While mostly accurate, dismissing Never Mind the Bollocks as merely a series of loud, ragged midtempo rockers with a harsh, grating vocalist and not much melody would be a terrible error. Already anthemic songs are rendered positively transcendent by Johnny Rotten's rabid, foaming delivery. His bitterly sarcastic attacks on pretentious affectation and the very foundations of British society were all carried out in the most confrontational, impolite manner possible. Most imitators of the Pistols' angry nihilism missed the point: underneath the shock tactics and theatrical negativity were social critiques carefully designed for maximum impact. Never Mind the Bollocks perfectly articulated the frustration, rage, and dissatisfaction of the British working class with the establishment, a spirit quick to translate itself to strictly rock & roll terms. The Pistols paved the way for countless other bands to make similarly rebellious statements, but arguably none were as daring or effective. It's easy to see how the band's roaring energy, overwhelmingly snotty attitude, and Rotten's furious ranting sparked a musical revolution, and those qualities haven't diminished one bit over time. Never Mind the Bollocks is simply one of the greatest, most inspiring rock records of all time. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
@don1983: No, "punk" was not a term invented by the British press. If I am not mistaken, the term "punk," as applied to a music genre, was from a fanzine of the same name (_Punk_) from the early 1970s that was dedicated to the New York City underground music scene, and was applied to groups such as The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop & the Stooges, The Dead Boys, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Wayne County & the Electric Chairs, The Ramones, Blondie, The Cramps, The Talking Heads, and others from the C
I fell in love with this killer album when it first came out. I thought it was loud and rude and in your face but also sublimely beautiful! It played a huge part in the soundtrack of my life.
Maybe, but you must be aware "punk" was a retrogressive movement, heralding to the early days and ragged sounds of early Kinks, Yardbirds, etc. What became "punk" was for the little people, the big people ignored it. Nothing political ever came from punk, they all really wanted to be "rock" stars.
That said, Never Mind the Bullocks is a great R&R album.
failures to provide them with a sound future, hence the cry of "No Future".
The Pistols were the embodiment of Rock and Rolls final gasp as they took the dying genre and choked the living daylights out of it. Today historians and "punks" cite them as one of the originators, but they really were never about what "punk" as a genre ultimately became. They were, the last rock and rollers.
Punk is really, now as even then, about kids dressing up in outlandish "costumes", to freak out and disgust the next generation. What made them more rock and roll was their music, firmly grounded in the R&R template
than the music that came after them. It was not about speed or screaming incoherent vocals, it was music made by and for British teens, realizing that they would never be as economically sound as their parents, disgusted and tired of their government and parents
They are punk. They have punk elements. Perhaps punk is a retronym. Also, there have been plenty of rock bands since. They're not all indie/alternative bands like Green Day or The Killers. You have the garage rock revival headed by the White Stripes and Jet. Garage rock itself is also a retronym, as is its other name "protopunk".
The last rock and roll album from the last rock and roll band (do NOT call them "Punk") Punk was a term invented by wanky British press. Johnny Rotten would spit in your eye, and not in a good way either.
Sorry to make you feel old! Lol, I can't help it that I'm 18. => I like vinyl better then cd's or tapes anyway!
I agree, it still sounds fresh today. SO insperational to me as a musician.
REMINDS ME OF SOUTH GATE JR. HIGH AND DAVID LOMBARDO THE DRUMMER OF SLAYER WHO ATTENDED THE SAME SCHOOL AND USED TO COME OVER TO MY PARENTS APT. ON MCNERNEY AVE. ALSO THE GREAT BACKYARD PARTIES WE HAD IN SOUTHERN CALIF. AT THE TIME.
Rachel, you make me feel old I too have it on vinyl. i agree, one, if not THE
best albums of all time. Real rock an roll. It's amazing a 31 year old album
still blows away much of what followed and does not sound dated like much of the "punk" that followed.
Inspired me and probably thousands more teenagers to pick up a guitar and start a band...just because we could..LOVE THIS RECORD...maybe more than any other...