Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'

Subject: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 04:41 PM

Who was the bass player with the Sex Pistols when they recorded "Never Mind the Bollocks?" I think Glen Matlock had been turfed out and replaced by Sid Vicious. Vicious, I understand, had broken his arm or something and so could not play on the album - not that he could play, anyway. So who played the bass? I heard it was Chris Spedding? Is this true? If it is, who is Chris Spedding? I know the name but I do not have a clue as to who he is. I just know that one of you Mudcats out there knows.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Brakn
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 05:13 PM

Chris Spedding was/is? a session guitarist. Had a hit in the 70's with Motorbikin'.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Max
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 05:48 PM

Spedding was a studio guy, and remixed the whole album, of which they only liked 3 songs. He was more musical and into R&B so he always tried to produce them with some melodic sense of harmony and tone. They didn't like it too much. Spedding has producer credits on these albums.

But he did not play bass on Bollocks, Matlock wrote and performed the bass on Bollocks, and was booted right after.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 06:26 PM

Didn't Spedding play with the Wombles?

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 06:50 PM

I think you might find that was Les Hurdle - another session bass legend.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,Sttaw Legend
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 07:27 PM

Matlock played bass on Bollocks and if I remember correctly he wrote it.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Bobjack
Date: 19 Feb 04 - 03:18 AM

Chris Spedding did play guitar on the Wombles sessions. Jesus, I can't believe I am posting to this thread!

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Ross
Date: 19 Feb 04 - 05:46 AM

It must have been Matlock as most of the tracks were laid down and released as singles and B sides yonks before the album was released

Anarchy had already been part released on EMI & A&M before Virgin took them on

Matlock was alledgedly sacked for being too musically orientated

'Pretty Vacant' was said to be his crowning glory (with the Vacant often song as 'with a c**t) - Country was another lyric often used as in 'c**t tree'

On the singles - the only track not on the LP was a cover version of Iggy Pops - 'No fun'

Am not sure about other tracks like EMI or Bodies - could be a session player

The Sid Vicious tracks like 'My Way' did happen until Rotten left

Bodies must be the ultimate punk folk song covering the horrors and conveninece of abortion

She was a girl from Birmingham
She just had an abortion
She....
Her name was Pauline lived in a dream

Most of the lyrics are quite unpleasant, but very relevant to our mundane lives

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,John
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 03:08 PM

It has been recently proven that Sid Vicous could play bass up to 'three-cord'. I play bass and if could play up to this, he could have easly played on 'Bollocks'.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: kelvin
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 04:31 PM

From a recent documentary on the album, it seems Matlock played some and Steve Jones the others (basically playing the root note of each chord).

And Chris Spedding was indeed a Womble! "making good use of the things that we find, things that the everyday FOLK leave behind" ;o)

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: woodsie
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 05:50 AM

Chris Spedding was guitarist with Jack Bruce, Pete Brown's Battered Ornaments, Sharks, The Wombles (uncle bulgaria he was I think) and many more! He definitely played on the original sessions for the early singles along with Bill Bruford and other mainstream musicians, ironic really as the talent free "pistols" were supposed to be rebelling against these BOFs. I knew Malcolm McClaren and Jamie Reid in those days. The Pistols were a creation of Malcolm's. He hired them for their looks and attitude, really no different than the "boy" bands of today. They never stayed together very long - simply because there was nothing there!

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 06:44 AM

see here

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 12:28 PM

so while we're all in the mood..

#http://zanorg.com/prodperso/punk.htm

..just kick it off with yer 'qwerty' keyboard..

and strumalong and yell "OI..!!!"

until your teenage kids complain you're
being too loud and annoying
for a suday afternoon while they try to concentrate
on their ethetral new age jazz dance CDs..

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST, Mikefule
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 01:03 PM

Heh heh! :0) I'm hooked.

I heard Sid didn't play bass on Never Mind The Bollocks because he cut his finger on the string and had No Suture...

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 01:46 PM

Ita was Ringo who played bass on Bollocks for obvious reasons

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,John
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 02:38 PM

Why do you all say that Sid couldn't play? Just because he looks like a gimmik doesn't mean he is one. He could play bass even if it was a small amount.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 05:02 PM

At the time I had a good friend who wasvery musically aware - used to see every gig on a Zappa tour in the 60's and 70's.

he was also a big Pistols fan. He saw several of their performances and rated them very highly musically. said they were very tight and together. He said the tales of musical ncompetence were no more than that - stories fed to the newspapres and oft repeated by people too ignorant to know the difference.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,John
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 05:55 PM

Weelittledrummer, are you saying that newspapers spread a myth that Sid couldn't play and everyone beleived it?

