ANARCHY IN THE UK

The Sex Pistols debut 7″ single released on EMI Records in November 1976. Despite being banned from radio and receiving many negative reviews the record reached Number 38 in the UK charts before being withdrawn by the record company.

EMI decided to withdraw the single after the media furore of the band’s appearance on the ‘Today’ show; where interviewer Bill Grundy goaded the Pistols into swearing live on early evening TV. By January 1977 EMI had buckled to internal pressure and sacked the Sex Pistols. Honouring their £40,000 contract in full.

Now widely regarded as the definitive punk anthem it is important to understand the impact the single had on its release and remember the subject matter. ‘Anarchy in the UK’ sounded like nothing that had came before and unleashed the Pistols to a wider audience.


Paul and John comment on the song….


COOK: It was Glen’s riff originally, and Steve beefed it up.

LYDON: I kept really quiet that evening until about an hour before we left. I had written the words down while the band were in the corner arguing. I used to have terrible trouble rehearsing because I was so fucking shy about it. I always wanted to be brilliant, excellent, loved, and adored right from the start. When I finally finished the words, Glen was absolutely furious. He thought it was appalling and a silly idea for a song. I proved him right.

COOK: Glen felt a little precious about it being his song. He was upset about John’s terrain being thrown over the top. But the tension was working. John and Glen had such different ideals, and Steve and I were in the middle. “Anarchy” was the classic example of everything working perfectly.

LYDON: When I left the room during writing and rehearsal, I used to leave the door open just a little. I’d wonder, What the fuck is Glen on about?”

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