Spunk (Sex Pistols album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Spunk
Type = Album
Longtype = (bootleg)
Artist = Sex Pistols


Released = September-October 1977
Recorded = 13-30 July 1976, 10-12 October 1976, 17-28 January 1977
Genre = Punk rock
Length = 40:56
Label = Blank Records
Producer = Dave Goodman
Reviews = Pitchfork Media (3.8/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/37525-spunk link]

"Spunk" is the title of a bootleg album by Sex Pistols, originally released in the UK during September or October 1977 (see 1977 in music).

The album comprises studio demos and chatter recorded with Dave Goodman during 1976 and early 1977, while original bass player Glen Matlock was still a member of the group. Most of the songs would later be re-recorded and officially released on the group's debut album, "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols".

The alternative debut album

Several parties, including some members of the British music press, immediately suspected that the group's manager, Malcolm McLaren, was responsible for the original "Spunk" bootleg. This would have been in breach of the band's record contract with Virgin, which was itself planning the release of "Never Mind the Bollocks" when "Spunk" appeared. An October 1977 "Sounds" article by Chas de Whalley discussed "Spunk" and made reference to this conveniently coincidental timing. [cite book | last = Heylin | first = Clinton | title = Bootleg: The Rise & Fall of the Secret Recording Industry | year = 2003 | publisher = Omnibus Press, London | pages = pp. 127-33 | id = ISBN 1-84449-151-X]

The evidence for McLaren's involvement is speculative, although it can be noted that his company, Glitterbest, retained the rights to the demo recordings as well as the master tapes — and the demos appearing on "Spunk" were presented in excellent quality. Also, as evidenced by the original album's "LYN-" matrix number prefix, the record had clearly been pressed in the UK by Lintone, a legitimate independent pressing plant that would presumably not handle anything that appeared to be a bootleg, and would certainly allow the bootlegger in question to be traced if enquiries had ever been made by the genuine copyright owner. McLaren has always publicly denied responsibility for "Spunk", but has stated that he prefers the record to "Never Mind the Bollocks".cite book | last = Heylin | title = Ibid]

Some Sex Pistols fans concur with McLarencite book | last = Heylin | title = Ibid] – and producer Goodman [cite book | last = Goodman | first = Dave | title = My Amazing Adventures with the Sex Pistols | year = 2007 | publisher = Omnibus Press, London | id = ISBN 1-90443-848-2] – that the raw versions of the songs on "Spunk" are superior to the officially released ones, particularly since "Spunk" approximates a faithful reproduction of the original Sex Pistols line-up's live sound. The album also features the bass-lines of Glen Matlock, which were not reproduced when guitarist Steve Jones took over bass duties for the recording of "Never Mind the Bollocks". [cite book | title = Classic Albums: Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols | year = 2002 | publisher = Isis/Eagle Rock Entertainment]

"Spunk" is therefore often cited as the Sex Pistols' de facto alternative debut album. Certainly a tape of part or all of "Spunk" had been played to Tony Parsons as early as March 1977, and became the subject of his "NME" article, "Blank Nuggets in the UK", which described the recordings as if they represented an imminent debut album release.cite book | last = Heylin | title = Op. cit.]

Reissues

The original "Spunk" was itself copied and bootlegged immediately upon release. The tracks have since been re-bootlegged countless times in many different formats, including a widespread variant called "No Future UK?", which added three extra tracks, and many releases by Dave Goodman, which often feature evidence of remixing or other post-production tampering.

"Spunk" has also been the subject of several official releases.

Virgin Records released the whole of "Spunk" (omitting the talking between songs) along with several other early Sex Pistols demos as part of a limited edition double-CD reissue of "Never Mind the Bollocks" in 1996.

"Spunk" was released on 17 July 2006 by Sanctuary Records in its original vinyl format (CMQLP1395, limited to 1,000 copies), complete with studio chatter. The CD version (CMRCD1376) included the three bonus tracks from the original "No Future UK?" bootleg.

B-side information

* "I Wanna Be Me" (titled "Just Me" on "Spunk") had been the B-side of the group's debut single, "Anarchy in the U.K.".
* The "Spunk" version of "No Feelings" (titled "Feelings") was also the B-side track (titled "No Feeling") to the group's withdrawn A&M single, "God Save the Queen".
* "No Fun", as included on "No Future UK?", is the full-length version of the track edited for the B-side of the "Pretty Vacant" single.

Track listing

All songs written by Jones/Matlock/Paul Cook/Johnny Rotten. All songs on the original bootleg album were simply credited to "Spunk". Several songs were presented with incorrect titles (actual titles noted in parentheses below).

ide one

#"Lazy Sod" ("Seventeen") – 2:08
#"Satellite" – 4:10
#"Feelings" ("No Feelings") – 2:51
#"Just Me" ("I Wanna Be Me") – 3:11
#"Submission" – 4:17
#"Nookie" ("Anarchy in the UK") – 4:07
* Tracks 1-5 recorded at the group's Denmark Street rehearsal room (mixed & overdubbed at Riverside/Decibel Studios), London, 13-30 July 1976.
* Track 6 recorded at Lansdowne/Wessex Studios, London, 10-12 October 1976.

ide two

#"No Future" ("God Save the Queen") – 3:37
#"Problems" – 4:19
#"Lots of Fun" ("Pretty Vacant") – 3:09
#"Liar" – 2:44
#"Who Was It" ("EMI") – 3:15
#"New York (Looking for a Kiss)" ("New York") – 3:08
* All tracks recorded at Gooseberry/Eden Studios, London, 17-28 January 1977.

Bonus tracks included on the original "No Future UK?" bootleg and official Sanctuary "Spunk" CD release are: "Anarchy in the UK" (Denmark Street/Riverside/Decibel, July 1976), "Pretty Vacant" (Denmark Street/Riverside/Decibel, July 1976) and "No Fun" (Lansdowne/Wessex Studios, October 1976).

Personnel

* Johnny Rotten - lead vocals
* Steve Jones - guitar, backing vocals
* Glen Matlock - bass, backing vocals
* Paul Cook - drums, backing vocals
* Dave Goodman - producer

References

* Jon Savage. "England's Dreaming" (Faber & Faber, 2001; ISBN 0-571-22720-1)

External links

* [http://www.philjens.plus.com/pistols/pistols/pistols_recording_sessions.htm Sex Pistols Studio Recording Sessions]