Sex PistolsNever Mind the Bollocks (1977)Sex Pistols Reviewer Rating: User Rating: Contributed by: BSD (others by this writer | submit your own) Published on November 26th 2004
With success came acceptance, and the accepted was no longer dangerous. It's weird to think about how in the mid-70's the Ramones were probably the fastest, loudest band in the world. What we now recognize as the standard punk song was then a revolution for the new wave of rock song writers. A group of four homely, suburban New York kids funnelled the energy of early 60's rock through their musical ineptitude, creating a clearer extension of the Velvet Underground sound that was at once fun, catchy and somewhat atonal. A year after the Ramones formed, in Britain, another band of this sort would crop up and play a role just as important in creating the noisiest genre of music ever. Using the same simplistic, catchy music as its base, their lyrics were the most cohesively vile and hate-filled to ever be presented. But before we get on to "Anarchy in the UK", "God Save the Queen", and other such modern day clichés, I think it would only be appropriate to explore the song-writing and actual talent of the Sex Pistols. While Steve Jones and Paul Cook represent the "hooligan" side of the band, the one who would pen most of their classic material was bassist Glenn Matlock. An actual musician, he had a clear idea of where to go and how well Jones could play. The sound itself owes a lot to mod rock (ala The Creation, The Who and The Action), Detroit proto-punk (namely, The Stooges and The Alice Cooper Band), and the New York Dolls. If you dissect the music from the vocals on their album and singles, you get some very catchy rock that no one else was playing in Britain as late as '75. Pub rock and prog ruled the day. The lyrics themselves combined all of the most offensive material Johnny Rotten could get a hold of before hand. Peter Hammill's "Nadir's Big Chance" was an obvious and admitted influence (the title track could very well have been a Sex Pistols song), as well as Iggy Pop and Bowie. Also, The Kinks' political awareness and sing-along capacity were evident. What is now standard song structure sounded at the time like white noise. The post-Beatles, post-"Tommy" era of pop was mature and all grown up. Non-musicians weren't supposed to try to play; rock n roll in general had largely been mutilated and forgotten. The bands to see were still ELP, Yes, and King Crimson. The fun music was being made in America, and even there, no one was listening. Rick Wakemen put on a musical ice show based around Arthurian legend. Never mind that this music was generally boring, mellow, and played to a crowd abusing downers, but it was also very safe. The white guys had made rock n roll theirs, and the white people who'd always been rock's main fan base ate it all up. Of course a band like the Sex Pistols was going to be shocking. These were the musical standards people lived with. What is now nothing but a catchphrase for fashionable posture, the song "Anarchy in the U.K." was something unheard of. Not only did they play badly live, they also advocated mindless rebellion. A lot of Americans, in turn, hated it. I believe this is based around the resentment that the Pistols didn't show off workmanship, play a tight set, etc., but I also think a lot of what they got was because of their status as "the real deal". Whereas Lou Reed (and the NY scene in general) were middle-class suburban rebels, Rotten actually lived in the poverty he sang of. So, of course in a modern context, they will not be understood. Kids my age grow up with pop music that makes the Pistols look like the mastery musicians they despised. Not as many people listen to rock. In fact, rock in its real sense (no post-80's glam metal/Aerosmith/Led Zep crap) is one of the least listened to musics. People in general are clueless as to what rebellion is. The music industry wised up after so many punk-inspired flops in the late 70's. Instead of bands like the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols challenging song structure and pop culture, we have Blink 182 indulging in copying crappy "melodic hardcore". We have "math metal", combining the most unlistenable of two worlds to create some truly useless atonal noise. We have the crust scene, that's duped itself into self-importance and self-righteousness. It's easy to ask "why didn't they go indie?", but at the time "going indie" was a process that would assuredly leave a band with nothing but a cult following. For any bands with aspirations of touring, it simply wasn't an option. And sure, there's baggage that comes with being a Sex Pistols fan who lives in the middle class Great Plains of America (like all of the trendy kids who sport their shirts and whatnot), but if you're in it for the music, it shouldn't really matter. Johnny Rotten proved to have much musical integrity by forming the great PiL, who basically created the bass-heavy post-punk sound. You think a guy who ran a clothing store wrote those songs? Not likely. So why are The Sex Pistols so important? Because they simply don't make music so urgent, vile, or catchy anymore. It's essential to listen to an recognize for anyone who wants to push the boundaries of pop farther without being pretentious dickheads. People who liked this also liked:           Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
