Bill Grundy Versus The Sex Pistols

[izzynone1]

What surprises me most is that there was such an outrage about the word "fuck" but none of the furore even mentioned Severin's swastika armband! In fact I'm surprised the BBC even allowed him on set with it.

The Pistols appeared on Granada TV a few months prior and Granada made such a scene about Jordan wearing the swastika armband. You'd think the BBC would be even more uptight than some tiny northern broadcaster.

[bodsnvimto]

Aaaah, happy days.

[torosalvajebcn]

So do you think Bill Grundy actually shagged that girl?

[shanksy67]

@torosalvajebcn lol nah

[jiggawoo]

30 seconds of abuse to listen to, from bill grundy : )

producer took the wrong side imo.

[jhartshill]

Times change, if this was shown today it would probably still be controversial for a different reason - showing young people smoking on live TV, taboo now, normal then.

[mllean0nyme]

When I watch TV in my country (France) the interwievers are always thrilled to say "C'mon, say it, it's allowed here".

A couple of months ago, Mr Terry Richardson was invited on a talk show and I swear he was shocked when he realized that his pictures were shown on TV.

I feel like forbid some behaviours on TV is the ultimate way to self-censor, wich is like retracting.

And every civilised person have the decency to feel when it goes too far.

Then you cross the line, or you don't.

[Samuelity1]

lol Paul Cook just sits there yawning

[BarryDennen12]

I don't feel bad for not giving a fuck about the Sex Pistols, as a band or as individuals. They wouldn't want mind-numbingly predictable respect just because it's the right thing. I think they're worthless. Not that I'd argue that they have no relevance to music history, I know that's not exactly true, but as a standalone band I think they're woeful. Can't understand people who idolise Sid Vicious, either.

[godbluff68]

I think you have a good point there. Henry Rollins commented that he felt that John Lydon came into his own when he formed PIL. I think that this clip illustrates how much the world has changed as far as profanity is concerned. This interview literally shook the country in way that can not be imagined now.

Sid Vicious was little more than a punk pin-up boy. Still, his story is a sad one. I think the idolatry that follows him is akin to that found with followers of Cobain.

[BarryDennen12]

Well it's one of those TV moments isn't it? Of course once a 'thing' happens on TV, forever after it's no longer seen as such a big deal, but when it's the FIRST time, hehe ... every now and then we still get something that qualifies as a shocker. In today's world of course those events are fewer and farther between.

[godbluff68]

I agree. Although I am two minds whether this is a good or not. On the one hand it could be argued that we are more 'grown up' and less averse to being easily shocked. On the other, we are so inundated by swearing and other supposedly shocking events that we are now inured. In effect it has become passe.

Looking back at the headlines it is amazing at how much outrage was caused by this interview, particularly when more serious things were going on at that time.

[BarryDennen12]

That's one thing that will likely never change though; the priorities of our news media!

Serious events < Celebrities.

[godbluff68]

Couldn't agree with you more. It's made worse by programs like Celebrity Big Brother, X Factor and the like. The media are complicit in driving through this adoration of people who in another age wouldn't have been given the time of day. Then again, maybe I'm just a sour old fart!

[KittyKattyYukiLvr]

@godbluff68 lol. No, you're not. I'm a teenager and I couldn't agree more.

[godbluff68]

@KittyKattyYukiLvr Thanks for the comment. I was thinking about this the other day. I look around at the curent music scene at the moment and see nothing but regurgitated R&B, wannabe gangster hip hop and pap pop. I then think to myself that it was surely better in my day, but then recall what my parents and friends of parents thought about my devotion to The Specials and Joy Division (they were not impressed). Maybe it is an age thing - each to their own I suppose...

[KittyKattyYukiLvr]

@godbluff68 Well, some of it is bad music and some of it isn't to me...the problem is the way the media and our society works now allows bad music to flourish and a lot of good music to remain in the shadows. The current music scene is like Victoriana, the dynamic and interesting music is hiding, and I don't know if or when it will change.

[godbluff68]

@KittyKattyYukiLvr-On the whole I agree. It is not so much that current music is bad but rather a narrow group of genres are pushed for all their worth. It is hard to imagine bands such as the Sex Pistols appearing on X-Factor. Instead we are deluged with a tidal wave of perky pop or wannabee RnB music. The music lacks aggression, passion and inventiveness. Mind you, the Sex Pistols were around at the time of Abba and Brotherhood of Man so maybe not that much has changed!

[angrysamoan666]

@godbluff68 No mate I seen pete hammill on celebrity out of here, he just goes on like this all swearing like a fish wife IMHO

Roolright stones

[bonfirejovi]

BILL GRUNDY FTW. what is rotten doing now... oh ya he is advertising butter.

[godbluff68]

I had to look up FTW. For the win? Bill Grundy? The Today show was axed 2 months after the interview. His attempt at provoking the Sex Pistols ruined his career.

[leemeires]

@godbluff68 yer you right mate i read some were that he was sacked shortly after this show because of hes provoking the band .people like bill dont understand bands like the pistols are well before there time .....

[zepps88]

more like Sex Pistols FTW. this interview destroyed bill grubdy's career and gave the Sex Pistols way more publicity. who cares if rotten is advertising butter. what will YOU be doing when you're 52 years old? probably sitting in your basement alone jacking off to child porn while listening to bon jovi. fag

[neverforeverkate]

Who is the black chick in the back?

