In my top 5 of things I would do when I have my time machine, without a doubt would be entering a record store in the late ’70s to search among the bins for that screaming yellow with magenta typography that no designer would defend again without irony.
I bought Bollocks soon after it was released and smuggled it into my bedroom so my parents didn’t catch me. I nervously put the record on my turntable but the hole in the middle was too small to fit over the doohickey in the middle of the platter. I took a pencil and worked at making the hole bigger but I only succeeded in making it lopsided. Whenever I played it the record wobbled, which was probably appropriate. This album has been and always will be the greatest recording for rebellious teens and 62 year olds.
It’s important to state. That with all the censorship and being banned from the airwaves. Never Mind The Bollocks still debuted at #1 on the uk charts. Although there was a lot of fuckery by the BBC and their record label EMI.
Also interestingly Malcolm and his partner Vivienne were trying to find a sexy bad boy frontman for the band and somone had recommended Sid.
But due to some mixup it was Johnny who showed up to the rehearsal. And also the one who could write lyrics and songs.
After Johnny quit.
Malcolm tried carrying on the band the way he had envisioned wo the Sid as front man. Which led to the ill fated trip to the carribean? Or somewhere where they filmed The Great Rock and Roll Swindle.
And Sid’s cover of My Way.
Johnny kept begging Malcolm to keep Sid away from the heroin and keep an eye on him. But alas. The human incubus that was Malcolm. Gave no fucks and whored Sod out to the devil and let him feed his addictions that led to the unexplained deaths? Murders? Suicides? Of Sid and Nancy.
Yes, what you say is true. And yes, Malcolm is a two-faced character who needs to stop being romanticized so much in the history of punk. Thanks for the information and for reading ☕
Thank you for this — you’ve captured so clearly why this album refuses to fade into the background. What strikes me most is how you frame it not as myth-making, but as a kind of cultural report from a country losing its bearings. That lens feels truer today than ever. I also appreciated how you broke down each member’s contribution, especially the distinction between what Sid played and what he represented.
Your point about permission being the real birthright of punk really resonates. That’s the thread that still ties generations together, long after the noise has settled.
Thank you so much for the analysis and for taking the time to read it. Fortunately, they're back on stage, not with the lineup we all would have liked, but they still sound unique. Cheers!☕
One of the best Rock albums ever. Not one of the best Punk Rock albums, one of the best Rock albums ever. Yeah, guys who weren’t band members play on it, but that’s the case with most albums. Johnny Rotten is an alarmingly good singer. I don’t know how many copies o this album I’ve bought over the years, I keep handing out copies of it to people. I’m a pain.
It's a wonderful gesture; it's not just about giving away music, but about bringing a significant sample of universal music into every home. Thank you so much for reading ☕
I bought Bollocks soon after it was released and smuggled it into my bedroom so my parents didn’t catch me. I nervously put the record on my turntable but the hole in the middle was too small to fit over the doohickey in the middle of the platter. I took a pencil and worked at making the hole bigger but I only succeeded in making it lopsided. Whenever I played it the record wobbled, which was probably appropriate. This album has been and always will be the greatest recording for rebellious teens and 62 year olds.
Great anecdote, I think the first listen to this album always leaves some kind of mark, feeling or story to tell.
It’s important to state. That with all the censorship and being banned from the airwaves. Never Mind The Bollocks still debuted at #1 on the uk charts. Although there was a lot of fuckery by the BBC and their record label EMI.
Also interestingly Malcolm and his partner Vivienne were trying to find a sexy bad boy frontman for the band and somone had recommended Sid.
But due to some mixup it was Johnny who showed up to the rehearsal. And also the one who could write lyrics and songs.
After Johnny quit.
Malcolm tried carrying on the band the way he had envisioned wo the Sid as front man. Which led to the ill fated trip to the carribean? Or somewhere where they filmed The Great Rock and Roll Swindle.
And Sid’s cover of My Way.
Johnny kept begging Malcolm to keep Sid away from the heroin and keep an eye on him. But alas. The human incubus that was Malcolm. Gave no fucks and whored Sod out to the devil and let him feed his addictions that led to the unexplained deaths? Murders? Suicides? Of Sid and Nancy.
Yes, what you say is true. And yes, Malcolm is a two-faced character who needs to stop being romanticized so much in the history of punk. Thanks for the information and for reading ☕
This album came out when I was a teenager and even now when I read some depressing news story I still hear the refrain of 'No Future!' in my head.
That phrase hits harder and harder. Thanks for reading ☕
Thank you for this — you’ve captured so clearly why this album refuses to fade into the background. What strikes me most is how you frame it not as myth-making, but as a kind of cultural report from a country losing its bearings. That lens feels truer today than ever. I also appreciated how you broke down each member’s contribution, especially the distinction between what Sid played and what he represented.
Your point about permission being the real birthright of punk really resonates. That’s the thread that still ties generations together, long after the noise has settled.
Thank you so much for the analysis and for taking the time to read it. Fortunately, they're back on stage, not with the lineup we all would have liked, but they still sound unique. Cheers!☕
One of the best Rock albums ever. Not one of the best Punk Rock albums, one of the best Rock albums ever. Yeah, guys who weren’t band members play on it, but that’s the case with most albums. Johnny Rotten is an alarmingly good singer. I don’t know how many copies o this album I’ve bought over the years, I keep handing out copies of it to people. I’m a pain.
It's a wonderful gesture; it's not just about giving away music, but about bringing a significant sample of universal music into every home. Thank you so much for reading ☕
I thoroughly agree.