention of anybody stateside…because I have to say I for one did not see those coming?

  2. Fun fact:  the obscenity case over that album title hinged on the testimony of a linguist who also happened to be a priest.  He testified that the word “Bollocks”, while commonly understood to mean “balls” (which is why the obscenity case came to be), was originally a euphemism for “rubbish.”  The judge was not keen on ruling against the testimony of a man of the cloth, so here we are.

  3. Everything about the Pistols was a revelation to me – the way they sounded, the way they looked, the way they behaved. I loved how much they pissed everyone off, including my brother who had previously been a big influence on me musically. He couldn’t understand why I listened to them. That made me like them even more. They were mine in the same way The Beatles and Stones had been his.

  4. They weren’t the first to play loud, fast, sloppy and angry, but there was something about the total package.  I still remember hearing “Bodies” for the first time.  Holy shit.
     
    I recommend Lydon’s book “Rotten.”  According to him, Matlock wanted to emulate the Beatles and that’s more or less why they split.  Also, the people who revere Sid as some snarling Punk God are apparently mistaken.  Lydon’s Sid was an absolute dolt and a follower.  Being in the Pistols was probably the worst idea for him, and it is easy to see why someone like Nancy was able to lead him around by the nose. In “The Filth and the Fury” Lydon becomes tearful talking about it.
     
    If you want to see the exact moment the band died, watch the clip of “No Fun” from their last concert in San Francisco (sorry I’m at work and YouTube is filtered).

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