On this day, 44 ago, the Sex Pistols released their one and only official studio album ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols’. It was released by Virgin Records on 28 October 1977. The album has influenced many bands and musicians, and the industry in general. In particular, the album's raw energy, and Johnny Rotten's sneering delivery and "half-singing", are often considered as game-changing. It is frequently listed as the most influential punk album, and one of the most important albums of all time.
By the time of its release, the Sex Pistols were controversial, having sworn on live TV, been fired from two record labels, and been banned from playing live in some parts of Britain. The album title added to that controversy, with some people finding the word "bollocks" offensive. Many record stores refused to carry it and some record charts refused to list its title, showing just a blank space instead.
Due in part to its notoriety, and in spite of many sales bans at major retailers, the album debuted at number one on the UK Album Charts. It achieved advance orders of 125,000 copies after a week of its release and went gold only a few weeks later, on 17 November. It remained a best-seller for over a year, spending 60 weeks in the top 25. The album has also been certified platinum by the RIAA. It has seen several reissues, the latest in 2017.
In 2006, it was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 greatest albums ever.
Never Mind The Bollocks - Here Are The Sex Pistols (UK edition 12 track LP)
A1. Holidays in the Sun 3:22
A2. Bodies 3:03
A3. No Feelings 2:53
A4. Liar 2:41
A5. God Save the Queen 3:20
A6. Problems 4:11
B1. Seventeen 2:02
B2. Anarchy in the U.K. 3:32
B3. Submission 4:12
B4. Pretty Vacant 3:18
B5. New York 3:07
B6. E.M.I.
Note: "Submission" was included with most, but not all, copies of the 11-track as a one-sided seven-inch single.
Today it is exactly 33 years since the Belgian Goth-fathers of the EBM (Electronic Body Music) released their fourth studio album Front By Front (PIAS / 28.10.1988). An album that came only one year after Official Version (1987) and with which these gentlemen managed to refine the EBM recipe almost to perfection. Front 242 was clearly on the roll and Front By Front contained, just as its predecessor, a lot of dance floor fillers and also classic tracks, like Until Death (Us Do Part), Circling Overland, Im Rhythmus Bleiben, Welcome to Paradise. And of course maybe one of their most famous and successful singles / songs until this day, Headhunter. Front By Front is therefore considered one of the best Electro / Industrial albums ever made, not only by fans but also by critics around the world. Headhunter's remarkable video, filmed and directed by the well-known Dutch director / home photographer of Depeche Mode, U2 and Joy Division, Anton Corbijn, received heavy rotation on MTV and other music channels of that time. Due to the remarkable presence of eggs in this video clip, the song soon acquired the nickname 'Egg Hunter'. Despite these seemingly successful releases, Front 242’s home label and distribution partner Red Rhino Europe went bankrupt the same year and was taken over by PIAS (Play It again Sam). After the release of Front By Front, it would be a 3 year long wait for the fans until the follow-up album Tyranny> For was released. In 1992, the Front By Front album was remastered and was put in a new jacket for the re-release on the American major label Sony / Epic.
Gothic rock band OCTOBER NOIR has just unleashed their highly-anticipated new full-length release, Fate, Wine & Wisteria. The themes of the album draw upon lust, loss, love, pain and arrogance.
The album features the recently released single, "Windows" for which the band shot a video. The song is about finding a savior in the midst of being in a miserable state and being able to see everything the world has to offer through that person's eyes. The video was filmed in multiple locations around south and central Alabama, depicting the band being in different parts of the world and all that the scenery has to offer.
Fate, Wine & Wisteria was engineered and produced by Paul Bento (CARNIVORE) & Wicked Wind Studios.
Alternative/Darkwave Artist BESS(Of WhiteCauldron) Documents Traumatic Journey With 'No Cover'
Alternative/Darkwave artist BESS (Of White Cauldron) just recently unveiled her new full-length album, No Cover.
No Cover is a document of loss and trauma; an album whose themes chronical events including personal loss and the difficulties suffered by the Covid-19 pandemic including the lockdowns. BESS is presently working on a video for the song, "What A Fool Believes" - an homage to her brother who she lost to Covid-19.
Last year during COVID lockdowns, BESS was featured in ReGen Magazine for the track, “Shelter in Place.” With that track, she wrote lyrics and then recorded the vocals in one take.
No Cover is available as a limited edition (22 copies only) and as a numbered, autographed edition that includes exclusive photos and a lyric book.
About the song, "Tyrants", BESS states:
"I (unknowingly) had COVID when I shot that video. I was excruciatingly fatigued & in pain. Even so, timing was of the essence. I had to get that music video out because of what had just happened: The January 6th Insurrection.
I didn’t use a storyboard for the video. Instead, I set the camera, green screen, bass, props/costumes and took footage with the song playing in the background. I used footage from the news coverage of the January 6th Insurrection. The green screen really helped bring it together.
The 80s styling of black & white, cartoon filters and various color adjustments in a number of filters creates this sort of surreal journey into the past stylistically, while commenting on the present day political atmosphere. It’s intentionally punk & post-punk cinematography, to transport the viewer into an eerie vision of present-day hardships."
THE BLUE HOUR's latest release, 'Lore' is a journey through struggle, transcendence and love. Dreamlike, each song tells a true story imbued with nature and fantastic worlds.
“Wheel and Web” is a respite from struggle, exploring and glorifying the elements, if only for a moment. Each song is a tale in itself, hence the album name, 'Lore.'
'Lore' is also inescapably a product of the pandemic. When the world closed, it gave Marselle and Brian a moment to stop and reflect and re-envision their music in a way that had been impossible before.
The result is a refined production and story arc. Inspired by early 4AD acts like This Mortal Coil, Dead Can Dance, and others, THE BLUE HOUR believes that beauty is radical—beauty is as essential to revolution as revolt.
