have, just to have, if you're a music fan. Kind of the way you have some Ewok thing hanging around your house if you are a Star Wars fan. Even though the Ewoks suck and you hate them, they're just a part of the whole, right?The Sex Pistols were the original boy band. Manufactured for maximum attention whoring potential by Malcom McClaren, the band really had nothing to offer, talent wise. But they blew up and to this day people define punk rock by the Pistols. Which is really a shame. That's not to say I don't like a few of their songs, but let's face it, they sucked, musically. Then again, punk's not supposed to be pretty.
If you look at the Sex Pistols as just another band instead of the face of early punk rock, the album is ok. I'll still listen to it. Songs like Holidays in the Sun, Problems and Bodies are not bad. I think it's just the whole mystique of importance that bothers me so much about this album, and the band. Sure, it influence thousands of punk rockers after them. Sure it defined the genre for a while. But the Pistols were everything punk was not supposed to be: contrived, phony, commercial. Pretty Vacant pretty much sums up what the Sex Pistols were all about.
But yea, I still listen to it.
Favorite song: Holidays in the Sun
God Save the Sex Pistols
4 comments:
If the Sex Pistols were the emblem of Britpunk then the Clash and the Damned were the substance.
It's still amazing to me how much McClaren modeled the Pistols off of the Dolls. There music is SO similar. Right down to the way Lydon puts little ironic-sounding twists on words -- copied right out of Johansen's playbook.
Well said, Cullen.
Makes me want to do a Damned review tonight.
Can't really think of anything different than what either you or Cullen said. It's more of an entry in the "Rock History 101" Collection ($299 on Amazon) than a great album. It's still kinda fun to listen to, though.
I don't own this album. I never owned this album. I couldn't stand this album. The New York Dolls were so much better.
Actually had a friend walk away from me when I told him I hated this record. We never hung out again...of course his "recreational heroin use" didn't help any of his relationships.
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