A Sex Pistol & Nessie...

Currently reading: Lonely Boy, the autobiography of Sex Pistols' guitarist Steve Jones - which is an excellent book!

Also, picked these 2 oldies up the other day at Half Price Books in Arlington, Texas - (1) a 1939 book, A Book of Fabulous Beasts and (2) a 1970 paperback of F.W. Holiday's The Great Orm of Loch Ness. I have the original hardback but couldn't resist the paperback at just 2 dollars!

Steve Jones - Autobiography

Coming in November...the autobiography of Sex Pistols' guitarist Steve Jones. One I'll definitely be getting!

Here's the info on the book...

Stupid Sid

37 years ago today, Sex Pistols "bass-guitarist" Sid Vicious OD'd on heroin and died. He was 21.
I have put "bass-guitarist" in quotes, because in reality he could play the bass about as well as I can pilot a Jumbo Jet. He had the image, but no talent.

As an example, most of the bass work on the band's 1977 album, Never Mind The Bollocks, was played by guitarist Steve Jones. Sid managed to twang his way through the song, "Bodies," and that was about it.

It's a pity that one of the best bands that ever existed is so often identified with waster-junkie Sid, who contributed next to nothing to the band - aside from his leather jacket, spiky hair, and sunken cheeks. In other words, he looked the part. But that was it.

Dying at 21 from a heroin overdose doesn't make you an icon or a legendary figure. It makes you a dickhead.

Professionals - Complete!

Finally! I just now received in the mail a copy of the brand new, 3-CD collection of everything ever recorded by The Professionals (Steve Jones' and Paul Cook's post-Sex Pistols band). It's almost 50 songs, including their 4 singles and their 1981 album, plus the shelved original album, and a ton of demos, BBC sessions and much, much more. As tempted as I am to listen to it all now, I have to work! So, it's going to be a night of cranking up the music!

A Guitar God With A Chequered Past

My old mate - and sometimes partner in crime - Jon Downes of the Centre for Fortean Zoology has a new post that covers (A) a guitar god (Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols), (B) the same guitar god's time spent in a band that should have been huge but sadly weren't (Chequered Past), and (C) a fine and entertaining new piece of footage that sees Jonesy donning a kilt for the occasion!

Here it is!

And  why, exactly, should Chequered Past have been huge? Well, I'll tell you: everyone in the band was a star (Michael Des Barres, Steve Jones, Clem Burke and Nigel Harrison from Blondie, and Tony Sales, who played with Iggy Pop and also with Tin Machine).

With Jones' signature guitar sound in evidence (a style many have tried to replicate, but have failed to come even close), and Des Barres' vocals, Chequered Past kind of made me think of the Sex Pistols meets Journey.

Now,  I know that Jon will be horrified (utterly horrified!) to learn that someone who mainly listens to punk occasionally veers away into other musical realms. But, I don't care. I quite like Journey. There, I said it!

And when the songs are good, and Jones' playing is blistering, then all is good!

Stand out tracks for me on Chequered Past's one and only full-length release are Underworld, World Gone Wild, and Tonight and Every Night.

Jonny, it's now all up to you to get them to reform. The world is waiting and the future of the planet depends on it!