what can I say? maybe it was really commercial but the music in itself is really good, and it did help form the punk sound we know and love today fuckin great classic album a must have ....every cut is great love johnny rotten ,,,,,and fuck you if you dont like it faggotts bollox! Wow. This record sucks. fucking awful record. i would as soon listen to crass One of the most influential as well as overrated albums ever. It obviously was crucial to the development of punk and everything that developed becaues of punk, but that fact doesn't take away from how the record as a whole is good, not overwhelmoning great like everyone seems to think. How can you breathe with all that bullshit caught in your throat? The reviewer tries to sound about twenty years older then he actually is. Your bitch ass needs to go douse yourself in gasoline and light yourself on fire. Please. You're such a know-it-all little fuck and it's pathetic. If the Ramones were the Beatles and The Clash were the Stones that would make the Sex Pistols the Monkees of punk. blink-182 ain't punk, you sucker. it's true, thouhg, the sex pistols are an amazing band even if they can get old after awhile, it's a fact that if they stayed relatively uknown like the saints than indie fags and fashin punks would revere them like they do black flag or somthin. Good, but overrated. This website is truely becoming one of the worst sources for music reviews. Why not review new, creative projects instead of sticking with a 'safe bet'. You guys have about as much credibility for recognizing talent as Drive Thru Records.Really terrible. This score is for the Sex Pistols, and for dissing on Led Zeppelin and Yes, who are two of the most talented bands of the 70s. "Pixies/Clash/Dwarves. The rest are embarrassing. Oh and for the love of christ - fuck fugazi" Again good review, more people here should go to www.allmusic.com for reference when typing out reviews. Some of you punx cant get your facts straight. I'm not sure why, but whenever I see a teenager walking down the street in the full Exploited/Punks-not-dead regalia, I just wanna drive by and scream "PUNX!!!" and then sing some Sham 69 song or something. Can anyone else relate? i sincerely hope that blink 182 comment was said in jest, or i may never sleep again..... and anyone that cares about jay z or linkin park, well, im just gonna sit in the corner and shiver for a while... now im very confused... Angel: MissAliasOC- :hmm I was just wondering, and don't take this the wrong way but, Do you like any kind of music at all? I mean your opinion is yours alone, and you have the right to voice it, But it seems to me that your pretty much negitive about most music. So what do you listen to? Angel. I've heard the album and apart from "Lying on You/Dirt off My Shoulder", I don't think it's anything great or special. If it were new songs, then I'd be more interested. Hey I was just wondering what everybody thought about Jay-Z and Linkin park teaming up on this new album thats' called, Collision course that's out today! I saw their special on Mtv again this am, and again amazing! What do you guys think? Angel :-) (delete that "s" in "bands" in my post below) The Vandals are the most punk bands ever, and anyone who says otherwise is a poseur. this stuff is essential..its better that this gets a review than the next emo schmuck everybody has forgotten in a year and a half dude you're about 27 years, 2 million swastickas and 1 dead heroine addict too late on this review Guy below me: "this band sucked. this album sucked. it still sucks. most overrated band of all time" I know. I totally hate it when bands know how to write songs and shit fuck that! this band sucked. this album sucked. it still sucks. most overrated band of all time. Decent album but I could never get into it or any early english punk except the Damned. "That depends on what you call genuine rock n roll, I guess. I'd call it more "horribly contrived ....sort of.... roll"... make of that what you will. "Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music... The only credit I will give the Sex Pistols is that they basically created the Mall-Punk genre. "Not everything has to make fucking waves. It's a bit much to ask a rock band to do anything besides rock out. At least they re-introduced genuine rock n roll to the mainstream. the sex pistols.. Currently