Another trip back to my childhood. My older brother was a punk rocker for a few years in the early 80s, so some punk albums found their way to our house, I was probably around eight years old when I started hearing this record at home, making it one of the first musical experiences outside children albums that had any influence (KISS was first). I haven't listened to the album in over 30 years, so it's fascinating to see how more or less every riff and text line is still in my head, when I now hear the songs.
One can discuss how much a Sex Pistols album it is. The record is a soundtrack to the movie of the same name, where the manager Malcolm McLaren is in focus (I've read, I haven't seen the movie). Johnny Lydon (Johnny Rotten) had left the band when the album was created, so the songs in which he participates are demo recordings from 1976, from where his voice was taken and then the instrumental tracks were rerecorded. In other words, in many songs Lydon is not there. In fact, there are only eight tracks out of 24 where Cook, Jones, Lydon and Vicious play together.
It's a rather sprawling album. The band plays many covers in a punk version, some original songs, we get to hear Black Arabs do a disco medley of a bunch of Pistols songs, Anarchy in the UK is offered in a French street musician version, Malcolm McLaren sings / talks in some songs, the train robber Ronnie Biggs sings in some etc. A smorgasbord of musical creations. Is it good? Well, it's not that bad, actually.
When I was a child, the traditional song Friggin 'in the Riggin in a punk version was my favorite. When I read the text as an adult, I realize it might not be very child appropriate. But my English skills were limited at the time (luckliy enough). Today, I more appreciate the songs that are not played by the Pistols, Black Arabs disco medley is quite fun, as well as Anarchy in the UK in the French version. And still, I like Friggin 'in the Riggin, if you ignore the pubertal text. But it's a pretty catchy tune.
Overall, I like the album, even if it's not something I listen to today. A certain nostalgia probably affects the experience, but also the real punk songs on the album are quite accessible. There exists much more extreme and aggressive punk I find more difficult to appreciate. Songs like the title song, (I'm Not Your) Steppin Stone or the classic Anarchy in the UK are pretty catchy. Not least, Cook's and Jones' songs Lonely Boy and the Silly Thing are really good, even if they probably shouldn't sort under the genre of "punk", according to me. A fun album to have in the collection.
Tracklist
Side A
1. God Save the Queen Symphony
2. Johnny B. Goode
3, Road Runner
4. Black Arabs
5. Anarchy in the UK
Side B
1. Substitute
2. Do not Give Me No Lip Child
3. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
4. L'anarchie Pour le UK
5. Belsen Was A Gas
6. Belsen Vos A Gassa
Side C
1. Think Silly
2. My Way
3. I Wanna Be Me
4. Something Else
5. Rock Around The Clock
6. lonely Boy
7. No One Is Innocent
Side D
1. C'mon Everybody
2. EMI (Orch.)
3. The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle
4. Friggin 'In The Riggin'
5. You Need Hands
6. Who Killed Bambi
No comments:
Post a Comment