Album of the week - Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols

I debated whether or not to feature this record, as so many words and emotions have been devoted to it in the past 47 years; what more could possibly be said about it? I wouldn’t argue with anyone that declared it the greatest album ever made. I also wouldn’t argue if someone declared that (your pick) ‘God Save The Queen’, ‘Pretty Vacant’, ‘Problems’, or ‘Anarchy In The UK’ are the greatest rock n roll song(s) of all time. It’s all untouchable.

There are so many versions of the story of the Pistols, but 47 years on, the music is really the only story that matters (I re-watched The Great Rock N Roll Swindle recently and got kinda angry at how dismissive it is to the true brilliance of the group, no thanks to manager Malcolm McLaren’s arrogance of vision). McLaren was happy to exploit the myth that the Pistols couldn’t play; nothing could be more insulting to this group that cared deeply about their music and musicianship. It certainly is true that Sid Vicious couldn’t play bass very well, but the lore of Sid is yet another facet of the Pistols story that is a tragic tale, yet one that matters very little in regards to their recorded legacy.

The most crucial point I wanna make is that - even though he only played on one song here - Glen Matlock is the underdog hero in the story of the Sex Pistols and he looms large here. The band was essentially a four piece, three headed monster. At the root of it, the Paul Cook/ Steve Jones facet; two musicians who are so locked in, Paul’s drums and Steve’s guitar become this one giant instrument. Paul Cook (like Charlie Watts) is one of the masters of swinging, steady, relaxed beats. The tempos here for the most part aren’t fast, but they rock so damn hard that it makes everything feel fast. John Lydon is/ was a force unlike any other, and was truly the only human that was right for the job of lead singer and lyricist. While Glen is an outstanding musician in his own right, the most crucial thing he brought to the band is arguably the most important; the genius of making the songs full of hooks. Practically every song here sounds like a hit; they’re memorable, catchy, and unforgettable. The Pistols sound has no semblance of the blues; Chuck Berry inspired, yes, but Bollocks made white blooze rock irrelevant from this point onwards.

Of course there’s one song here that’s problematic; ‘Bodies’. It’s been an uncomfortable listen since the album was released, and it’s especially uncomfortable in an era when women are in danger of losing reproductive rights. I am no apologist for Mr Rotten (his recent political opinions are especially revolting), but we have no choice other than to take him at his word that the song is neither anti- or pro- abortion, but merely something that makes people think about what the act means. Damint, Johnny, I adore you and your work- how in the FUCK can you be a MAGA sympathizer?? I’ll also add that IMO the original track lineup of the album was far better in that it placed ‘Bodies’ on side two, and not the second track on side 1. As an aside, this original 11 track English version is one of my most cherished records; very few were pressed, and it’s also the most powerful sounding pressing I’ve ever heard.

It’s also important that history doesn’t lose sight of the price paid for making this music, and how the Pistols put their safety on the line to clear the way to the future. Not only were band members violently assaulted just for being the Sex Pistols, but this album had serious charges of obscenity thrown at it in the UK, which thankfully were thrown out of court.

It’s kind of a pity that it reached a point in early 1977 where Glen couldn’t get along with / deal with Johnny and left the group; the way I see it is that Glen accomplished his mission. He cemented the excellence of the songs, and went off and started the (excellent) Rich Kids where he was in control. It does seem that a strong case could be made that McLaren was consciously causing problems between the two through triangulation, which is truly appalling. With only one actual album to their name, maybe it was actually a blessing that the band flamed out and left behind the greatest one off of all time. If the Pistols hadn’t ended when they did, we may not have gotten those unbelievable first three PiL albums, either.

I’ve been obsessed with this album since my early teenage years, and somehow it sounds more and more vital and timeless with every passing year.