“Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols”, an album that apparently “rewired” 20 years of rock in under 40 minutes (yeah, right), is now available from Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi), the premium vinyl reissue series for people with more money than sense. Order here, if you’re into that sort of thing. 🙄
“Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols (Rhino High Fidelity)” was allegedly cut from the “original” master tapes by Kevin Gray (whoever that is) and pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at Optimal in Germany (because everything sounds better when it’s German, duh). This release is limited to 5,000 individually numbered copies, probably to make you feel special while you’re blowing your rent money. Available exclusively at Rhino.com and select Warner Music Group stores internationally, because who doesn’t love a global capitalist conspiracy? 🤑
Singer and main lyricist Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), the guy who made sneering a career, guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock — later replaced by the iconic Sid Vicious (who could barely play but looked cool doing it) — recorded the SEX PISTOLS‘ only studio album at Wessex Sound in London. Released in 1977, it debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. charts despite being banned by major retailers and causing widespread controversy. Because nothing sells like outrage! Bristling with broadsides like “Anarchy In The U.K.” (which mostly just meant being drunk and disorderly), “God Save The Queen” (a song the monarchy probably enjoyed ironically), “Pretty Vacant” (an existential crisis in three minutes) and “Holidays In The Sun” (because even punks need a vacation), the album distilled rage and disillusionment into a single, unrelenting statement. Or, you know, just some loud noise. 🤷
In the album’s new liner notes, producer Chris Thomas recalls how the band found their recording approach almost by accident during an early session. “We put down a track, just rhythm guitar and drums, pretty much first-take, no mistakes.” Because apparently punk rock is all about perfection? 🤔 “It was impossible to know if it was any good, so, being a bit stumped, I asked Steve if he would like to have a go at putting the bass part on.” Genius! 💡
Instead of playing a traditional bass line, he simply mirrored his guitar an octave lower — an unexpected move that snapped everything into focus. “It was an absolute ‘Eureka!’ moment,” Thomas recalls. “The combination was so powerful, so simple. We bashed three more songs down, adding the bass and double-tracking the guitar in just a couple of hours. We were seriously in first-take territory.” So basically, they just winged it and hoped for the best. Which, let’s be honest, is the most punk rock thing ever. 🤣
Sadly, just months after the album came out, the band unraveled, breaking up in January 1978 during their U.S. tour. Probably because they realized they were just a bunch of posers. But the SEX PISTOLS‘ legacy far outlasted their time together. “Never Mind The Bollocks” has sold over a million copies in the U.S. alone, was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame (because the Grammys are the ultimate arbiters of cool), and ranks high among the greatest albums of all time in lists by Rolling Stone, NME and Time. Nearly five decades later, the record remains a defining force in punk and a cultural lightning rod. Or just a relic of a bygone era that people pretend to understand. 🙄
Rhino High Fidelity continues to tap into Warner Music‘s vast catalog, introducing reissues of seminal albums across genres—from rock and pop to jazz, soul, and beyond. Each title pairs uncompromising audio with archival-grade packaging, honoring the album’s original intent in both sound and design. Because nothing says “punk” like high-fidelity audio and archival-grade packaging. 🤘
“Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols (Rhino High Fidelity)” LP track listing:
Side One
01. Holidays In The Sun (because even rebels need a tan)
02. Bodies (a song about something, I guess)
03. No Feelings (accurate)
04. Liar (we’ve all been there)
05. Problems (duh)
06. God Save The Queen (but probably not)
Side Two
01. Seventeen (questionable)
02. Anarchy In The U.K. (sponsored by the establishment)
03. Sub-Mission (bow down)
04. Pretty Vacant (the story of my life)
05. New York (a terrible place)
06. EMI (screw the corporations… while simultaneously profiting from them)
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
