2024-08-15 23:36:35
The famous British punk band Sex Pistols returned to the stage this Tuesday night in London after 16 years, but without singer John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten. The three original members of the group with the new frontman originally wanted to play three charity concerts in the British capital, but they are already planning more.
All three nights were sold out within minutes. According to the DPA agency, the first one excited the fans. The band played all the songs from the album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, which was released in 1977 and includes the hits God Save the Queen or Anarchy in the UK.
The 68-year-old guitarist Steve Jones, the same-age drummer Paul Cook, a year younger bassist Glen Matlock and the 40-year-old singer Frank Carter from the groups Rattlesnakes and Gallows, who was not even born when the Sex Pistols’ only studio record was released, performed.
The changed formation was seen by around 400 spectators at the Bush Hall in the London borough of Shepherd’s Bush. Hit God Save The Queen, popular young rock singer Yungblud also ran on stage for a few seconds to sing, before mixing back into the crowd.
In addition to John Lydon alias Johnny Rotten, former band member Sid Vicious, who died in 1979, was missing from the performers. According to the online newspaper The Independent, the absence of the original frontman was obvious. “The Sex Pistols were what they were because of Lydon, because of their disgust and horror at themselves and the world around them,” the website says.
According to him, Frank Carter simply could not fully replace his predecessor, although he tried as hard as he could on Tuesday.
The new line-up of the Sex Pistols consists of Steve Jones, Frank Carter, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock. | Photo: Bush Hall
“Of course, almost 50 years later, those songs are nowhere near as destructive as when they were blasted from loudspeakers by teenagers hungry for rebellion and violence,” the newspaper points out. But the musicians still sparkle when they play with each other, and guitarist Steve Jones, for example, played as if he didn’t care about seventy at all, the magazine concludes.
The British newspaper Guardian awarded the performance four out of five stars. According to his reviewer, it was always joked that the Sex Pistols couldn’t play, but the truth is the opposite, and songs like Seventeen or Pretty Vacant proved that it’s still an excellent rock’n’roll line-up, says the Guardian.
He too notices that the punk band once considered a threat to society has turned into a nostalgic memory stripped of its riotous charge. “When they play Anarchy in the UK at the end, it sounds like a fair summary of recent events on the British streets. It’s over before ten, four hundred smiling old punks pull out their bus passes and go home,” sums up the British paper bitingly.
Two more Sex Pistols concerts will take place this Wednesday and again on Thursday. The musicians organized them to help the independent Bush Hall, which has been in existence since 1904 and was in danger of closing due to lack of funds. The members of the Sex Pistols have a connection to the place, with guitarist Jones and drummer Cook growing up in the neighborhood, explains NME.com.
The interest in the trio of performances was so great that the band has already announced another one. It will take place on September 26 in the O2 Forum Kentish Town, which can accommodate up to 2,300 people. “The response is incredible. We were honored to be able to help a local business. But obviously there are other fans who would like to hear us,” explained guitarist Steve Jones at another concert.
The Sex Pistols have reunited several times since breaking up in January 1978. The first time was in 1996, when they completed a six-month tour called Filthy Lucre. One of the stops was the Sports Hall in Prague. Two more concert series followed in the years 2002 to 2003 and most recently 2007 to 2008.
The original singer John Lydon and his other group Public Image Ltd performed in Prague and Brno last year.
Video: Resurgent Sex Pistols play God Save the Queen
The song God Save the Queen as played by the Sex Pistols with Frank Carter and for a few seconds a guest Yungblud in London yesterday. | Video: Youtube.com/97reayj