in my rotation: You guys are waaaaaay too easy. Chinatown is obviously fucking with you guys. He may be a lonely and sad little troll for doing so but you guys need to take his Minor Threat bashing statements with a grain of salt. Ha, you fucks are still pissed about my comments... What I wrote there was flamebait. The same flamebait that you guys enjoy dishing out in reviews of good bands like Mock Orange, Ted Leo, and the like. Now we're even. cant we like just listen to music? goddamn everyones fightin over whats this or whats shit... The hair on the back of my neck still stands up when I hear the marching boots of "Holiday in the Sun". Song by song, this is an all-time classic. They pillaged the glam and rock underground (MC5, NY Dolls, Slade), got inspired by both The Ramones and The NY Dolls, and came out with this. The cultural upheaval they encouraged didn't hurt them either, which is what most of the comments below seem to be about. I'm not a Pistols fan, but I'd have to be certifiably dead to call this record anything but classic. BSD and Soybomb are now my dear friends. Chinatown, my hated enemy....Get in yur shit-talk-mobile, drive on down here to DC and we'll talk about just how non-influential Minor Threat was... For how much of a dick BSD is, he sure knows how to write an interesting review. I have no problem with admitting liking Yes' "Owner of a Lonely Heart" The video for that song was the bomb. Dude jumps off a building and turns into a hawk? Classic. You say that like Yes is a bad thing. God knows we all air guitar the whole 90125 album. Hardcore, like punk, is dead. "It's a bit much to ask a rock band to do anything besides rock out." "Neither band contributes anything to music, and don't appear to even be bothered to try. What's most depressing about The Hives is that they appear to be quite intelligent, yet they still continue to tread the well worn path of the rock revival. At least Simple Plan have the defense of being incredibly stupid, and not knowing any better." boy bands suck, whether theyre wearing punk rock bondage gear or the latest fashions "Well, for one, Chinatown, why do you put yourself into these stupid arguements you can never win? "Minor Threat is hardly what I would call hardcore. Ian sings a lot more than he screams, and the music, albeit fast, is way too soft to fit under that genre" "That's a ridiculous argument. Just because I don't think Minor Threat fits particularly well under the hardcore genre (especially their later songs; tracks 14-26 in "Discography) I am misled?" the sex pistols were a boy band put together by a future hiphop DJ. Mind you, I enjoy some of the SP stuff (as well as mr mclaren's), but its not really, well, art. its the aural equivelant of pornography or b horror movies. Image, texture, but no substance. Being the first to be popular AND obscene doesn't make it any less sophomoric. Fv This score is for The Hives, who without a doubt put on the best live show one could ever possibly see, not to mention they're plain great to listen to. "Their sound is hardly influential. " anyone who ever says an unkind word about minor threat has been GROSSLY misled about all things related to music, art, poetry, creativity, BREATHING... thanks for the history lesson. now how about a review of the record and not the band. Ok normally i disagree with BSD, but this time im handin it to ya. great review. ALTHOUGH i will point out to all you arguing over who created the pistols fashions, who wrote their songs, etc, go read lydons autobiography "rotten" and it should all be very clear. anyway the fashion argument really needs to end...i dont care what bands you like but quit rippin people for what they wear. that is easily the most senseless ongoing argument on this site. just because more than one person on earth are wearing the same thing doesnt make it a trend or even a fashion for that matter.....and oh yeah one more thing..chinatown FUCK OFF!! you are the dumbest fucker on here easily. anyone who ever says an unkind word about minor threat has been GROSSLY misled about all things related to music, art, poetry, creativity, BREATHING... also, Led Zeppelin were on an indie label, Swan Song, in '74. "In fact, rock in its real sense (no post-80's glam metal/Aerosmith/Led Zep crap)" Great album, the only song I'd consider skipping is Submission. It's hard to go past Bodies though, best song on the album. "Aside from the Thermals, I can't think of any good garage rock revival bands. "Minor Threat is hardly what I would call hardcore. Ian sings a lot more than he screams, and the music, albeit fast, is way too soft to fit under that genre." "Quite the opposite. I believe that by listening to the GOOD punk, the GOOD hardcore, and everything else, we can hope to create something new and more relevant." Really, Chinatown, your comments may as well just say "I'm really ignorant". Aside