SEX PISTOLS - The complete studio recordings 1976-1977 ???

Hello,

here is a german maniac !!!
Last days and weeks I was working hard on a 3 CD set for my private collection, cause I was a bit disappointed about the SEXBOX, released in 2002.
Main reason was the inclusion of incomplete sessions for saving place to add a very bad sounding live show instead of releasing the entire studio stuff on one single release...!!!
Here is my detailed list what I did...enjoy and feel free to talk about it !!!
Maybe the record company (or the artists) will wake up some day and release this 3 CD box !!! It would be a dream !!! As I am a professional sound engineer since more than 15 years, I would give my complete version to the record company just for the fun of it...would be a pleasure !!!
And now, ladies and gentlemen, sit down, read and start a discussion

SEX PISTOLS

Never Mind The Boxset – Here’s The Complete Collection !!!

CD 1 (playing time: 77 minutes approx.)

NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS (Wessex Studio, February – March 1977)

01) Holidays In The Sun
02) Bodies
03) No Feelings
04) Liar
05) God Save The Queen
06) Problems
07) Seventeen
08) Anarchy In The U.K.
09) Submission
10) Pretty Vacant
11) New York
12) EMI (Unlimited Edition)

SINGLE B-SIDES:

13) Satellite (Wessex Studio, April – May 1977)
14) Did You No Wrong (Wessex Studio, March 1977)
15) No Fun (single edit) (Lansdowne & Wessex Studio, October 1976)

ALBUM OUTTAKES & ALTERNATE VERSIONS (Wessex Studio, February – October 1977)

16) EMI (alternate version)
17) Submission (alternate version 1)
18) Satellite (alternate version)
19) No Feelings (alternate version)
20) Seventeen (alternate version)
21) Submission (alternate version 2)

CHRIS THOMAS SESSION 1 (Wessex Studio, October 1976)

22) Anarchy In The U.K. (rejected promo video version with guitar solo)

CD 2 (playing time: 77 minutes approx.)

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 3 (Gooseberry & Eden Studio, January 1977)

01) No Future
02) Problems
03) Pretty Vacant
04) Liar
05) EMI
06) New York

CHRIS THOMAS SESSION 2 (Wessex Studio, December 1976)

07) Pretty Vacant (instrumental)
08) God Save The Queen (instrumental)
09) Anarchy In The U.K. (instrumental)

MIKE THORNE SESSION (Manchester Square Studio, December 1976)

10) No Feelings (instrumental)
11) No Future (God Save The Queen)
12) Liar
13) Problems

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 2 (Lansdowne & Wessex Studio, October 1976)

14) Anarchy In The U.K.
15) No Fun (unedited version)
16) Substitute (studio rehearsal)
17) (Don’t Give Me) No Lip (studio rehearsal)
18) (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone (studio rehearsal)
19) Johnny B Goode (studio rehearsal)
20) Road Runner (studio rehearsal)
21) Watcha Gonna Do About It (studio rehearsal)
22) Through My Eyes (studio rehearsal)

CD 3 (playing time: 77 minutes approx.)

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 1 – Mini-Album Mix (Denmark Street & Riverside Studio, July 1976)

01) Pretty Vacant
02) Lazy Sod
03) Satellite
04) No Feelings
05) I Wanna Be Me
06) Submission
07) Anarchy In The U.K.

CHRIS SPEDDING SESSION (Majestic Studio, May 1976)

08) Problems
09) No Feelings
10) Pretty Vacant

THE GREAT ROCK’N’ROLL SWINDLE VERSIONS – THE LYDON TRACKS (1978)

11) Anarchy In The U.K. (Mike Thorne remix)
12) Substitute (1978 remix)
13) (Don’t Give Me) No Lip (1978 remix)
14) (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone (1978 remix)
15) Johnny B Goode (1978 remix)
16) Road Runner (1978 remix)
17) Watcha Gonna Do About It (1978 remix)
18) Belsen Was A Gas (live San Francisco, January 1978 – last concert)

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 1 – Spunk Mix (Denmark Street & Riverside Studio, July 1976)

19) Pretty Vacant
20) Lazy Sod
21) Satellite
22) No Feelings
23) I Wanna Be Me
24) Submission
25) Anarchy In The U.K.

