Happy Anniversary: Sex Pistols, NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE’S THE SEX PISTOLS

39 years ago today, the Sex Pistols released their one and only full-length studio album.

When it comes to bands that burned brightly briefly and then flamed out spectacularly, they don’t come much more memorable than the Pistols, Before they ever got around to releasing their debut album / swan song, they’d already been fired from two record labels (EMI and A&M) and had been banned from performing live throughout much of England. They’d also gotten rid of the best musician and songwriter in the band (Glen Matlock) and replaced him with someone who was decidedly less proficient on both fronts and – what luck! – was also highly prone to alcohol and drug addiction (Sid Vicious).

As a result, when the band finally ended up hitting the studio to record the album that would come to be known as NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, the Pistols had little choice but to ask their manager, the legendary Malcolm McLaren, to sway Matlock to play bass on the album. He did agree, but only if he was paid up front, but when the money didn’t show, nor did Matlock. In the end, Steve Jones, the band’s guitarist, ended up playing bass on virtually the entire album, with Vicious only appearing on “Bodies.”

Listening to the album now, with the band’s controversial shenanigans long in the rear view mirror, it doesn’t even really matter who was playing bass. All that matters is that NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS remains one of the seminal albums of the ‘70s and still holds up.