Up for auction at Christie’s is this incredible piece of history. A hand written contract between Malcolm McLaren and Ron Watts of the 100 Club confirming the Sex Pistols will play a festival that would brand itself onto music’s infamy. “The band will arrive at 6pm, hopefully for a sound check” is a great and innocent line. Such a simple time when contracts were nothing more pen to paper without legal representation.
I love that this icon of history is in such good shape and was saved. Do I think its worth 80,000 bucks? No, but some insane Pistols fanatic with too much cash on their counter may want to boast they own it. Things like this belong behind glass. Similar to the Declaration of Independence it should be protected for historic value.
That same afternoon, the Sex Pistols sign a management contract with Malcolm McLaren’s Glitterbest Ltd. The rest I suppose is history but if you stop and think about it- there could never be another Sex Pistols. Times have changed and even in an ‘underground’ music scene to go from shop kids to legend is impossible. Sure if you have mainstream appeal you can be a Beiber but do you with all the punk and pop punk bands I see and meet- there is not one that will achieve the status of The Pistols, the competition is just too stiff.
But I digress, Viva The Sex Pistols who’s never ending image of Anarchy and punk rock suck in a new generation at every turn. Their longevity is incredible for talent that was scarce. Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?