England was in the depths of plutonium darkness, music was becoming dull, and people getting disillusioned when out of the wilderness a new group was forming.
Like all good stories that started at the beginning. Once upon a time.
The series for some bizarre reasons beyond this humble writer s imagination is Produced and shown on Disney plus but don't despair boys and girls for it it's not all puppies, and sugar-sweet fun this is a tail that most comes from Steve Jones's book Lonely Boy:Tales from the Sex Pistols by Steve Jones and we see events unfold from his point of view.
Each episode has the word Track before it thus Six Tracks and Six Episodes make it like a mini-album.
Track 1
The Cloak of Invisibility
It's the middle of the Nineteen Sevenths in the economically depressed City of London where Young Steve Jones played by Toby Wallace is homeless, suffering from a misplaced childhood where Daddy wanted a different kind of love the one that is perverted, he steals, drives cars, a rogue in the rough, he wants to create a rock band.
Jones visits Vivienne Westwood (Talulah Riley) the broken punk in her Broque shop SEX, she lets him burrow the edgy clothing on display.
Jones to fund his band likes to do the old five-finger discount something he did from a young age with the belief as he was just a kid no one saw him he wore a cloak of invisibility, and he once stole off David Bowie at Hammersmith Odeon, microphone, speaker s.
In the shop Sex was working an American girl by Chrissie Hynde (Sidney Chandler) who has ambitions to be a singer one day, Jones likes Chrissie and pursues her despite her dating Keith Richard s wannabee Music Critic Nick Kent.
Jones gets in with Malcolm McLaren(Thomas Brodie _Sangstar) who is like a cheap man's version of George Martin and still a bit better with his relationship with The New York Dolls, fought by many to be the founders of the punk rock moment but in my opinion Punk in England was far more of an uprising in the younger generation a sort up yours to the then establishment.
Jones later decided more equipment is needed for his band so yet again he visits Hammersmith Odeon as Motorhead are the touring band this time his cloak of invisibility ruins out he is caught by the roadies and police who decide to give him a good kicking then he goes to court thinking his number is up but his surprise Malcolm testifies that Jones is a victim of his background and a promising employee, Jones is spared prison and from this moment is like a loyal family dog towards Malcolm not willing to stand against him.
This is where Malcolm starts to influence Jones and says he sees a bright future.
It's Malcolm that renames Jones's band from Spunk and Kutie Jones and the Sex Pistols.
As their play, their first ever gig with the only original song I am a lazy sod, Jones has a severe attack of stage fright and runs off the stage to throw up some carrots outside.
It is here he admits to Paul Cook (Jabob Slater) that he has low self-esteem.
We don't learn a lot about Paul Cook apart from the fact he was allowed to play the drums in his mum and dad's bedroom, he is a massive Beatles fan and is somewhat of a minor part in the six-part mini-series.
This episode along with most of the others features a mixture of original 70s footage mixed with the dramatic story and quite surprising a soundtrack of early 70 s hits and a cover version of a David Bowie song between Chrissie and Steve.
Track 2
Rotten
This episode features a very brave Maisie Williams playing the part of Pamela (Jordan)Rooke riding a bike wearing no bra and a see-through mac and then travelling by train to work, yet again Jordan is a minor character in the series mostly because her attitude makes the so-called Conservative people uncomfortable, Jones-like her balls but does not fully understand her.
Malcolm McLaren wants a singer for Kutie Jones and the Sex Pistols so Vivienne suggests a regular customer by the name of John.
Enter John Lydon (Anson Boon) who Malcolm asks him to perform in the shop, John comes across as a bit pathetic, dressed for the part, he only sings after he threatens to set Jones on him this is the start of the toxic hate between them which at first is the engine of their attitude and attack against the music of the day and I would say the inspiration for there live performances s but as you will learn later this relationship breaks down in a big way that still has reverence in the present day.
In this episode, we learn that Steve Jones learnt to play the guitar in six days whilst out of his head on speed at the Studio in Denmark Street. It's Jones who comes up with the name Rotten due to the state of John Lydon's teeth.
Entering this episode is the other John who is a friend of Rotten he wants to join the band to have someone to stick up for him, We find out the reason why Sid got the Vicious part of his name it was after Rotten s pet hamster who's name was Sid and as he went near the cage the hamster bites him with Sid saying he s Vicious.
Sid is not into the music has he can't play a note to save his life, he is into the image and it s pointed out all through the episode s he is featured this is his agenda, he is a friendly person but has a tendency to pick fights and inflict pain on himself, his character becomes the third most important in the series after, Jones and Rotten.
