god save the queen

Back in the summer of 1977 I was only 3 years old. So, it wasn't until the summer of 1987 that I first heard the Sex Pistols. I remember being enthralled with the simplistic, grinding guitars and the snotty vocals.

As a pretty sheltered 13 year old, I had no clue what I was listening to in any sort of cultural and social context. It wasn't until years later that I had any real appreciation for them, even though I had always been attracted to and in awe of them. There is something about the Sex Pistols, like a trainwreck. You just can't look away. Of course the demise and tabloid life and death of Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungeon was all a part of the circus and the fascination.

While nowadays you can see Sex Pistols teeshirts and records in stores in the mall, and most music purists just write them off as a cultural oddity with no talent or lasting meaning - for a moment in time, they stepped out of the matrix, and meant something and said something that challenged a nation. For a moment, they were a voice for the discontented working class in the UK and a symbol of unadulterated, chaotic youth. Of course, that moment was fleeting, the circus came, and it was over.

I remain fascinated by the Sex Pistols. While "God Save The Queen" is not my favorite song by them, I believe it is the one that best represents that moment where they created a spark and gripped the nation. If you ever want to watch a fascinating documentary, even if you aren't a fan, pick up The Filth and The Fury. It is a great doc about the rise and fall of the Sex Pistols and puts them in the cultural and social context, which is key to understanding them and the UK in the late 1970's.



It's funny to think that the Sex Pistols were indeed a piece of the formation of my political and social consciousness as it was developing in my early teens.........

Enjoy.