As a kid I knew who the Sex Pistols were and their music from an early age, but my first real memory of seeing any of them in action was at the Rock Circus which used to be at the London Pavilion (part of the Trocadero center) when I was about 9 or 10. They had there, as part of their exhibit, an auditorium where you'd sit down and then the seated area would rotate around the auditorium so you would see several animatronic figures of famous bands and performers. One of these, the closing 'performer', was Sid Vicious and in addition to the animatronic figure there was a large screen behind him showing footage of the video for his cover of the song 'My Way'. At the end of it he 'shoots' the audience....I was, from then on, fascinated.
Roll forward a few years to 1996. Finsbury Park on a gloriously sunny Sunday in late June. With an abundance of fantastic acts on the bill, including Iggy Pop, Skunk Anansie & The Wildhearts to name but a few, I went with my cousin Claire to see the Sex Pistols. I'd already been listening to their music for a long, long time but to see them live was just amazing. John Lydon is one of the funniest and most entertaining people I've had the privilege of witnessing live. That day, for me, was one of the highlights of 1996 - a year which is still, for me, the best year of my life to date.
That night I truly fell in love with 'Pretty Vacant'. The song is so much fun and brings back great memories of jumping around in a huge crowd of people just having a really good time.
The importance of this band and it's effects on music going forward from punk cannot be underestimated, both for bands around and shortly after that time who saw them perform and were inspired to for bands as a result (notably Joy Division & The Fall) and then bands such as Oasis, Nirvana, Green Day & Guns 'N' Roses who acknowledged the inspiration that the Sex Pistols had on them.
If you've not given them your full attention before I think you should do. This week's accompanying video is from that very first time I saw them in 1996.
Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
There's no point in asking
You'll get no reply
I just remembered, I'm terribly sorry
I've got no reason, there is no "Why?"
Say "No future!" and that's just fine
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty
A vacant
Don't ask us to attend
'Cos we're not all there
Oh don't pretend 'cos i don't care
I don't belive illusions
'Cos too much is real
So stop you'r cheap comment
'Cos we know what we feel
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Ah but now and we don't care
There's no piont in asking
You'll get no reply
Oh just remember a don't decide
I got no reason it's all too much
You'll always find me out to lunch
We're out on lunch
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty ah
But now and we don't care
We're pretty
A pretty vacant
We're pretty
A pretty vacant
We're pretty
A pretty vacant
We're pretty
A pretty vacant
And we don't care
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