‘Sex Pistols 76-77’ Set For Multi-Disc And Digital Release In September

Sex Pistols 76-77 is a comprehensive collection of recordings of the Sex Pistols before the release of Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols in 1977. Featuring no less than 80 alternate versions of tracks recorded between May 1976 and Sept 1977, these recordings helped form what is now one of the most iconic and culturally important records of all time and the legendary punk band’s only studio album.

To be released as a 4CD set and digitally on 24 September, it contains eight previously unreleased versions and 30 tracks available for the first time digitally.

This Sex Pistols 76-77 set is an audio journey of demos and outtakes potting just how Never Mind The Bollocks came to be. It wasn’t luck but instead inspiration, creativity and hard work over a short and intense period of time full of infamous and now legendary stories…

What follows is a background into how these tracks line up with the bands history and the release of the final album…

The original Sex Pistols’ line-up – John Lydon, Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock – got together in the summer of 1975 and it would be just ten months before they first ventured into a recording studio. Their first studio outing was at the Majestic in London on May 15 1976 with Chris Spedding, later that July they’d record first at Decibel and then at Riverside with Dave Goodman and subsequently at Lansdowne and Wessex later that October. All these early recording sessions are included in this set, giving listeners the opportunity to hear just how the songs and the band’s sound evolved from the start.

During this period the band signed to EMI and also undertook sessions at their Manchester Square studio. Again these recordings are included on this set.

After issuing “Anarchy In The UK”, the adverse publicity around it and the band’s TV appearance (in place of the band Queen) on Bill Grundy’s ITV show on Dec 1 1976, EMI would drop them on January 6 1977. The band kept the record company advance of £40K and promptly got together again with Dave Goodman at Eden and Gooseberry studios and carried on recording. Matlock would depart in February and be replaced by Sid Vicious.

They then signed to A&M on March 9th (£150K), re-staging the signing outside Buckingham Palace the following day for the press. A&M quickly began pressing the single “God Save The Queen” for a March 25 release. 25K units were created but on release day A&M announced they’d pulled the single and dropped the band and would destroy the records. Meanwhile the band kept £75K in compensation and recording sessions continued.

On Friday May 13 they signed to Virgin Records and would continue recording right up until Sept 1977, with Never Mind The Bollocks being released the following month.

Sex Pistols 76-77 – Track Listing

CD1:
Chris Spedding – Majestic Studios Mixes, May 15th 1976
“Problems”
“Pretty Vacant”
“No Feelings (Take 1)”
“No Feelings (Unreleased Take 2)”
“No Feelings (Unreleased Take 3)”

Dave Goodman – Decibel Studios Mixes, July 30th 1976
“Submission”
“Seventeen”
“Satellite”
“I Wanna Be Me”
“Pretty Vacant”
“Anarchy In The UK”
“No Feelings”

Dave Goodman – Wessex Studios Sessions October 17 1976
“Anarchy In The UK”
“Substitute”
“(Don’t Gove Me) No Lip”
“(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone”
“Johnny B Goode”
“Road Runner”
“Watcha Gonna Do About It?”
“Through My Eyes”
“No Fun” (Full 7 Minute Version)

CD2:
Mike Thorne Manchester Square Studio Session Dec 11 1976
“Anarchy In The UK” (Instrumental (Manchester Square backing track))
“No Future” (aka GSTQ)
“Liar”
“Problems” (Manchester Square Demos)
“God Save The Queen” (Instrumental)
“Pretty Vacant” (Instrumental)
“No Feelings” (Instrumental (EMI back tracks for TV))

Dave Goodman Eden Studio Mixes January 28 1977 (recorded at Gooseberry Studios Jan 1977)
“New York”
“Unlimited Edition” (aka EMI)
“Liar”
“Pretty Vacant”
“Problems”
“No Future” (aka GSTQ)
“God Save The Queen” (Unreleased Instrumental)

Dave Goodman Riverside Studio Mixes 31/5/77 (Recorded at Denmark Street July 1976 but mixed 1977)
“Pretty Vacant”
“Seventeen”
“Satellite”
“No Feelings”
“I Wanna Be Me”
“Submission”
“Anarchy In The UK”

CD3:
Wessex Studio
“Anarchy In The UK” (Wessex Studios Rejected version Oct. 1976)
“Did You Know Wrong” (Alternative Vocal March 3rd 1977)
“17” (Alternative Vocal March April 21st 1977)
“Satellite” (Rough Mix April 22 1977)
“Submission” (Rough Mix April 22 1977)
“Holidays In The Sun” (Rough Mix April 22 1977)
“EMI” (Rough Mix April 22 1977)
“17” (Rough Mix May 16 1977)
“Holidays In The Sun” (Alternative Mix June 11 1977)
“Body” (Demo & The Banter June 11 1977)
“Submission” (Alternative Mix August 12 1977)

Chris Thomas NMTB Sessions, Wessex Studios March – August 1977
“EMI” (Outtake – March 3rd 1977)
“God Save The Queen” (Outtake – March 3rd 1977)
“Bodies” (Outtake – Instrumental June 18th 1977)
“EMI” (Outtake – August 12th 1977)
“Satellite” (Outtake – August 12th 1977)
“Submission” (Version 1 – Alternative Mix – August 12th 1977)
“EMI” (Alternative Mix – April 22nd 1977)
“Seventeen” (Alternative Mix – April 21st 1977)
“No Feelings” (Alternative Mix – April 14th 1977)
“Submission” (Version 2 – Alternative Mix – August 12th 1977)

John Boogie Tiberi Denmark Street Rehearsal Room, London, Sept 20th 1977
“Belsen Was A Gas” (Demo)
“Belsen Was A Gas” (Demo 2)

CD4:
Spunk – Bootleg – Bonus Disc
“Seventeen” (Spunk Version)
“Satellite” (Spunk Version)
“Feelings (aka No Feelings)” (Spunk Version)
“Just Me (aka I Wanna Be Me)” (Spunk Version)
“Submission” (Spunk Version)
“Nookie (aka Anarchy In The UK)” (Spunk Version)
“No Future (aka God Save The Queen)” (Spunk Version)
“Problems” (Spunk Version)
“Lots Of Fun (aka Pretty Vacant)” (Spunk Version)
“Liar (Spunk Version)”
“Who Was It (aka EMI)” (Spunk Version)
“New York (aka Looking For A Kiss)” (Spunk Version)
“Anarchy In The UK” (Denmark Street Demo July 76) (Spunk Version)
“Pretty Vacant” (Denmark Street Demo July 76) (Spunk Version)
“No Fun (Unedited Version)” (Spunk Version)

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