1977 1977 ch ar JANUARY-MARCH January – M

casualcasual observer observer into, into, usually, usually, a love a love-hate -hate relationship; relationship; probably probably the the most most TheThe point point of ofall all these these false false encores encores eludes eludes me, me, unless unless the the SexPistols are are charismaticcharismatic rock rock star star to emerge to emerge since since Bowie. Bowie. actuallyactually unlib unliberated erate d enough enough to get to get an anego ego-boost -boost out out of ofsuch such conventional conventional SuddenlySuddenly a couple a couple of ofkids kids at atthe the front front who who have have been been hitting hitting Rotten Rotten trappingstrappings of success.of success. withwith woollen woollen scarves scarves start start throwing throwing beer. beer. Not Not glasses, glasses, just just beer-but beer – but TheirTheir music music is lumpen, is lumpen, but but the the spectacle spectacle is marvellous. is marvellous. That That last last forfor this this laid-back laid-back mob mob it's it’s the the equivalent. equivalent. While While Rotten Rotten stands stands there, there, sentencesentence could could easilybe easily applied,be applied, coincidently, coincidently, to shows to shows I've I’ve seen seen in inthe the CookCook erupts erupts from from his his stool stool and and he heand and the the girl girl chuck chuck beer beer back, back, Matlock Matlock pastpast years years by by Queen Queen and and the the Stones- Stones and – and like like those those bands bands today, today, the the kickskicks his his mic mic stand stand very very nastily nastily off off the the stage, stage, and and the the rhythm rhythm section section Pistols'Pistols’ main main success success is in is showin show business. business. stormsstorms off, off, Jones Jones still still rifling, rifling, and and Rotten Rotten sends sends the the girl girl to getto get the the others others back.back. They They eventually eventually return return for forthe the only only really really furious furious piece piece of ofmusic music ALCOLMalcolm HAS has AGREED agreed to to sp speak eak to to Robin Robin Denselow Denselow and and me me theythey play play all allnight. night. at hisat his hotel. hotel. How How the the hell hell do dowe wefind find it? it? MeanwhileMeanwhile Malcolm Malcolm McLaren McLaren stands stands impassive impassive upon upon the the mixing mixing desk desk MWeWe wander wander off off in inpursuit pursuit of ofthe the beleaguered beleaguered mad mad scientist. scientist. riser,riser, his his three three-piece-suited -piece -suited solicitor solicitor behind behind him him It sIt’s freezing freezing and and I haven't I haven’t eaten eaten all day. all day. We We walk walk for for miles. miles. As Aswe we near near our our TheThe show show really really b egins begins about about now. now. It's It’s got got nothing nothing to todo do with with music, music, but but destination,destination, Steve Jones runs runs past, past, bums bums five five guilders guilders off offme me virtually virtually in in so sowhat? what? It's It’s Entertainment. Entertainment. The The band band have have left left the the stage- stage all – butall but Rotten, Rotten, returnreturn for for showing showing us uswhere where he's he’s staying, staying, much much to to mybemusement... my bemusement… whowho sneers, sneers, "If “Ifyou you want want more more you you can can clap clap for for it." it.” Feeble Feeble applause. applause. The The Finallywe'reFinally we’re there. there. discodisco starts, starts, and and feet feet start start shuffling shuffling out. out. AndAnd behold, behold, McLaren McLaren appears. appears. For For some some reason reason we wecan't can’t go in,go in,so weso we ButBut a chant a chant is generating.is generating. Yes... Yes… yes... yes… the the Pistols Pistols are are coming coming back. back. conductconduct the the interview interview standing standing on aon hotel a hotel step step by bya canal a canal at atthree three in in "Whatcha“Whatcha Gonna Gonna Do Do 'Bout ’Bout It", It”, nihilism nihilism incarnate. incarnate. thethe morning. morning. McLaren McLaren looks looks even even more more wasted wasted than than I feel, I feel, talking talking TheyThey end end but but don't don’t go. go. "You're “You’re boring," boring,” drones drones Rotten. Rotten. This This weird weird unstoppablylikeunstoppably like a man a man possessed, possessed, staring staring into into space. space. There There could could be be challengechallenge to theto the audience audience to respond.to respond. I look I look round round at atMcLaren- McLaren and – and see see 2,0002,000 of ofus us listening. listening. thatthat he hehis his standing standing there there gesticulating gesticulating to Rotten,to Rotten, the the upswept upswept arms arms of of "We've“We’ve had had word word that that most most of ofthe the majors majors won't won’t touch touch us uswith with bargepoles." bargepoles.” thethe "Get “Get Up" Up” movement movement and and the the hands hands clapping clapping overhead... overhead… and and Rotten Rotten is is YouYou haven't haven’t had had offers offers from from people people like like Polydor, Polydor, UA? UA? mimickingmimicking McLaren. McLaren. This This show show ends ends when when Malcolm Malcolm says says so. so. "No,“No, that's that’s all all guff, guff, man-who's man – who’s spreading spreading those those kinda kinda rumours? rumours? TheThe crowd crowd raise raise a half-hearted a half-hearted chant, chant, Rotten's Rotten’s response: response: "Right, “Right, you you There'sThere’s nobody nobody after after us. us.We've We’ve had, had, I suppose I suppose you you call call it, votes it, votes of of fuckers,fuckers, we're we’re gonna gonna do onedo one more, more, so move so move or else or else forget forget about about it." it.” confidenceconfidence from from the the shop shop floors floors of ofvarious various record record companies, companies, but but you you It'sIt’s a very a very good good version version of of"Anarchy", “Anarchy”, lots lots of ofecho echo on on the the voice. voice. End End ofAct. of Act. beginbegin to realiseto realise that that those those sort sort of peopleof people don't don’t have have any any control control over over the the EndEnd of ofact? act? No No way, way, McLaren McLaren is is signalling signalling Rotten Rotten again, again, and and puppet puppet-like, -like, situation,situation, just just as it'sas it’s happened happened in EMI. in EMI. RottenRotten copies copies him. him. Whether Whether the the audience audience wants wants one one or not,or not, there's there’s going going "We've“We’ve had had people people like like the the guy guy from from EMI EMI Publishing, Publishing, Terry Terry Slater; Slater; he he to beto beanother another encore. encore. There There is, is,and and this this time time Rotten Rotten stomps stomps off offbefore before rangrang me me up up today today and and he hefeels feels totallypissed totally pissed off off that that he's he’s been been totally totally 0

Malcolmr jones getty/ Malcolm starts starts signalling. signalling. overruled.overruled. He's He’s the the head head of EMI of EMI Publishing; Publishing; he hesigned signed us usfour four weeks weeks ago ago

Decembern,m6ithePistolsDecember 11, 1976: the Pistols andand manager manager Malcolm Malcolm McLaren McLaren (left)(left) at E at MI's EMI’s Manchester Manchester Squarestudios,wheretheySquare studios, where they recorddemosof"Problems",record demos of “Problems”, "GodSayeTheQueen","Liar"“God Save The Queen”, “Liar” and"Noand “No Feelings" Feelings”

24 | HISTORY OF ROCK 1977