S is for Sex Pistols

I suppose if I'd stopped to think about it at the time, I might have seen a certain calculated approach from the Sex Pistols in everything they did, particularly when considering their manager Malcolm McLaren. They were a bit like a naughty child who says a rude word just to get a reaction.

But in the heady days of 1970s punk I couldn't have been happier buying their singles. I loved 'em. I still have them, but haven't played them for years, which might be significant, then again it could be that putting a single on a record player is quite laborious in these days of digital downloads.

So in the Queen's Silver Jubilee year of 1977 the Sex Pistols released their notorious God Save The Queen which wasn't a light-hearted punk take on the national anthem, but instead a demented thrash which ended with lots of chanting about their being "no future". It was the perfect single to go with a sulky teenager's (me) view of the jubilee, not that my stropping about had any noticeable effect on anyone else's enjoyment of the celebrations.

The single came off the album Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols which I never got around to buying. I think the thing with punk was that as long as bands produced singles lasting about 2m 30s and which began with a gobby youth shouting "1...2...3...4" then all was good, but an album? I don't think so.

Rather than put up some video of the Pistols doing GSTQ I've selected a version of their first single Anarchy In The UK by a band called, I think, Sick Diary. Quite a spirited bash at it and some splendidly impassive playing by the bassist. She is showing the way the bass guitar ought to be played.

Also-rans: Where would I be without Bruce Springsteen? Lots of memories to do with his music, but I'll settle on Glory Days which always reminds me of meeting up with friends I haven't seen for ages and going to the pub to catch up.