Genn Matlock (Christian Lees)is yet another minor put off the series we learn he is a massive fan of the Beatles, the best player in the band and growing up was treated by his own as being posh and at his school a bit of rough from the local council estate.
When Sid who is the other John visits Vivienne's shop she introduces him to Malcolm and says the immortal line thus is the John I was on about you got the wrong John.
Malcolm influenced by Vivienne sees Sid as part of his agenda to upset the establishment and create a new movement due to Sid's attitude it's all about the look.
The band under the new name The Sex Pistols as Rotten did not like the name Kutie Jones and his Sex Pistols, showing the Internal conflicts in the band between Rotten and Jones.
Glenn is the one who gets a gig at Saint Martin's School of Art as the support act for a band whose lead singer was Joe Strummer, of later on The Clash fame.
At the gig not wishing to be drowned out by the other band's amp, they insist on using their own which angers Joe and his bandmates so a brawl breaks out.
Still not much punk rock music mainly from the period.
This episode is dedicated to Jordan who sadly died the month before the broadcast.
Track 3
Bodies.
This shows the in and out of the band as they struggle to come up with new material and leads almost to them breaking up
This episode is bizarre as it goes down a few rabbit holes of a plot line and we get a few stories that verge on myth.
One is Reginald Bosanquet's (Matthew Cottle) newscaster underwear he buys from Sex and says in acknowledgement of this fact he gives them a wink as he signs off the news, we then get a mix of the original footage and the seris recreation.
Rotten writes Anarchy in the UK which is performed at a gig at HM Prison Chelmsford as Malcolm what's them to play before a hostile captive audience.
Then the next rabbit hole plot we learn for visa proposes that Chrissie asks Jones to marry her in a sham marriage which he says yes but back s out due to her boyfriend Nick understandably get s angry about, Rotten steps in but disappear s when gets inspiration to write a song.
Then we get the most bizarre and harrowing rabbit hole of the whole episode and the most disturbing story in the whole series.
This is the story of Pauline, a young black woman who is locked up in a mental hospital for a reason s not explored or explained during her time in care is raped by a hospital orderly later she keeps turning up at various places carrying a carpet bag she is only willing for people to see inside she trusts, Vivienne is the first and she is so horrified what she sees she throws her out of her shop, next it's Jones turn as she takes a shine to him, he too sees inside the carpet bag he too freaks out.
Then she turns to Rotten who throughout this episode is stalking.
Rotten decides to talk to her and take her in for a cup of tea, she reveals the contents inside the carpet bag it's her aborted fetus, Rotten says she can't leave it in his mum s kitchen and says she ought to give the baby a decent burial which she does then she pursues her rapist and stabs him.
This story is given the reason behind the song by Rotten (Bodies (
I found this episode totally out of sink with the series it felt like an added-on last-minute kind of affair and adding to the myth or truth behind this one song.
Track 4
Pretty Vaaaycunt.
This is more about the band again relating to tours of North England, reaction received from doing various gigs, we see a heartwarming bonding straight out of what you would expect from Disney.
The band bond over fish and chips on a beach at a posh hotel is so cute it makes you want to spit, spitting was very much part of the live punk rock moment it was worn like a badge of honour to be spat at.
Vivienne changes the name of the shop to Seditionaries as she no longer wants to be associated with a sex shop.
Enter Malcolm again, although his character is more regularly than some I think this harks back to Jones's loyalty to the man, we the offices of Glitterbest where contracts are signed only Glen suggests reading them through, oh I forgot to mention Jones at this point can not read or write although you may find an inconsistent in The Cloak of Invisibility.
Malcolm, says he has managed to sign them up with EMI.
Then we get to see the effect of blurring real footage with a series version of the infamous Bill Grundy interview on ITV in which Bill who dislikes the band prokes the bear and chats up Siouxsie Sioux who takes offence and calls him a dirty old man, in the series this remark, is aimed at Jones father.
This one event changes the perception of The Sex Pistols overnight making them hated across the land, to the point Rotten is slashed by a bottle at a club, and Malcolm and Vivienne get attacked via bricks through the window, this is the moment Vivienne becomes disillusioned with the punk scene and moves on, Malcolm says the *the band matters)
They lost their contract to EMI and were banned from playing throughout much of England, there is plenty online about playing under different names or secret gigs at the time.
They sign for A&M Records.
Glen is forced out of the band by Malcolm putting pressure on Jones to replace him with Sid as this suits Malcolm s vision for the band much better.
As I said before and afraid to say it but for a series about Punk rock and Sex Pistols we don't get much of the music may be due to copyright disputes between Rotten and the rest of the band, money is the essence of greed.
Track 5.
