Were the Sex Pistols still viewed as a band in 1978/1979

There is a single album version of the Swindle Sex Pistols – The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle (1980, Vinyl)

 

There's still some dross on that one though.

 

...Which takes out all the best stuff (everything with JR) and leaves in all the McLaren crap!

There were also two versions of the double LP, one of which had additional McLaren crap.

 

Not sure what's so funny about that? Not everyone thinks the Pistols were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Music was changing by 1978. And pretty rapidly too.

 

There are more than 2 different versions, but what is the “additional McLaren crap”?

Swapping I Wanna Be Me for Watcha Gonna Do About It, and different versions of Anarchy is hardly “additional McLaren crap”

 

He talks over the opening orchestral "God Save the Queen," which is instrumental on the original LP. Also, "Who Killed Bambi" is added.

 

Who Killed Bambi is on all versions, the GSTQ Symphony is hardly additional as that's the version used in the film!

 

The Sex Pistols changed music. PIL are relatively unknown next to them. NMTB is one of the greatest albums ever made. History won't look back at PIL.

 

Not true about Bambi. I bought the album soon after release and it wasn't there; side four ended with Friggin in the Riggin. I hate "Bambi" enough that I would have noticed it!

I hate McLaren's talk on the GSTQ Symphony as well, so I much prefer the version (same LP I had) without it.

 

Now that is worthy of a LOL.

 

That’s absolute nonsense about PIL.

 

This is correct, however I’m Stranded by The Saints from Brisbane might be the greatest ever punk song (released in 1976) and everything by the Bailey/Kuepper line up leaves the Pistols for dead.
Thanks to my older brother there were copies of Never Mind The Bollocks, Give ‘Em Enough Rope and Stranded in the house. Double J in Sydney played punk records (local and imported).
A few years later as my friends and I got into the 76/77 punk music we listened to the post break up Pistols stuff but it really doesn’t hold up does it?
Puerile and pathetic, which is why it appeals to teenagers I suppose

 

All that "the album sold out because they included the A sides of the 3 singles on it" is crap.

It's something that first appeared on the web, and is parroted hereafter.

On the contrary, we were all glad the 3 singles were on it because all of us at the time at least missed a single. They were impossible to get.

This is typical of the internet which rewrites history, over the memory of people who were there.

 

Sid was a fine punk singer. If he'd been a sharper stick and not a tragic addict he could probably have become the new Pistols lead singer permanently.

The "late" Pistols is really the first incarnation of The Professionals - and they were a very good band. You Had It Coming - awesome album.

 

Back to the OP's question; Id say No.

Back in the Spring of '78, when they came through Memphis, it was an overhyped joke.
A lot of newspaper print/warnings ultimately signifying nothing.

Looking back on it, Id say the band stopped being anything musical when Glen Matlock got kick out and replaced by Sid.
At that point it was all publicity, posing and image mainly provided by Sid.

Id say their most noteworthy accomplishments were, proving anybody could get onstage and be in a band-talent not necessary, a new and lasting punk aesthetic in graphic design, and a lot of young men under the age of 25 got a haircut after a decade of long hair.

 

I'd say you don't know what you were talking about. NMTB was recorded without Glen for a start. They were one of the most influential bands of all time.

 

Glen is on Anarchy in the UK though. And possibly a few other tracks recorded earlier.

 

I was 14 when they split. No One is Innocent exploited what was a certain amount of public interest regarding Biggs and the whereabouts of Bormann - I thought No One Is Innocent was alright - although looking back it's bit Chas & Dave although Jones does gives us a tasty guitar break but I did not consider it the Sex Pistols at all - and then you had Sid's My Way which I didn't like much at the time either. As for the Swindle album, I bought it and was disappointed - the actual Pistols tracks was significantly inferior to NMTB - I remember liking the early version of Anarchy and the covers of Substitute and Stepping Stone (the latter a hit single as late as 1980), the Jones/Cook tracks including the title track and the Eddie Cochran covers were also regularly played - Sids' vocals are good on this - but there was also a lot of crap on there which I would just skip. I can't recall anyone who was genuinely interested in punk thinking it was actually was the Sex Pistols. Of course, by mid-79 there was the Sham Pistols with was Cook and Jones with 2 member of Sham 69 which didn't work out, and it was notable they did not use The Sex Pistols name although I wouldn't have been surprised if it they had as the recent hits were Sex Pistols in name only and there was money to be made.

 

Jon Savage.
Bought The Ramones album myself in 1976, best album that year, exciting.. fast -LOUD. Also .. was knocked out by New Rose/Damned single also thought EMI black bag Anarchy In The UK was wonderful. Vocal ( har har) reminded of Alice Cooper ( not a bad thing !!!).

 

I think the definitive version is the (edit Second) Australian double album (Virgin, not Wizard)

The individual sides are thematic, mostly. It has the band 'studio' tracks, all together on side one. Side two the 'Cook, Jones and Syd' tracks, Side three pretty much covering the 'orchestral' stuff, and side four the 'extra tracks for the film'. All other versions have "Black Arabs" on side 1 which is way too early for the album (although it is heard early on in the movie) but on side 4 it works and I like it now.

"Who killed Bambi" is missing which is clearly an oversight. Side 2 is quite short but it doesn't belong there, and side 3 is quite long already.

Anyway, this version basically kicks off with "Johnny B Goode" and that's alright by me!

 

Rock n Roll Swindle would be a great single album.

 

Think a couple of Professionals singles could have been Sex Pistols branded!!!!

 

It was also released as a single album!

 

True, i remember at one point it was impossible to find a copy of "Anarchy" the shops got more in and they were gone in 5 minutes.

 

I agree with that.