Information about the used sources for the compilation:

CD 1: Tracks 01 – 14, 16 - 10 & 22 taken from the SEXBOX (Virgin Records 2002)
CD 1: Track 15 taken from “Kiss This” (Virgin Records 1992)
CD 1: Track 21 taken from “Party Till You Puke” bootleg CD (Disc De Luxe 1989)

CD 2: Tracks 01 – 06 taken from “The Swindle Continues” CD (Restless Records 1993)
CD 2: Tracks 07 – 22 taken from the SEXBOX (Virgin Records 2002)

CD 3: Track 01 taken from “We Have Cum For Your Children” (Castle Music 2002)
CD 3: Tracks 02 – 07 taken from “The Mini Album” (Vap Inc. Japan 1989)
CD 3: Track 08 taken from SEX PISTOLS / CURSE split single (Man’s Ruin Records 1998)
CD 3: Track 09 taken from SEX PISTOLS / SOFISTICATOS split single (Man’s Ruin Records 1997)
CD 3: Track 10 taken from SEX PISTOLS / THE UGLY split single (Man’s Ruin Records 1997)
CD 3: Tracks 11 – 18 taken from “The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle” (Virgin Records 2010)
CD 3: Tracks 19 – 25 taken from “Spunk” (Castle Music 2006)

Most of the SEXBOX tracks have been used without changing any EQ setting or volume level, cause the mastering, especially on the regular released studio tracks, sounds very good on this collection.

The “Kiss This” track has been remastered. As this version seems to be a transfer of the original master tape, we decided to use this very badly mastered track as source material. Using different versions to compare and create a sound template, the single version was restored nearly to its original frequency spectrum.

The “Party Till You Puke” track has been slightly remastered, using the final album version as a template.
The tracks from “The Swindle Continues” have been remastered, cause they suffered from too much treble and missing bass frequencies.

The “We Have Cum For Your Children” and “Mini Album” tracks have been slightly remastered.

For the “Spedding Demos” tracks, we decide to make a new transfer of the split singles from 1997 and 1998 instead of using the versions, included on the SEXBOX. The versions included on the SEXBOX are definitely taken from these vinyl sources, but the main reason for a new transfer was a slightly sound error on “No Feelings”, which becomes more and more audible when the song runs to the end. Maybe the source vinyl was pressed out of center or the turntable didn’t work well whilst transferring it to computer for the SEXBOX. Second reason is the high frequency spectrum, which suffers a little bit from some small distortions – this could be a result of using a cheap or slightly used damaged needle and raising the treble during the mastering process.

The “Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle” tracks have been taken and slightly remastered from the 2010 remaster. All in all, the remastering is good, but “Anarchy In The U.K.” sounds very thin and bassless. Some EQ has been added to make it sound more powerful.

Our decision to use the “Goodman Session 1” twice were some differences in the mix between the “Mini Album” and “Spunk” versions. Here are some interesting details:

01 ) Pretty Vacant
The version included on “We’ve Cum For Your Children” has the lead guitars panned to the left.
The “Spunk” version has the lead guitar on center.
Few seconds of the beginning of the “Spunk” version are missing, but it ends with a very short studio chat which is missing on the different mix on the “We’ve Cum For Your Children” version.

02) Lazy Sod
The version included on the japanese “Mini-Album” has the solo guitar panned to the center. From the beginning of track up to the 0:50 mark, you can recognize some small crackling noises on the right channel. It could be a result of a flawed tape or a damaged recorder whilst digital transfer.
The “Spunk” version sounds a bit more reverbed and has the solo guitar panned to the right channel. On the overdub guitar at the 1:12 mark, you can hear a flanger effect which is not included on the “Mini-Album” version.

03) Satellite
The version included on the japanese “Mini-Album” has the rhythm guitars panned more to the center.
On the “Spunk” version, the rhythm guitars are panned more to left and right to widen the stereo sound.

