sid vicious playng ability?

[Imaginary Pony]

In an effort to further derail the topic (sorry OP!), listen to this and tell me this wasn't the band that the Pistols were, um, borrowing from:

Steve and Paul never made a secret of their admiration for the Dolls.
Steve had Sylvain Sylvain's guitar, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers supported the Pistols on the Anarchy Tour (Richard Hell had already left, but jerry Nolan was still there).
The sex Pistols' "New York" is a swipe at Johnny Thunders, and the Heartbreakers' "London Boys" is a reply to that.

Arthur Kane and Jerry Nolan played with Sid Vicious in New York.

 

[Imaginary Pony]

Is there a more compelling biography of Slade on the bookshelves?

I don't know, but if you watch these parodies of Slade (there's a whole bunch under "Slade in Residence" Noddy Holder says they're very close to the truth...

 

[Low town]

I think musicianship was purposefully not important to what the Sex Pistols were all about. It would be more accurate to call it a fashion show and I think they would have willingly agreed. I also think you bristled unnecessarily.

I think every band that wants to be noticed is fashion show - every band from The Sex Pistols through to Joe Satriani is trying to be something and tailor their approach to that something.

Sex Pistols uses a complete lack of technical brilliance; Joe Satriani uses all technical brilliance.


Two other issues:

1. It wasn't unnecessary: you answered a comment with a rhetorical sarcastic question - that is enough justification to bristle for anyone who has a reasonable control of the English language in an online forum.

2. What am I supposed to do now you think I bristled unnecessarily? If that minor comment derails you, then you are in for a tough ride.

 

[wolfkeller]

So why do people call Sid a murderer? That was never proven. There is a lot of evidence to the contrary. Watch Who killed Nancy. You get arrested and accused and your guilty?

 

[Hues]

 

[redwookie]

100%

If I were forced to pick a single person as the one that inspired the "look" it would be Richard Hell. Everybody wanted to look like that dude. And forced to pick one band that influenced the "sound" it would be the Dolls. Listen to Never Mind The Bollocks and you can hear the strong Dolls influence, hardly any Ramones influence. Sid May have followed Dee Dee around but it was probably for other reasons.
Richard Hell, looking cooler than anybody:
View attachment 508783

Yep. In the US, Richard Hell and the New York Dolls. Just talked with an old bud who turned me on to that sound in 1972. Raw, cool, and really spoke to us working class street kids. So that sound was around. But the Pistols were a step up with their songs.

 

[Gluvhand]

I don't see the Pistols as a "step up" from the Dolls, especially in the song writing department. Neither was breaking any ground there. It was the attitude and approach that was the unique.

 

[redwookie]

I don't see the Pistols as a "step up" from the Dolls, especially in the song writing department. Neither was breaking any ground there. It was the attitude and approach that was the unique.

With only one album of 12 songs in the US, it's fair to say that 7-8 of the Pistols songs are instantly recognizable either by title or within the first few seconds of hearing. That's a pretty good ratio. Even though I have fun memories of Hell, MC5, and the Dolls' music in general, they didn't come out with many (any?) songs that most rock fans would describe as catchy or memorable. But their music, like the Pistols', was fun and exciting.

Nothing really unique about the attitude and approach of mass marketed punk rebellion rock'n'roll lifestyle other than the marketing. That was genius! For instance, how about the rented barge which followed the Queen's yacht around on the River Thames with the Pistols blasting songs like God Save the Queen from PA speakers. Now that's funny.!!! And a really smart marketing move .

 

[Son of Wobble]

Nothing really unique about the attitude and approach of mass marketed punk rebellion rock'n'roll lifestyle other than the marketing. That was genius! For instance, how about the rented barge which followed the Queen's yacht around on the River Thames with the Pistols blasting songs like God Save the Queen from PA speakers. Now that's funny.!!! And a really smart marketing move .

Speaking of the Pistols and marketing, I just stumbled onto the following business story that uses the Pistols as an example of exemplary branding... Just came up in my Google news feed. Apply these tips to your band or product, and presto - cash from chaos!

http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/11/lessons-about-branding-sex-pistols.html

 

[rtslinger]

Not into bashing anyone, but he wasn't cut out to play. His timing was bad and maybe if he got himself clean he could have improved with time something he didn't have.