Nancy &Sid
This episode heavily features mostly on the Sid and Nancy Spungen(Emma Appleton) codependent relationship and heron addiction, The only thing else I learned about Nancy was she was American, Brassy, Liked to get her way and was willing to do anything to fund her addiction.
We learn that No Future written by Rotten is changed due to the year being that of The Queen s Jubilee and Malcolm again using his influence on Jones if gets a new title (God Save The Queen).
The band get dropped by A&M records due to being a bit of s hot potato, no one what's to touch.
That's is when Richard Branson (Kai Alexander) as a Knight in shining armour rides in and saves the day by offering a new contract at Virgin Record s but on the condition that their must produce an album, at the recording studio Sid not available due to Hepatitis so Jones plays his bass parts on the album which doesn't matter anyway as previously mentioned Sid cannot play a note of music.
We learn how the album got its name it is something the hot dog seller would shout at the greyhound s
(Never mind the Bullocks)it is Malcolm who adds (Here's the Sex Pistols).
In this part of the band's history Nancy is becoming The Yoko Ono and is causing Sid to be very distracted so with Malcolm's encouragement Jones, Helen of Troy (Francesca Mills), Helen of Troy although a minor part is seen from the beginning of the series, get rid of Nancy by getting her high on Heroin.
The band to promote the record hire a riverboat and play God Save The Queen live going down the river Thames, Nancy comes back into the picture, and we see an image showing that God saves the Queen was number 1 in the charts of 1977 but never played as banned, this image may support the claims of Sex Pistols having a number one hit although over later images of music charts show it at number 2 I let you describe what you believe as I am sightly bais.
The only other thing of any importance is Chrissie breaks off her friendship with Steve.
At least be hear a few punk songs but still songs of the era.
At last dear reader if have not had a cheeky forty winks or much worse believe this review is rumbling on a bit I only say it's nearly the end now so high to your hat.
Track 6
Who killed Bambi?
This is the only truly punk music theme episode, maybe copyright was sorted out that's the cynic in me.
We see Sex Pistols tour, Uncle Sam, in of all places American South, this tour is like going into the depths of hell itself and seeing your soul being torn out as everywhere they go there are met with raucous results, John and Jones's relationship is like watching opposing sides of a war entrenched in bitterness, Rotten tries to get rid of Malcolm as the manager but yet again is let down by Jones loyalty to Malcolm, Rotten leave s and Sid become s the Singer.
Sid slides in and out of taking drugs and ends in a coma.
This is where we see the influence of Disney as we get a scene of Rotten visiting him in the hospital to see if Sid was OK, falling out with Nancy and telling Rotten nobody likes him.
The filming of Who Killed Bambi? The Great Rock and Roll Swindle reveals to Jones that Rotten was right all along that Malcolm was just using him for his agenda and we get the line from Malcolm (I am Not Your Dad)
Sid is asked to do a version of the French song Non-Regret which we say he is not singing any frog song but Jones realises it My Way by Frank Sinatra, Sid does wish for a straight like for like the song so he asks Nancy to rewrite some lyrics so the infamous version of My way by Sid is born.
This episode then features the darkness of Sid finding Nancy stabbed to death in the hotel bathroom they were staying Hotel Chelsea Sid is charged with murder and released on bail, a year later in 1979 he dies of a heroin overdose, like all young singers, drummers, guitar players, he gains a cult status among the punk community and is probably too many the most famous member of Sex Pistols.
The episode features a scene which to me could have been cut out but yet again Disney, The scene involves Chrissie learning about Sid s death just before she is about to go on stage with her new band The Pretenders, she sheds a tear as she reflects on her friendship with Sid.
Jones takes learning about Sid's death badly and injects Heroin in which he hallucinates a conversation with Rotten.
This is where Disney go full-on Hollywood Happy ending, we see the Sex Pistols performing at a benefit concert for striking miners in Huddersfield, Yorkshire showing Sid, Jones, and Rotten being in great camaraderie then the episode ends.
Conclusion.
I enjoyed the series as subdividing did not learn a great deal new as I lived in the 70s I was still at school when punk came into my life.
The one thing I found bizarre was the lack of swearing but a lot of sexual images, and the lack of punk songs, I hated the Hollywood ending as it was influenced by Disney.
The actors played a pretty good version of the band's characters and capture them very well, would I recommend you watch it, the answer is yes as you may see things I missed.
Love or Hate Sex Pistols their short-lived fame, one real album, some may count Spunk as the other, Spunk is a demo album features Jones with his original band, yes there others but there are just various compilations albums and live stuff.
There are infamous, yes lots of other punk bands played better than them but if you ask most people to name a punk rock band the answer will be Sex Pistols.
Long live Punk it never truly killed Bambi.
Mark Antony raines
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