The Sex Pistols Albums (11)
What The Critics Say
The story goes something like this -- in the wake of the Sex Pistols' split, pals Steve Jones (guitar) and Paul Cook (drums) looked to form a new band capable of creating as much racket as their previous outfit. Who better to fill the spots vacated by Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious than a pair of Sham 69ers -- Jimmy Pursey (vocals) and Dave Tregunna (bass)? For a brief period during 1979, it looked like the world may have the first punk "supergroup" on its hands, but apart from some big plans and a single show in Glasgow, this promising union failed to pan out. Luckily, some smart bloke had the wherewithal to record their lone show -- issued in 2001 as Sham Pistols Gig. Now before ya get all exciting thinking that the set list consisted of unheard collaborations between both factions, sorry to burst your bubble -- the majority of the set is comprised of Sham 69 tunes, with the odd Sex Pistols song and cover tune thrown in from time to time. But with the top-notch performance and audio (which appears to be a surprisingly clear soundboard recording), this is a worthwhile listen for fans of either band. Highlights include spirited romps through such Sham classics as "Borstal Breakout" and "Hersham Boys," as well as the Pistols' "Pretty Vacant" and "No One Is Innocent," and covers of the Clash's "White Riot" and the Beatles' "Day Tripper." ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Countless live sets have been issued since the Sex Pistols' initial demise, with only Filthy Lucre Live being issued with the band's full permission (and even that one wasn't from the 'Sid Vicious era,' as it was recorded during their 1996 reunion dates). So it's understandable to roll your eyes at the mention of yet another live Pistols set, Live Collection. But from a track list standpoint, this double-disc set sticks out from the rest. Disc one features a few expected Pistols' classics ("Pretty Vacant," "Anarchy in the UK," "No Feelings," etc.), in addition to tracks that never made it to Never Mind the Bollocks ("I Wanna Be Me," "Satellite," etc.). But most enjoyable of all is the inclusion of the band's controversial appearance on the Bill Grundy Show, which turned the Pistols into an immediate sensation back home. Disc two is not a real Pistols show per se, but a solo show by Vicious, from Camden's Electric Ballroom in 1978. Undoubtedly the least musically talented of the band (Steve Jones supposedly played the majority of the bass on Bollocks), Vicious has to rely on cover tunes, including renditions of the Stooges ("I Wanna Be Your Dog," "Search and Destroy") and New York Dolls ("Chatterbox") tunes. Certainly not an essential purchase, but if you want a live Pistols sampling back when they were shocking and rocking the world, 'Live Collection' is do-able. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
At last, the final statement on the Sex Pistols' Burton-on-Trent gig from 1976. This release surpasses both prior releases -- The Original Pistols Live and The Best of & the Rest of the Original Pistols -- in terms of completeness and even unearths the "lost" track "Satellite." This CD catches the early version of the group during a raw epiphany, which seems to be more appropriate to the punk ethos than the overly polished yet brilliant Never Mind the Bollocks. At this point, Glen Matlock was still the group's bassist, although the fact that he could actually play his instrument, unlike successor Sid Vicious, had no audible impact on this gig. The sound is slightly muddy but overall very good -- such a seminal gig by punk pioneers would sound odd in pristine form. There have been many posthumous live shows released by the band, ranging from their last official gig to the re-formed Filthy Lucre Live, but this is the only one that gives any inkling of what the fuss was all about in the first place. ~ Brian Downing, All Music Guide
'Live at Winterland 1978'
Release Date 11/11/1996
Tracks 14
Label Sanctuary
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The Sex Pistols' last concert at the Winterland in San Francisco is one of the legendary events in rock & roll, but not because of the quality of the music -- because it was a chaotic mess, as Live at Winterland 1978 proves. Wasted and bored, the band stumbles through their set list, occasionally stopping so Johnny Rotten and sometimes Sid Vicious could hurl invective at the audience, all of which tends to be labored and tiring. Listening to this tuneless, tempoless onslaught, the wonder isn't why the Pistols broke up, but why they didn't break up during the show. As a historical document, it's essential for dedicated fans, but it has little to offer musically. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Is there anyone who's...kept track of the numerous post-1980 compilations of Sex Pistols rarities? Such a person is the only one qualified to determine just which of these tracks (if any) were not previously released on one or more of those (mostly shoddy) productions. This 10-track disc, unfortunately, is no exception to the rule...of having virtually nothing in the way of documentation...You get two songs from the April '76 "Spedding sessions"; five oldies covers (the sleeve says these have different mixes than the R&R Swindle versions, without making it clear what the differences are); and three marginal-fidelity live songs from an unspecified Swedish gig. The sound on the studio tracks is better, but still boxy and cardboardish. There is some interesting material here, primarily from a historic viewpoint... ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As the cliche says, the Sex Pistols were the last band anyone expected to see reunite. However, those observers were ignoring just how alluring the promise of easy money is to a band that never earned that much in the first place, so the Sex Pistols did what was previously unthinkable and reunited in 1996 for a summer-long tour of Europe and the United States. After playing two warm-up gigs, the band played their first official live concert at Finsbury Park in early June and the result is presented on Filty Lucre Live, which was released just a matter of weeks after the concert. Two things about the reunited Pistols are clear from the outset -- they can play their instruments and they sound much heavier and less revolutionary than expected. In fact, the band doesn't sound very punk at all -- they sound like a professional hard rock band. But -- and this is the most surprising thing -- they sound fun. If you're a fan, it's hard to deny that it's fun to hear a live performance by the Pistols that doesn't degenerate into chaos and is recorded in clean audio. You can't call Filthy Lucre Live punk rock by any stretch of the imagination, but it is first-rate nostalgia, even if punk was about eliminating the need for records just like this one. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Live at Chelmsford Top Security Prison'
Release Date 6/5/1990
Tracks 14
Label Enigma
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
One of the strangest curiosities of the band's career, Live at Chelmsford Top Security Prison is perhaps best appreciated as an anecdote instead of a recording. Dave Goodman, the band's early soundman who ended up providing a flood of early and obscure tapes of the band throughout the eighties, tells the story in the liner notes about how a show was indeed booked for the group at said prison in 1976. By all accounts it was a bit of a harrowing experience though not without its bizarre humor, and Goodman's tale, though brief, makes for good reading for any fan of the group. But the recording itself? Another story, thanks to Goodman's confused idea of what would make for a worthy release. The core tape itself would have been vaguely interesting enough on its own -- it's better than many bootlegs, worse than others, features Glen Matlock still in the lineup, rocks out well enough. Johnny Rotten is fine fettle though, as noted below, he's not audible much on the tracks themselves, which favor Steve Jones's guitars first and foremost and which go through a typical enough setlist for the time for nearly an hour's length. The longer take on "Satellite" is okay enough though there's not much difference otherwise between more familiar versions and the recordings here. However, Goodman proceeds to turn the tape into a freakshow with some ridiculous overdubbing between the songs featuring random crowd and violence noise along with an incredibly poor Rotten imitator goading the 'prisoners' on between songs -- as well as often singing on top of the real Rotten himself! The result is a head-shaking mess that plays on the revolutionary/anarchy side of the punk image to no avail. Unless you really need every release imaginable, this album is readily ignorable. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Flogging a Dead Horse collects the A- and B-sides of the Sex Pistols' seven British singles. It's not really the best way to hear those singles, though -- there was a sharp decline in the quality and relevance of the Pistols' material when Johnny Rotten left the band, and some of the later goofiness dilutes the impact of early songs like "God Save the Queen" and "Anarchy in the U.K." It is a useful compilation in that two songs -- "Did You No Wrong" and "No Fun" -- are unavailable on both Never Mind the Bollocks and The Great Rock & Roll Swindle, and it is perfect for fans who don't want to sift through the latter and will be content with a brief overview. Still, Dead Horse doesn't match Never Mind the Bollocks (still the necessary purchase) for start-to-finish venom, and as inconsistent as Swindle is, it can be quite entertaining. So, Flogging a Dead Horse is not the best compilation, but it will do in some cases. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'
Release Date 1/1/1978
Tracks 23
Label Virgin
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
A wildly inconsistent but often entertaining collection, the soundtrack to the Sex Pistols' pseudo-documentary contains great music, whacked-out novelties, and flat-out tripe in approximately equal proportions. Some formative recordings are included -- mostly covers like "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone," plus a demo of "Anarchy in the U.K." that somehow manages to top the version on Never Mind the Bollocks in terms of raw rage and sheer power. "I Wanna Be Me" and a veiled chronicle of the band's breakup, "Silly Thing," are also necessary items. Devoted fans will enjoy "The Black Arabs"' disco medley of Pistols' hits, a French version of "Anarchy in the U.K." complete with accordion, two tracks sung by loony Edward Tudor-Pole (later of Tenpole Tudor), and Sid Vicious' awful but strangely appropriate reading of Frank Sinatra's "My Way." ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