04) No Feelings
The version on the japanese “Mini-Album” has a stereo effect on the flanger guitar. The backing vocals are also mixed in stereo.
On the “Spunk” version, you can hear a spoken count-in before the song starts (not included on the “Mini-Album” version). The most noticable difference is an addition of clapping hands in the song, which is not included on the “Mini-Album” mix.

05) I Wanna Be Me
The version on the japanese “Mini-Album” has the rhythm guitar panned more to the right channel. The vocals have some effects and the solo guitar is panned more to the right channel and the final solo of the track has some additional effects.
On the “Spunk” version, you can here a count-in (not included on the “Mini-Album”). The vocals are mixed with less effects and the final solo guitar sounds much more dry than on the “Mini-Album” version.

06) Submission
The version included on the japanese “Mini-Album” includes some reverb effects and some delays on solo guitars. The rhythm guitars are panned to left and right to widen the stereo effect of the mix. The solo guitar in the middle of the song is panned more to the left channel.
On the “Spunk” album, the rhythm guitars are panned more to the center. The solo guitar in the middle of the song is panned to center and the ending is slightly different to the “Mini-Album” version.

07) Anarchy In The U.K.
The version included on the japanese “Mini-Album” has some effects on the vocals. The solo guitars are mixed in stereo and the rhythm guitar and the vocals are panned to the center.
On the “Spunk” version, the vocals have less effects and are panned more to the right channel. The rhythm guitar is panned more to the left channel and the solo guitar was mixed to the center.

In fact, these slightly differences are not as big as expected and most of them are hardly to discover without headphones.
All tracks on the original “Spunk” album (and all later releases, including the official version on Castle Music 2006) run too slow and sounds more reverbed as the versions from the “Mini Album”. They also suffer from several small drop-outs and some distortions on loud parts which could be a result from a high generation source tape, used for the original “Spunk” LP.
As the original album doesn’t contain the complete session (“Pretty Vacant” and “Anarchy In The U.K.” are missing), we decided to use the official 2006 CD version, where both tracks are included as bonus.
Some tracks of the “Spunk” album have reversed channels (compared to the “Mini-Album”). We fixed the speed problem and the inverted channels, filtered out some more clicks and pops which survived the latest mastering process and did a slightly remastering.

Now I am sure we collected the entire studio recordings, recorded between 1976 – 1978, featuring Johnny Rotten on vocals. We left out the “Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle” tracks without his participation, cause this is another chapter...

 

Yikes! If that's what an ABBA maniac does for the Sex Pistols' catalogue, I can only imagine the effort that goes into your Abba collection!
Well done, a real labour of love and thanks for the detailed breakdonw about the mix differences

 

Thanks Abbamaniac, that's an interesting list and it sets the record straight. Just one question though, why didn't you put "I Wanna Be Me" with the B-sides?

 

If I remember right, the "I Wanna Be Me" single b-side is exactly the same version as included on the Dave Goodman Session 1, where it belongs to.
I didn't want to split the original sessions, so I decided to left it where it should be.

 

Fantastic! Sounds like a blast! The record companies would never release something this awesome ...

 

It was a hard work...but the result is still amazing !!!
Have to wait for the split singles with the 3 Spedding demo tracks for re-transfer from vinyl with high quality equipment, the rest is done
Next week everything is finished and I think I will also create a kind of layout for my version !!!

 

I want a copy!

 

Well, I was listening to the entire thing and changed the order of some sessions - this is the way I like it much more:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THE COMPLETE SEX PISTOLS

CD 1 (79:55)

NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS (Wessex Studio, February – March 1977)

01) Holidays In The Sun
02) Bodies
03) No Feelings
04) Liar
05) God Save The Queen
06) Problems
07) Seventeen
08) Anarchy In The U.K.
09) Submission
10) Pretty Vacant
11) New York
12) EMI (Unlimited Edition)

SINGLE B-SIDES:

13) Did You No Wrong (Wessex Studio, March 1977. B-side of “God Save The Queen” single)
14) Satellite (Wessex Studio, April – May 1977. B-Side of “Holidays In the Sun” single)
15) No Fun (single edit) (Lansdowne & Wessex Studio, October 1976. B-side of “Pretty Vacant” single)
16) Anarchy In The U.K. (Wessex Studio, October 1976. Rejected U.K. single version with guitar solo)

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 1 – Mini-Album Mix (Denmark Street & Riverside Studio, July 1976)

17) Pretty Vacant
18) Lazy Sod
19) Satellite
20) No Feeling (B-side of withdrawn A&M “God Save The Queen” single)
21) I Wanna Be Me (B-side of “Anarchy In The U.K.” single)
22) Submission
23) Anarchy In The U.K.

