The Sex Pistols!!!!!

I'm no discharge mummy....

"the Sex Pistols' infamous early concert at the Lesser Free Trade Hall (Manchester) on June 4th 1976. Infamous, but not because of rioting crowds or lightning from the sky - "There were only 27 people, and basically we all sat there, individually spread out over this room, just with our mouths open." says Tony. The concert changed everyone's perceptions about music - no longer did you have to be talented to play in a band, punk was the very antithesis of highly crafted musicanship."

the movie 24 hour party people, more or less opens with this concert, tony wilson, the founder of factory records goes on to state that everyone at the concert would go on to start either a band or record label or both, members of joy division and later new order were present

no future no future ....

no future for you! !

Nice story djjd

Re: The Sex Pistols!!!!!


The Clash and the Pistols and the Damned were all a part of the same scene. As far as I know, the Ramones preceded them, which persuades me to give them props for "defining" punk. I know Joe Strummer has said he learned a lot from watching and listening to the Ramones.

Of course, if we want to play the whole "who came first" game, we'd go back to the Stooges, etc.

I'd have to say the Damned are my favorite British punk band. But Never Mind the Bollocks is a kick ass album for sure. My favorite tracks are Problems and New York.

check out the movie "24 hour party people". it's an interesting look at a pretty cool part of brit music history, the founding of factory records and the hacienda club

I think some of the MC5 stuff is very punky, and that was before the Pistols? Or I'm confused. Either way, "Kick out the Jams" is seriously quality.

MC5 pre dates the Pistols.

I had this playing tonight.

They are so silly.

Cheers for that. I had suspected that was the case from the length of the hair and the width of the trousers, but I wasn't sure. :wink:

What an interesting, and strangely accurate, way to determine the time period.

A Clothiers Guide to the Universe.

I find it's easier to estimate from men than women, but skirt length, hairstyle and jewellery can also be used with some sucess for the ladies. Things get complicated when retro fashions come and go, however...

The Stooges used to open for MC5--they were like a little brother band. Then reps from Elektra who came to sign MC5 found out about Iggy. With the exception of Kid Rock, Detroit has given the world some amazing music.

Good thread. I do think the Ramones deserve credit for starting the sound we now think of as punk, and, as others have noted, their trip to the UK (in '76?) inspired Joe Strummer and many others.

The Sex Pistols's sound was incredible (I still recall the first time I heard "Never Mind the Bollocks..."), but I tend to think of them now as being manipulated by Malcolm McLaren from the get-go. Whereas the Ramones were truly self-created.

Still and all, liner notes aside, however the sound came about, the Sex Pistols were a great band. There's a radio station here in LA where Pistol guitarist Steves Jones has a show and not too long ago Mr. McLaren turned up as a guest.

That would certainly be an interesting radio show...

'No future, no future, no future for you. So what you gonna do?...'

No they ROCK definately the best punk band of all time, just because of their snarling attitudes crazy stunts and drug addictions.
and of course the music is frigin brilliant.

Yeah, the music is good stuff. Unfortunately, all the snarling and vomitting, while totally entertaining, really made it tough for my boys, the Ramones, to break through the way they wanted to. People were afraid to play their records.

I love Johnny Rotten. Probably even more so in Public Image Ltd. You Pistols fans might check out the album "Second Edition." It's post-punk, a huge departure from the Pistols, but Johnny, for all his posturing, was truly a musician, as evident on that PILtd album.

Best punk band of all time? These days I'm listening to a lot of Misfits. The Misfits or Ramones get my vote.