from the Thermals, I can't think of any good garage rock revival bands. Well, for one, "Who were the last good band to get popular? The Hives? And people don't even care about them anymore..." My conclusion from all of this is that the latest Leatherface record really should've moved a few thousand more units. Who were the last good band to get popular? The Hives? And people don't even care about them anymore... Mainstream music will always be worse than underground. Mainstream fuels creativity in the underground. As for music now... I could only pray that we see a re-emergence of good music in the mainstream (ie: 1990's grunge, 70's rock). Gray- the hardcore of today such as the hatebreed type bands is a complete and total joke. its turned into a fucking equation, dare i say it, almost like pop punk bands. you plug in a few variables with a metallic growl and a breakdown for idiots to start punching the air and tell the kids "I WILL BE HEARD" and call it hardcore. its turned into as much a fashion as the street punk genre that gets bastardized frequently on this site. ironic ain't it? then they continue to call themselves DIY and underground while whoring themselves on mtv and going on tours sponsored by mtv......OH I'm sorry, mtv2, totally different. i never knew hardcore was all about being thugs and channeling the testosterone out every single pore in your body. if anything, hardcore died in the 80's BECAUSE of all the thuggery and violence that you see in today's hardcore secne. these self proclaimed hardocre for life bands need to just call themselves metal bands for god sakes and be done with it. ***Thanksgiving Message from California Governor Gray Davis*** It seems to me like hardcore evolved into totally separate species (like man and apes). On one hand you have "punk hardcore" represented by bands like Kid Dynamite and, on the other hand, you have "metal hardcore" played by Shadows Fall, Hatebreed, and their ilk. "Minor threat aren't hardcore." Way to show yourself up there buddy. I think more of the danger in hardcore or punk bands nowadays is in the lyrics. Good review by the way. "Minor Threat is hardly what I would call hardcore. Ian sings a lot more than he screams, and the music, albeit fast, is way too soft to fit under that genre. Thanks for your input, Chinatown. I'm sorry, I guess I just don't know anything about the genre. Minor Threat is hardly what I would call hardcore. Ian sings a lot more than he screams, and the music, albeit fast, is way too soft to fit under that genre. "Your point about New York being jealous/resentful of the Pistols--NY wasn't interested in social revolution, they were interested in art. All of the bands in NY--the Dolls, Heartbreakers, Ramones, Dead Boys, Blondie--were toying with ideas of pop music. London/English bands--Pistols their circle, the Clash--were trying to create a sensation with outrageous behavior and outlandish political ideas. The Ramones and their circle HATED them for that; they stole their thunder and made punk a trend instead of a lasting musical idea (That said, the Ramones loved playing in England because they were so popular)." gotta agree with that article below me, written by BSD i assume. "They didn't care about their music or pushing boundaries as musicians, they cared about looking the part and making money off of that look." I'll agree that this album is very important, but with some reservations. One: The Ramones did this sound earlier, they did it faster, and Joey Ramone is far more listenable than Johnny Rotten. Two: The Ramones wrote a whole album full of good stuff--the Pistols had some questionable filler on "Bollucks". I could only find the rough, but it's better than nothing hey BSD, can you please post your hardcore article somewhere on the internet then?? cause i would really love reading it "I wrote an article for my zine on the evolution of hardcore" "does that an authentic Sex Pistols fan make?" "do we have any dangerous bands anymore?" "As much as I love the Ramones I wouldn´t say that they have/had a challenging song structure." Despite what the kids say, I've always really enjoyed this album. As for BSD, I can't figure out why people slag him - he's one of the few intelligent sounding people on this website and I generally agree with him (except for when he said psychobilly was just a gimmick genre, but I'll let that slide.) '' the sex pistols and the clash are fucking clown shoes.'' " Instead of bands like the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols challenging song structure and pop culture," So if the Pistols are important for being dangerous on all levels, have there been any other bands since them that have had the same effect? The Black Flag-led scene caused riots in LA, and I think GG Allin was a later incarnation of their spirit....but other than that, do we have any dangerous bands anymore? "Adam, I think