CD 2 (79:48)

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 3 (Gooseberry & Eden Studio, January 1977)

01) No Future
02) Problems
03) Pretty Vacant
04) Liar
05) EMI
06) New York

MIKE THORNE SESSION (Manchester Square Studio, December 1976)

07) No Feelings (instrumental)
08) No Future (God Save The Queen)
09) Liar
10) Problems

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 2 (Lansdowne & Wessex Studio, October 1976)

11) Anarchy In The U.K.
12) No Fun (complete version)
13) Substitute (studio rehearsal)
14) (Don’t Give Me) No Lip (studio rehearsal)
15) (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone (studio rehearsal)
16) Johnny B Goode (studio rehearsal)
17) Road Runner (studio rehearsal)
18) Watcha Gonna Do About It (studio rehearsal)
19) Through My Eyes (studio rehearsal)

CHRIS SPEDDING SESSION (Majestic Studio, May 1976)

20) Problems
21) No Feelings
22) Pretty Vacant

CD 3 (77:47)

CHRIS THOMAS SESSION 2 (Wessex Studio, December 1976)

01) Pretty Vacant (instrumental)
02) God Save The Queen (instrumental)
03) Anarchy In The U.K. (instrumental)

ALBUM OUTTAKES & ALTERNATE VERSIONS (Wessex Studio, February – October 1977)

04) EMI (alternate version)
05) Submission (alternate version 1)
06) Satellite (alternate version)
07) No Feelings (alternate version)
08) Seventeen (alternate version)
09) Submission (alternate version 2)

THE GREAT ROCK’N’ROLL SWINDLE VERSIONS – THE LYDON TRACKS (1978)

10) Anarchy In The U.K. (Mike Thorne remix)
11) Substitute (1978 remix)
12) (Don’t Give Me) No Lip (1978 remix)
13) (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone (1978 remix)
14) Johnny B Goode (1978 remix)
15) Road Runner (1978 remix)
16) Watcha Gonna Do About It (1978 remix)

DAVE GOODMAN SESSION 1 – Spunk Mix (Denmark Street & Riverside Studio, July 1976)

17) Pretty Vacant
18) Lazy Sod
19) Satellite
20) No Feelings
21) I Wanna Be Me
22) Submission
23) Anarchy In The U.K.

EXTRA LIVE TRACK (from THE GREAT ROCK’N’ROLL SWINDLE)

24) Belsen Was A Gas (live San Francisco, January 14, 1978 – last concert)

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Main reason to include the Goodman July 1976 session on the first disc instead the album outtakes is the fact, that two of the songs were single B-sides. So all the regular stuff (album and all singles) are included on the first disc.
Second fault was the inclusion of the Goodman July 1976 on disc 3 in both versions. I like it much more the way I did it today.
What do you think ??? Now we have to beg the record company to release that ultimate box set

 

I want a copy too...

 

Ive been collecting Sex Pistols bootleg tapes & cds since the 80's and having everything in great sound quality all collected together like this would be fabbo....best of luck to you!

 

I also checked tons of different sources and compared everything to make sure to compile all stuff from the best possible sources !!!
When I checked, I discovered some small flaws on several tracks.
For example, the track "Problems" from the Goodman 3 Session (included in best quality on "The Swindle Continues") has a small error around the 1:03 mark. Sounds like a damaged tape which was glued, cause there is a very very small part missing. I restored that part, using the "Spunk" version. As I remastered the "Spunk" version to exactly the same frequencies and level as the "The Swindle Continues" version, you will never recognize the copy-and-paste job.
Same I did for the "No Fun" unedited version. I restored the part with the speed error near the end, using the original single version, including on "Flogging A Dead Horse".
You are into collecting SEX PISTOLS bootleg vinyls ??? I am looking for a vinyl source, including the Mike Thorne Session December 1976 and the Chris Thomas Session December 1976 - just for my personal collection. All other stuff of the demos etc. I have on vinyl !!! Is there any source out there, including these two sessions on vinyl ???

