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Clash v Sex Pistols

Hmm?

  • Total voters
    99
Tough call, The Clash produced some superb stuff and the first album is very very punk plus Joe Strummer was cool as hell, whilst the pistols had an idiot of a frontman, an idiot of a manager and an idiot of a bassist (not Matlock obv) and only really had one good album but what a fucking album it is.

I suppose I like the Clash for their style and ability to ingetrate elements from other genres into a unique sound whilst still keeping it distinctly punk rock but bottom line for me is that the pistols just had that visceral in your fucking face punk edge in their music.

NMTB is an album that pretty much encapsulates what punk rock is all about.
 
The Clash! I have lots of reasons for this. Never Mind the Bollocks stands as a mark of unbridled genius but the creative output of The Clash was way richer.

i prefer The Specials though!
 
The sex pistols were just a boy band. The clash were infinitely better but still nowhere near the likes of New York Dolls, Ramones, Dead Boys, and on and on in terms of attitude.

Sex Pistols number one punk band? Don't make me laugh.
 
strummerville said:
I think in terms of sheer punk, The Ramones have it for those first four albums. They nailed and defined the sound of what most people think of as 'Punk' and set the template.
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hmmm...interesting as i'd say they probably set the template for the type of 'punk' i have never really liked.

as i've said before, most punk i heard (inc the first clash lp which was THEE first punk release i ever heard) up until holidays and bodies on bollocks i found disappointing as there always seemed to me a disparity between the folk you'd se walking about with greeh hair, dog collars and wearing bin-liners like ponchos and the music, which, for instance in the case of the clash lp just sounded like a speeded up version of the sort of glam stuff you'd hear coming out of your mates' sisters' rooms.

i'd have said the 'ultimate' punk lp in every respect is without a shadow of a doubt crass' 'feeding of the 5000' as that was the first 'punk' record to truly depart from any vestiges of a traditional rock and roll sound.

which IMO was what punk should have been all about.

NB: re the thread, i'd opt for the Pistols by a LOOOOOOooong chalk. the clash did some fuckin' brilliant songs but, for my money, they were always a rock band; more like a high-octane Springsteen's E St band on speed than a punk band musically.
 
chico enrico said:
i'd have said the 'ultimate' punk lp in every respect is without a shadow of a doubt crass' 'feeding of the 5000' as that was the first 'punk' record to truly depart from any vestiges of a traditional rock and roll sound.
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err what about The Slits, Wire, Subway Sect?

Except for Steve Ignorant Crass were really old time posh anarchist commune hippies who latched onto Punk and got an aufentic (sic) frontman to make sure they were accepted by the hardcore punk scene. Jeffrey Lewis made them listenable.
 
strummerville said:
err what about The Slits, Wire, Subway Sect?

Except for Steve Ignorant Crass were really old time posh anarchist commune hippies who latched onto Punk and got an aufentic (sic) frontman to make sure they were accepted by the hardcore punk scene. Jeffrey Lewis made them listenable.
Click to expand...

fair point actually re the above bands, though I gotta say i was never that great a Slits fan.

and would also agree with what you say about crass, but i still think 'feeding' is a a total 'year zero' record in terms of punk music.
 
Trying to take this seriously, I guess I'd have to go for the Damned, live and on that utterly magnificent first album which I treasure, STIFF00001 or whatever.
 
If you go back to real time, the Pistols had the greater impact on media and society mainly because of McLaren and Lydon's skills. The music also hit you between the eyes with an energy most hadn't thought possible. It was some rush.

The Clash were always the more skilled, politically aware and inclusive. Never quite had the electricity and raw energy of the Pistols though, even if the Pistols could only keep it up for 5-6 toons.

What's the point in trying to choose between them?
 
London_Calling said:
If you go back to real time, the Pistols had the greater impact on media and society mainly because of McLaren and Lydon's skills. The music also hit you between the eyes with an energy most hadn't thought possible. It was some rush.

The Clash were always the more skilled, politically aware and inclusive. Never quite had the electricity and raw energy of the Pistols though, even if the Pistols could only keep it up for 5-6 toons.
Click to expand...
Yep, perfectly sums it up :)


What's the point in trying to choose between them?
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So we can have a go at the clash fans :D. The Clash are not punk in the same way at all, they are world-music-protest-rock-trendies. They never, ever have the energy of the punk bands of that time, and i'm sick of hearing what political geniuses they were too - most of their lyrics are fucking nonsense.

They can do, very well, atmospheric and melancholic (Death or Glory, Lost in the supermarket) and catchy pop-rock (casbah, stay/go). Not punk.

as for what i mean by punk, energetic punk, of this era? Babylons Burning, New Rose, Pretty Vacant, Sound of the suburbs... Fucking punk.

London calling, yes i heard it too - and all of what he said, well none of it was true! Or made any sense! woop de fucking doo.
 
Yep I agree. The Clash were infinitely superior musically, but weren't punks - never really had that raw energy and anarchy.

Seems a while ago now, doesn't it . . . take it easy, fella.
 
Taxamo Welf said:
Yep, perfectly sums it up :)



So we can have a go at the clash fans :D. The Clash are not punk in the same way at all, they are world-music-protest-rock-trendies. They never, ever have the energy of the punk bands of that time, and i'm sick of hearing what political geniuses they were too - most of their lyrics are fucking nonsense.

They can do, very well, atmospheric and melancholic (Death or Glory, Lost in the supermarket) and catchy pop-rock (casbah, stay/go). Not punk.

as for what i mean by punk, energetic punk, of this era? Babylons Burning, New Rose, Pretty Vacant, Sound of the suburbs... Fucking punk.

London calling, yes i heard it too - and all of what he said, well none of it was true! Or made any sense! woop de fucking doo.
Click to expand...

Wrong as anyone who saw The Clash live in '77 will tell you. The most raw energetic punk gigs anyone ever saw, much more than The Pistols.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rZk-mq8IUsY
 
Never really a fan of either.

Pistols probably edge it for me, but like people have said, i'd take the Ramones, Black Flag etc above either of them.
 
I saw the Clash & the Pistols on the 'Anarchy' tour in Manchester. Yes we initially went to see the Pistols cos that what all the fuss was about but the Clash absolutely blew them off the stage. The Clash were a better punk band and their first album is still great. Bollocks to me always sounded like a heavy rock band with a sneer and aside from about four or five tracks is full of fillers.

The Pistols imploded because they were all image, why get rid of Matlock who wrote their best stuff and replace him with Sid who was a pathetic idiot. The Clash then went on to evolve into the greatest band ever while still retaining the punk spirit. Strummer still had it when he was with the Mescaleros right up to his death.
 
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