you missed my point, but I appreciate your efforts to keep me honest.... " More about the music itself would have pleased me, but then, if you're on this site, chances are you don't need to be told how they sound. BSD, you should write more reviews. a damn great review indeed. wow. i must say, this is one of the best reviews i've read in a long time on this site. the knowledge presented drives the more opinion based part of it right into yer skull. props to bsd for a well structured arguement. "I've read lots of nice, literate comments from this IP in the past but that was just a dreadfully ignorant and self-absorbed comment." Good review. I don't agree with the people giving DEP shit. I think they truly are/have pushed the boundaries of hard rock and metal. "I created Punk for this day and age. Do you see Britney walking around wearing ties and singing punk? Hell no. That's what I do. I'm like a Sid Vicious for a new generation." "Why would anyone want to listen to music that isn't technical or proficient? Why would anyone want to listen to music that isn't technical or proficient? "I'm sorry but I just don't get the Sex Pistols' popularity. They represent the style over substance aspect of music that I absolutely abhor. They didn't care about their music or pushing boundaries as musicians, they cared about looking the part and making money off of that look. In my opinion, they are no different from the Casualties. The only difference between the two bands is that the Sex Pistols have sucked for longer than the Casualties" Um no, he didn't explain. He made comparisons to the Ramones, but what do they sound like? Are they influenced by the Archers of Loaf? Yeah, but what does it sound like? Kind of pointless to write down the entire history of the band without mentioning what their music was like. The thing that bothers me about this band is how they formed and stuff. BRAVO! My first love..........I remember the day in 7th grade when I first got this. It didn't leave my cd player for a month or so. This album will always be in my top 5. I love this album, and you make some good points in the review, but I do think it's cute that you're going to one day grow up to review for Pitchfork. the sex pistols and the clash are fucking clown shoes. the ramones are the only punk band there ever was or ever will be. the end. Chinatown- So's the one for "London Calling." I mean, the guy gave it a 10, when it actually only deserves about a 2. I'd also like to point out that at this point, some people clearly lost my point. Oh well. I figured that a 16 year old should be easy to follow... I hate this record. Not because it was put out by a major, not because of the band's commerical intentions, just because the songwriting and lyrics suck ass. Thanks for all the compliments... Since my review IS the argument, I won't really bother here... I'm sorry but I just don't get the Sex Pistols' popularity. They represent the style over substance aspect of music that I absolutely abhor. They didn't care about their music or pushing boundaries as musicians, they cared about looking the part and making money off of that look. In my opinion, they are no different from the Casualties. The only difference between the two bands is that the Sex Pistols have sucked for longer than the Casualties. I abhor this band. Not that I feel like having everything degrade into an argument here, but to the person who said: "I've always thought that most people claim to like the Sex Pistols for the same reason they claim to like the Beatles: because they read somewhere that they were influential, and not because they actually listen to the record a lot, identified with the lyrics, and were able to rock out to it" "whether or not you agree with the pistols' status within the scene, you have to give BSD for writing one the most well developed reviews on this site. thanks for finally giving people on this site something worth reading" whether or not you agree with the pistols' status within the scene, you have to give BSD for writing one the most well developed reviews on this site. thanks for finally giving people on this site something worth reading. More relevant for their ability to annoy than their ability to rock. "Instead of bands like the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols challenging song structure and pop culture, we have Blink 182 indulging in copying crappy "melodic hardcore". We have "math metal", combining the most unlistenable of two worlds to create some truly useless atonal noise....." More relevant for their ability to annoy than their ability to rock. Score is for the pistols and the review. great review. good review. I used the UK cover art when posting this because I'm a big Pistols nerd and the first review posted of this here (the short one from 2001) had the pink art. | Features
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