Never Mind The Bollocks (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition 3 CD Set)
UMC, 2017
http://www.sexpistolsofficial.com
REVIEW BY: David Bowling
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 12/23/2017
They couldn’t play very well, their songs were basic, and their stage act was chaotic. But during the three years of their initial existence, they changed the course of popular music and to an extent, pop culture as well.
The Sex Pistols may not have invented punk music, but singer Johnny Rotten, guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Phil Cook, and bassist Glen Matlock (later replaced by Sid Vicious) made it an art form by shoving it down the throat of the music world.
The Sex Pistols has influenced thousands of bands and artists, yet during their brief career, they only issued one studio album and four singles. Now, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their only studio album Never Mind The Bollocks, an expanded 3-CD version has been released.
Disc one is Never Mind The Bollocks is all its harsh, screaming glory. “Anarchy In The UK,” “God Save The Queen,” Problems,” and “Submission” may have lost a little since their release, but they are still a powerful yell from the past.
Disc two is a compilation of odds and ends. There are a number of different mixes, demos, and alternative vocals. The four B-sides of their single releases are the heart of the disc. “Satellite,” “No Feeling,” “Did You No Wrong,” and “No Fun” are fully realized songs, three of which did not appear on their album. The disc is basically for the person who wants everything by the band.
Disc three contains two concerts recorded in Norway and Sweden. While many of the tracks are the same, they present the Pistols’ basic approach. Their live material, stripped of any studio technology, is what the band was all about.
Never Mind The Bollocks (40th Anniversary Edition) is a raw rock and roll experience. The Sex Pistols is still a band that is only for the brave.