[godbluff68]

I believe that her name is Simone Thomas (I am willing to be corrected on this though). The people standing were all part of the Bromley Contingent, notable amongst them being Siousxie Sioux who Grundy offers to see after the show.

[Jakegothicsnake]

Glen Matlock looks pretty good for a guy around his 50's.

[Jezzerbot]

Glen Matlock is a turd. A pansy, bitch, turd.

[Slapbass13]

Fuck off.

[rubbishreferees]

Grundy really didnt know what he was dealing with... you can see Steve Jones getting more and more pissed off with his dumb questions and comments, trying to mix in with the Pistols.

[FluorescentBanana]

You're a great person, Godbluff, I hope that you're me in the future in disguise. and I'm not being ironic. I love old fashioned punk culture, the anarchy, the rebellion, but overall the fact that deep down they were promoting equality, most punks I've met nowadays, or at least those who use the fashion, are intolerant knob-heads who denounce anybody of a different sexual or ethnic background to them.

The Pistols rule.

[godbluff68]

Sorry for the delay in responding. On the whole I would agree with your sentiment about punks. The Pistols ethic was simply that people should do their own thing. Interestingly, as far as fashion is concerned, it was a matter of necessity that they dressed in ripped clothing.

Also it should be noted that racism was rife in the seventies.When the American punk band Bad Brains toured the UK in the 70s they were often subject to racist abuse.

[waallpaper]

amazing :D

[godbluff68]

Why thank you very much evamichec552 - however, I am now married and take my vow of fidelity seriously. Even in my younger days I would never think of using the internet or other dating agencies for nudie-rudie. I went to clubs and pubs and met people. In the end the old ways are the best.

[xdirtyburtyx]

"nice clean rolling stones" dunno where to start with that sentence lol

[younger1188]

omg.. they are idiots!

just listen to the leadsinger!

total retard!

[godbluff68]

Forceful but not fair. This must be looked at as a sort of source material for late seventies Britain. The idea was to shock and infuriate those who maintained the Status Quo (and who listened to Status Quo). Also, they were young. Take any youngster, put them on TV and then ask them to be rude, and the results will be inevitable.

John Lydon is many things, but a retard he is not. This is an extremely articulate individual who likes to stir things up.

[mrlee992]

SHUT UP!!!

SEX PISTOLS RULE!

[samlaskeyproductions]

more like untalented little bitches listen to clash not these fags

[nri1969]

Why won't somebody post the segment, unedited, just as it aired, without any other BS cut into it?

[godbluff68]

This is a fair point - I am digging around for an unedited version and I am due to meet up with an old punk mate in the near future who says he has a copy on VHS. Might be a bit grainy but then it was 30 years ago. If I get it I promise to post.

[parafleet]

first of all, grundy was not hitting on siouxsie. grundy was saying she looked like a nightmare to him. that might not be very nice, but that's that. second, jones, according to his personality style, assumed grundy was acting sexually towards the woman and swore about it. grundy then judges the situation correctly, hooks, then reels jones in to make an ass out of himself. who controlled the snotty guitarist? grundy. jones bit like a starving pup.

[godbluff68]

This is probably true. Mind you, wasn't Grundy meant to be a bit of a dirty old man?

For me the whole clip seems a bit quaint. When this was screened the outcry was astounding. Odd when one considers things like Alf Garnett and Mind Your Language which were being screened at the time. I suppose it just reflects differing values.

I agree with the comment about Jones, but then maybe that is what the Pistols were seeking, they were meant to be the epitome of the filth and the fury.

[luftmensch12]

No wonder Grundy became the legend he is today while Jones and the Sex Pistols faded into the dim mists of history. He was so much more of a badass than they were, complete control of the situation!

[parafleet]

no body understands that, bro. being a rebel isn't about flipping the bird and sneering at people. being a rebel is about thinking and going around the end of all the bullshit and getting it from the backend. GRUNDY RULES!

[DetroitPistons313]

younger1188..why dont u just shut the fuck up...?????...the pistols rule...

[drepmore]

You are confusing the Sex Pistols with the Manic Street Preachers you fucking dolt.

[younger1188]

TSP sucks!

is this the same interview where they laughed at Freddie Mercury?

what a bunch of no lifers they are.. drug adicts!

[godbluff68]

As Drepmore said above, it wasn't in this interview that The Pistols laughed at or about Freddie Mercury. In fact, The Pistols were on as a replacement for Queen, or so I believe. Anyhow, what's wrong with laughing at Freddie Mercury?

[bleueyeddevl]

faggot

[godbluff68]

I assume that you are describing one of the people above as a faggot. However whilst I acknowledge that space in these comments is limited, maybe you should elaborate: Faggot(bit of wood), Faggot (lump of meat) or Faggot (homophobic insult). If the last, are you implying that by labelling somebody as homosexual they are in some way inferior? Wasn't this just the sort of thing that the Sex Pistols and later bands such as Nirvana were fighting against?

[Brandondryer40324]

im tired of fucks like you trying to diss the sex pistols b/c of drugs. besides. its not like other bands werent drug addicts. and look at their music not them being drug addicts. besides. they only smoked and drinked, many people do that nowadays. so get over it ya fucking wanker!