THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Sex Pistols’ 76/77 features no less than 80 alternate versions of tracks recorded between May 1976 and Sept 1977 that would help form the legendary album Never Mind The Bollocks. This set also includes eight previously unreleased versions and 30 tracks available for the first time digitally.
The Sex Pistols as we know them — John, Paul, Steve and Glen — got together in the summer of 1975. It would be some 10 months before they first ventured into a recording studio with Chris Spedding, on May 15 1976 at Majestic in London. Later that July they’d record first at Decibel and then at Riverside with Dave Goodman and subsequently at Landsdown and Wessex later that October. All these early recording sessions are included here, 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 Queen) on Bill Grundy’s ITV show on Dec 1, 1976, EMI would drop them on Jan 6, 1977. The band kept the record company advance of £40K and promptly got together again with Goodman at Eden and Gooseberry studios and carried on recording. Glen would depart in February and be replaced by Sid Vicious.
They then signed to A&M on March 9 (£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.
Friday the 13th…..lucky for some? On Friday May 13 they signed to Virgin records and would continue recording right up until Sept 1977, with NMTBs being released the following month. 76/77 shows just how their legendary album came to be. There was no luck, just inspiration, creativity and hard graft.”