 

That's nice. It would make a great box set.

For anyone confused on the sessions, you can check out my old guide here

http://www.philjens.plus.com/pistols/pistols/pistols_recording_sessions.htm

I think to be frank that the reason this didn't happened for the SEXBOX was Virgin did not want it to be 200% completists oriented, and they needed bulletpoints on a full CD of unissued stuff (ie the live CD).

The problem is with records companies, the promo department usually dictates what goes on the record, when it should be the reverse. Basically, releases are molded to fit the promo 'bullet points' in order to sell to the stores.

If a representative goes to HMV, asks the guy in charge of the punk section to pre-order the SEXBOX, and the guy watch the tracklist and see it's all things issued on other CDs before, he will maybe order one 25 copies box. If he sees there's a live CD unissued officially before, he might raise to two boxes, therefore 50. That's how it works. At EMI, buying discs would be by the box of 25 then, so if you want to double the orders, you need "bullet points", if you have none, you might lose half the sale, and then the salesmen would complain they don't sell enough because your product does not allow them points.

I hope you guys understand this is how it worked.

 

For compiling my private 3 CD version, I used your guide - thank you very much for detailed information !!! Was a great thing to work with it !!!

 

What was supposed to be on the 4th disc in Sexbox?

 

There was no 4, just three. The "bullet point" CD was CD 3. Somehow, box sets have to comply with the salesman and sellers needs, not the actual buyer needs.

Like, if a band is doing a new tour, but have no new CD, you can't just ask the sellers in the stores to restock the old stuff. They think it will not sell because it's old. Repackage it. They will take it. New slipcase. Bonus CD. Box set slipcase, whatever. In essence, they need a new barcode and one bullet point or more. if you offer them a new barcode and one bullet point, they will restock. Like many other mediums, the salesmen and sellers are the one with the power, not the bands or record compagnies. It's an upside down world.

I want that complete box set

 

Someone told me the SEXBOX was originally going to come out on Rhino and was being compiled by Pistols experts from around the world. Anyway, Virgin took over the project and edited intros and chatter onto completely different takes (and in one case a different song) completely alienating the guys who originally compiled it.

 

WOW!!! Impressed.

I'll echo the others, I want a copy of this!!!!!!

 

Would be a dream to get the complete recordings on one 3 cd box...!!!
I have to find some time to create any cover artwork...I will put the discs to a 3 DVD case Looks better than a thick 3 CD box I think...anybody out there who is interested in creating a great layout ??? Just for the fun of it ???

 

I'd buy this immediately if it was ever released. I know there's supposed to be a Never Mind the Bullocks deluxe cd coming this year but I completely doubt it'll come close to something this great. One semi-question, I always thought the Pistols did a studio take of Belsen Was a Gas but I guess I'm wrong.

 

I never heard about a studio version of Belsen...tell me if I'm wrong and missed something...

 

I'm probably wrong, just something I thought I read in a book once.

 

John Tiberi is supposed to have recorded a studio rehearsal or something like that. Mentioned in the Sex Box booklet.

 

Well, I know about the recorded version (cause I own the box set), but it seems to be lost forever, so nobody knows it or have it ever heard - this is the fact I am talking about...it will never be available, cause it doesn't still exist anymore...

 

I'm sure that there was a bootleg 7" of a live version of Belsen released, I vividly remember seeing it for sale in the window of Listen Records in Glasgow, it had a plain red label with "Belsen Was A Gas" stamped on it.

To this day I kick my self for not buying it, as a schoolboy money was tight and I probably bought a Generation X single cos it was on green vinyl or something!

However I have never seen a copy for sale on ebay or any of the other usual places and its never been mentioned on any of the Pistols sites,andnow I'm wondering if my 15 year old mind was just imagining it!!! Can anyone put me out my misery and confirm that it did actually exist?

 

looks like a great box - I would love a copy!