2020 Album Draft- Round 9 Pick 9- Run-Sew-Read selects The Sex Pistols- Never Mind The Bollocks- Here’s The Sex Pistols.
Did I choose this album because it’s a classic, or because I actually want it on my desert island? I’m not totally sure. But the songs really do give me a boost like no other record. They make me smile. This album came out in 1977. I bought it from a record store bin in 1981. It’s one of the best album purchases I’ve ever made. None of the songs took extra time to grow on me. From Day 1, I would listen to the album without skipping any tracks.
Do I subscribe to or endorse the messages in the lyrics? Heavens no. Well, certainly not all of them. It’s not a requirement to liking the music. Like I said, the music makes me smile. This is one of the albums that got me through college. In those days I listened to Side 1 a lot more than Side 2. Today, since I no longer have to flip over to Side 2, I hear it as much as Side 1. To me, Side 2 is a more diverse listening experience. Side 1 on the other hand, could be considered one long song to my ears. Not that I’m complaining about that.
This was the Sex Pistols’ only album. They broke up early in 1978. One of the band members, Sid Vicious, died in 1979. Lead singer Johnny Rotten (real name John Lydon) started a band called PIL (Public Image Ltd). In 2013, I saw John and PIL perform at the Glastonbury Festival. For me, it was surreal. I wasn’t up close to the stage, but that took nothing away from the experience.
There is a 2002 documentary about this album and the band, that I think is quite good. It is based on actual, substantive band member interviews. The documentary can be streamed via Amazon Prime Video. It’s simply titled: ‘Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks (Classic Albums)’.
Good choice! I think as time goes by, people are beginning to forget how influential that album was back then. It wasn’t the first punk record, but it was the first one that made the mainstream media and “old” people (aka, those probably younger than I am now!) get annoyed and / or nervous. It shook up the complacent music business and put rock back in the hands of the young and the raw, opening doors for a lot of other artists and sounds that followed in the ’70s. That said, not an album I find great content wise, but I don’t mind listening to it once in a while (“Holidays in the Sun” is my favorite track, but perhaps the least typical). John Lydon is a hoot – a man born ahead of his time perhaps, smarter than people think and a master self-promoter. A fine add to the islands, Run-sew-run!
Thanks! I agree about John Lydon. He is very fun to watch. I really enjoyed the tribal feel of the live PIL music, too. ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’ is easy to like and sing along to, imo. I think that separates it from a lot of later punk that they actually inspired.
Some PIL was quite good, didn’t hear a whole lot of it but they got some airplay in Toronto in the 80s.
I saw ‘Rise’ on Mtv back then I think, and still like that song a lot. But I don’t think they got any airplay at all in my region.
that was my favorite of my limited knowledge of them… the “title track” (Public Image Limited) also got played on TV in Canada once in awhile
Look what I woke up to this morning. Again an album that chose me. I just like it. I like hard rock n roll, rough around the edges and this fits. “They make me smile”, yeah I get that.
‘Chose you’, I love it. Yes, that’s what it did for me. I feel okay singing loud along to this even with a bad voice.
You could duet with Rotten or Sid.
Haha, yep!
Well, this punked things up, to say the least on our respective islands. This is about as primal as you can get. They pretty much-heisted record companies which is funny because the record companies had been doing that to bands for a long time. They did get to deliver this before it all ended.
I don’t think a second album would have made as big of an impact…an angry/happy, raw, and loud edition to the mix.
I agree, the one album was just right, even if they could have made a lot more good music. About the record companies, the Pistols had the ‘I hate Pink Floyd’ message, mainly for attention and notoriety I assume, but then did a very ‘Floyd’ thing by including a song about the music execs (EMI) on their album.
I saw PiL in the early 1980s, and I was right up front. It was quite an experience.
My favorite track from “Never Mind the Bollocks” is “Sub-mission.” I like the humor in it.
You lucky person to have seen PIL back then.
It was quite an experience, I must say. The main thing I remember about the show is that John Lydon was wearing pajamas. (It has been a very long time, LOL.)
That’s interesting about the pajamas. In 2013 he was wearing a very loose-fitting top and pants that could have passed for PJs.
I loved this when it came out and it still gets a spinning once in a while; although as I’ve gotten older, I see it more of a great rock and roll album than a punk album (the debut albums of the Clash, Damned and Stranglers still feel and sound more punk than this) but it’s a classic nonetheless. And I love the fact that Rotten’s last word on a Sex Pistols song is ‘goodbye’ (EMI) and his first words on the first PIL song released to the public is ‘hello’ (Public Image)! I like symmetry like that!
I agree, today it does seem closer to a rock and roll sound. Who would have thought that back in 1980? I never caught that about the last word and the first word!
I can see where it would be perfect for a certain frame of mind, or to get revved up for doing housework. I know Hans has written about this album and see where it has an important place in musical history. On the island maybe if you play it you can be revved to build a raft to get us all home 🙂
Revved up is a good description. The album works well for that. 🙂
Great pick. How did this album slip to the end of round 9?
Don’t hate me, but the most interesting thing about the Sex Pistols was the book that Nancy Spungeon’s mom wrote. 🙂
I haven’t heard the full album much, but the first two singles are classic.
I know the rockumentary. Great choice