Pistol

I've absolutely LOVED Never Mind the Bullocks since I was 15 and I'm also 100% certain that when the Sex Pistols series on Hulu comes out this month I'll be screaming at the screen the entire time "that's not what happened!!" while never missing a minute. Meanwhile, this is a pretty nice chat with Steve Jones:

The public outcry that followed the release of the band’s debut single [Anarchy in the UK] in 1976 led to them being dropped by EMI. It also happens to feature some of Steve’s best guitar playing on the album.

“We banged it out in rehearsal while John was in the corner figuring out the words. I like the fact that it has two guitar solos. Out of all of the Pistols singles, that was the slowest. If you wanted to attach ‘punk’ to it, it’s not a fast track; it’s laid-back, almost like Booker T & The MGs. 

"There are loads of [guitar] tracks on that – I don’t even remember how many. I used one of those MXR Phase 90s on one of the rhythms as well. At the time, [producer] Chris Thomas kept telling me to tune up and it drove me mad, but looking back I’m glad he did and I’m glad we spent that time on it. I think that’s what makes the Pistols' album different from The Clash or The Damned – we didn’t just go in and crash, bang, wallop.”

"But Xmastime", you say in the voice of Craig “Ironhead” Heyward from those soap commercials (RIP), “didn't you point that out about Anarchy in the UK over a dozen years ago?"

Sigh. Yes I did, faithful readers, YES I did:

Anarchy in the UK – In the business we call this slice a “slow burn.”

Enjoy the whole article and I'll check back in later this month when the series kicks off.

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