Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols
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| Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols | ||
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| LP by The Sex Pistols | ||
| Released | October 28, 1977 (UK)
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| Recorded | October 1976, March to August 1977 | |
| Genre | Punk rock | |
| Length | 38 min 50 s | |
| Record label | Warner Bros. | |
| Producer | Chris Thomas, Bill Price | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| Allmusic.com | 5 stars out of 5 | link (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB020405011556210984&sql=Awh9ds37ba3zg) |
| Sex Pistols Chronology | ||
| Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977) | The Great Rock And Roll Swindle (1979) | Flogging a Dead Horse (1980) |
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols is an album by the British punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Released October 28, 1977 (see 1977 in music) on Virgin Records, it was the only 'official' album of their career, although after the band split up numerous compilations and bootlegs including The Great Rock And Roll Swindle (the soundtrack to Malcolm McLaren's film loosely based around the Sex Pistols) and Spunk (pirated unreleased versions of basically the same songs as NMTB recorded for A&M Records) were to appear.
The album's release was met by a hail of controversy, and an attempt was made to prosecute a record shop in Manchester for displaying the 'obscene' cover in their window. However the case was overturned when defending QC Sir John Mortimer produced expert witnesses who were able to prove that the word "bollocks" was a legitimate Old English term originally used to refer to a priest, and that in this context it meant 'nonsense'. Further outrage was sparked by tracks like "God Save the Queen" and "Anarchy in the U.K.", which were perceived as musical assaults on the monarchy and capitalist society, although such notoriety did little to harm the record's sales in the UK.
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols is now considered a highly influential 'rock classic'; lyrically and musically it was a violent assault on contemporary British foibles and frailties. Lead singer Johnny Rotten's slurred, angry vocals scream about corporate control, intellectual vacuity and political hypocrisy, whilst Steve Jones' multi-layered guitar tracks created a much emulated 'wall of noise' foil to this sneering contempt (Producer Chris Thomas took a different approach from earlier punk records, achieving a very clear sound layered with multiple guitar overdubs). Some have however argued that the album is over-produced, and that the Pistols had lost their initial spark of energy and exuberance by the time it was recorded. The band's previous singles, such as "Anarchy in the U.K.", were re-recorded for the album, and many fans believe they lack the energy of the originals.
It went all the way to #1 on the UK Charts and peaked at #106 on Billboard Chart in the US. Though sales were slim throughout the world, the Sex Pistols established a wild reputation in the burgeoning punk scene; they were never able to capitalize on their celebrity, though, with the band falling apart before their career could progress much beyond Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols.
It was voted as the best album of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll. In 1998 Q magazine readers voted Never Mind the Bollocks the 30th greatest album of all time; in 2003 the TV network VH1 placed it at number 17. In 1987, Rolling Stone magazine named it the second most important album of the previous 20 years, behind only the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Track listing
- "Holidays in the Sun" (Cook/Jones/Rotten/Vicious) - 3:19
- "Bodies" (Cook/Jones/Rotten/Vicious) - 3:01
- "No Feelings" (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 2:48
- "Liar" (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 2:39
- "Problems" (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 4:09
- "God Save the Queen" (Cook/Jones/Lydon/Matlock) - 3:17
- "Seventeen" (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 2:00
- "Anarchy in the U.K." (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 3:30
- "Submission" (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 4:10
- "Pretty Vacant" (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 3:14
- "New York" (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 3:03
- "E.M.I." (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten) - 3:08
Personnel
- Johnny Rotten - Vocals
- Steve Jones - Guitar
- Sid Vicious - Bass
- Glen Matlock - Bass (Anarchy in the U.K.)
- Paul Cook - Drums
- Bill Price - Co-Producer
- Chris Thomas - Co-Producer
- Jamie Reid - Album Artworkde:Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols