Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols - Sex Pistols (The) > Reviews > Still classic

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Jones, Lydon, Submission, Anarchy
Disadvantages:	Bodies

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I played the Sex Pistols album for the first time in a couple of years earlier today and I couldn't believe how marvellous they still sounded.

True they did do some stuff which wasn't too clever - I don't like Bodies, and I hated the stuff after Lydon left, but for a while at least they were the next big thing and fully hjustified the attention. Beneath all those headlines and controversy you see, there lurked one hell of a great rock band, just burning with brilliance.

The first three singles, 'Anarchy', 'God Save The Queen' and 'Pretty Vacant', along with 'Submission', all included here on their debut album, were the pick of their output and the way Jones' amazingly raw guitar, his blocked rhythms on the verses and strident lead on the choruses, and Rotten's unique vocals sound paints the Pistols as being the perfect late 70's product.

This album, with its garish, dayglo colour scheme and shock horror 'naughty' title, guaranteed to shock, will always be one of the classics of 20th century music.

For me, 'Kiss This', a later compilation is superiuos, because it includes all the B sides, plus 'Stepping Stone' and '(Don't Give Me) No Lip (Child)', is superior, but much of the material is the same as the original.

They cooked a nice recipe on this album, even though there is some speculation about who actually played bass, and the story goes that Jones did the job because Vicious wasn't up to it. I always thought it was a shame that they booted Matlock because he was a good bassist and writer, but then the story wouldn't have been quite as compelling without Sid, would it? They lost their way after Glen and started retreading the old stuff, but this album captures them in full flight and I cannot tell exactly how marvellous I think the Pistols are on 'Submission', with Jones and Lydon demonstrating brilliant teamwork.