Sex Pistols – “Spunk”

30th anniversary edition of Sex Pistols’ first demos from 1976

First reissue in its original format of this legendary bootleg, complete with spoken word clips

Original vinyl copies of this rare bootleg LP sell for up to £100

In October 1977 the Punk generation held it’s breath awaiting the release of the Sex Pistols debut album, “Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols” but to those in the know the previous month had seen the release of an alternative and illegal Sex Pistols studio debut album called “Spunk”. Now of legendary status, those familiar with the under the counter bootleg culture ventured into record shops to purchase this black slab of wax if they could find it.

Fans had already been provided with a live Sex Pistols document with the title of “No Fun”, unfortunately a recording of sub zero quality. “Spunk”, however, would prove to be of amazing quality and nothing like your average bootleg as all the recordings came from studio quality tapes.

“Spunk “was as raw and edgy as The Sex Pistols, it was the real deal and as Punk Rock as you could get. Blowing your weeks wages of £5 didn’t matter it was as essential as buying a pack of three on Saturday morning after you had just had your hair cut short! The album was as basic as it comes...a slab of black wax with the Blank label in punk pink and white. The catalogue number read BLA 169 and it said the record was published by White Bitch and produced by P. Dickerson in 1977. On the run out groove of the black wax the name of the well-known pressing plant that pressed it up was scratched out. The labels on the record state the labels name to be Blank and the band called “SPUNK”.

The actual sessions that make up “Spunk “stem from 3 recording sessions with the late Dave Goodman the first being at Denmark Street Rehearsal Room in Soho in July 1976 and the tracks recorded here, and used, were “Seventeen”, “Satellite”, “No Feelings”, “Just Me (I Wanna Be Me)” and “Submission” with overdubs at Riverside Studios in Chiswick in the same month.

The next recording session took place at Wessex Studios in Highbury in October 1976 with only one track being used from the two recorded and that was an early take of “Anarchy In The U.K.”.

The final session, which made up the flipside of the album ,took place at Gooseberry Studios in Soho London in January 1977 where “God Save The Queen”, “Problems”, “Pretty Vacant”, “Liar”, “Who Was It (EMI)” and “New York (Looking For A Kiss)” were all put to tape and later mixed at Eden Studios in Chiswick.

The history of the Sex Pistols is well documented and anybody with a vague knowledge of the band will understand that what you currently hold in your hands is possibly one of the most important Sex Pistols documents from the that musical era known as Punk Rock.

It is in fact only the Sex Pistols “Never Mind the Bollocks” record that tops “Spunk” but they are two different beasts with “Never Minds The Bollocks” having little to no involvement from Glen Matlock. Steve Jones gave a master-class in guitar and bass playing on that record but here at least on “Spunk” you can hear that Matlock was a great driving force on bass. “Spunk” is the forgotten document for what was the original Sex Pistols and for that fact alone it should take pride of place next to “Never Mind The Bollocks”…Here’s The Sex Pistols”…enough said.

• CD: “SPUNK”
• (Original January 1977 bootleg album)
• Seventeen
• Satellite
• Feelings (alias No Feelings)
• Just Me (alias I Wanna Be Me)
• Submission
• Nookie (alias Anarchy In The U.K.)
• No Future (alias God Save The Queen)
• Problems
• Lots Of Fun (alias Pretty Vacant)
• Liar
• Who Was It (alias EMI)
• Looking For A Kiss (alias New York)
• Bonus tracks:
• Anarchy In The UK
• (Denmark Street Demo July 76)
• Pretty Vacant
• (Denmark Street Demo July 76)
• No Fun
• (Unedited version Oct 76)
• Vinyl Issue: Original SPUNK
• (Original Re-press of the 77 classic)
• Limited Edition of 1000 numbered copies only.
• Side 1.
• Seventeen
• Satellite
• Feelings (No Feelings)
• Just Me (I Wanna Be Me)
• Submission
• Nookie (Anarchy In The U.K.)
• Side 2.
• No Future (God Save The Queen)
• Problems
• Lots Of Fun (Pretty Vacant)
• Liar
• Who Was It (EMI)
• New York (Looking For A Kiss)