3rd July 2008 - I'm gutted I'm missing the Sex Pistols...posted by Richie



OK…blog one. I’m not too good at going on about myself 
but as a compulsive obsessive I think I’ll choose to write 
about the things that take up far too much of my mental 
space than they rightfully should.

Today I have chosen to ramble about one of the greatest
and most important bands, who incidentally I am going 
to miss by a day TWICE this year - the Sex Pistols.

Now, it is my humble opinion that although the Clash, 
the Damned and …er Sham 69 were all good punk bands, 
none can hold their own against the Sex Pistols.

My obsession began early…the first record I owned was 
“Rise” by Public Image Limited (this is my cool “first record”. 
In truth, my mum got it for me. My first real record purchase 
was “Swing The Mood” by Jive Bunny). I must have been about 
5 years old and when I wouldn’t stop screaming “anger is an
energeeeee!” you could forgive my parents for fearing the worst.

At that point, my mind saw Lydon as part pantomime, part 
looney toon. I became obsessed with PIL.

Oddly, I didn’t get to hear “Never Mind The Bollocks” until 
much later…I think I must have been 15 or something. I remember 
being immediately bowled over. It just came from the speakers 
with such unrelenting visceral energy and totally changed my life.
How could a record that was already over a decade old still have 
such an impact? The answer is it simply remains the timeless 
masterpiece it is today. Put it on, tune it up and I think it’s quite 
easy to see how a handful of tunes not only incensed a nation but 
came close to tearing up the fabric of society 
(if you were a Daily Mail reader in the 70’s.)

The other great work in the Sex Pistols cannon is the “Filth & The Fury” 
documentary that came out in the early part of this decade. Rarely do 
such films wear their heart on their sleeve but F&TF gets so close to 
the bone it often makes for fairly uncomfortable viewing (Lydon breaking 
down over Sid’s death and the extraordinary footage of their last ever show).
It's also worth it for the often hilarious accounts of the times from the band
themselves which serve to remind you that in 1977 the revolution was being
led by five teenagers from north London. To quote Johnny Rotten, "the first
lyric I ever wrote was 'I am the anti-christ' and I couldn't think of another
damn word that rhymed with it!"

It remains essential viewing and after seeing the premiere, I went out 
and started Dead At Thirty, the label on which we would release our first 
two records.
               
If you ever feel down on your luck, put it on. You’ll feel ready to take 
the world on again…I promise.

So…what I am saying is, if you are at a festival and the Sex Pistols 
are playing then it’s well worth enduring the wrath of distain from your 
peers to see them. The Sex Pistols are not museum pieces but a history 
lesson than any young musician could receive a hell of an education from.

Check out:



Never Mind The Bollocks - CD

The Filth & The Fury - DVD

No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs - John Lydon autobiography
Metal Box - PIL CD


Avoid


The Rock n Roll Swindle - DVD
Flogging A Dead Horse - CD
Kiss This - CD