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,AR282
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 10:31 PM

Chris Spedding played for Robert Gordon--all those cool rockabilly riffs after Link Wray had left Gordon's band were Spedding.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,John
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 11:04 PM

I say Sid played bass on 'Bollocks' and all of the Pistols' songs except 'Anarchy in the U.K.' and 'I Wanna Be Me', with went out as a single before he joined.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 01:07 AM

Oh ye Gods, I can't believe I'm going to do this.....

The Wombles. Apart from Mike Batt as Orinocco on lead, the lineup for the rest of the Wombles changed frequently, being made up of session musicians and odd mates of Mike, who played as and when they could. Mike's mum made the costumes. There were some regular players but they could and were, replaced from time to time if other committments meant they couldn't appear.

I'm going back under my rock now.....

LTS

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 01:07 AM

(If it gets any of my street cred back, I did go and see 'Darkness' last week..... bloody amazing!)

LTS

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Ross
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 03:42 AM

Sid could have played bass on all the Pistol tracks

He just wasn't around early enough (unless they were re-recorded - but the album tracks are identical to the singles)

Famous Sid quote - 'I don't why people find it so hard to learn to play the guitar - you just pick a chord, go twang and you've got music'

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: eltham man
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 05:16 AM

Who give's a toss if that murderer could play or not? My 4 year old daughter could probably play the bass lines to most of that stuff - I mean come on folks it's no big deal - but they were great records at6 the time. Also the singles WERE re- recorded for the Album,

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 06:07 AM

Anyone interested and within spitting distance (no pun intended) of Covent Garden, London.....can catch an exhibition at THE GALLERY @ THE HOSPITAL, ENDELL ST, COVENT GARDEN, on until end of Jan 2005.
Titled...'Punk : A True and Dirty Tale.'

A celebration of the music, graphics and fashion of that period. Lots of Jamie Reid's original artwork, handwritten lyrics and Vivienne's creations.

And the good thing is, kids are free admittance...so there's no excuse to leave the safety pinned little mites at home. Cut down a pair of bondage trousers and they've got a day out for the holidays.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 08:34 AM

No I don't have any particular view of the Sex Pistols but the only eye witness that I respect of the events, tells it differently than the history books. Thats all I'm saying.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST, Mikefule
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 12:52 PM

Eltham man wrote <>

Hmmm. So, a musician's ability is dependent on other aspects of their life and conduct? If Mozart had murdered someone at the end of his career, it would have invalidated his music? Yet so many other artists who die of drugs, drink, or, er... suicide... become exalted as tragic heroes. On the other hand, poor old Roy Orbison died in his mother's arms and has never been heard of since.

Sid was party to a suicide pact, and killed himself a short while after. His suicide note reveals him as a a confused and immature kid, not an evil murderer. Whatever his shortcomings as a musician, he was a tragic figure whose life ended in a bloody awful mess. He was intelligent but uneducated, clever but unwise. He rose briefly above his "natural station in life", but was ultimately destroyed.

Unlike so many art-school punks, goths and the like, he lived the life and died the death. Johnny Rotten (Lydon) was the one interviewed on Kaleidoscope (Radio IV) 25 years later, and spoke pompously about The Sex Pistols "capturing the zeitgeist".

And could he play the bass? His technical proficiency was right up there with my ability to play the bagpipes (I have never tried), but we have to assume that he produced exactly the effect he wanted to produce with the limited techique at his disposal. Schultz drew Charlie Brown with about 4 pen strokes, but conveyed considerable subtleties to those who can "read" cartoon drawings. Was he a worse artist than Constable?

Listen to the "Too Fast To Live" album and hear this versions of "Something Else" and "C'mon Everybody" which are as exciting rock and roll as any other versions I've heard - including Eddie Cochran's (although Cochran was a far better musician, singer, and songwriter).

Sid Vicious was a performer with a certain talent, but lacked the application and direction to make the most of it. On the other hand, here we are a quarter of a century after his death, debating him - and the other day, a 22 year old at my office turned up wearing a Sid Vicious tee shirt. He became an icon; will any of us?

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 01:09 PM

..and dont forget there is a folk connection after all..

the sex pistols gloriously ridiculous
authenticallly spirited punk/folk fusion sea shanty
"Friggin in the riggin"
from "Great rock'n'roll swindle" movie..

easily up there with Adam Ants
epic glampunk folk masterpiece
"Dandy Highwayman"..

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 01:53 PM

Totally agree Mikefule....Sid managed to even out-punk punk.

Subject: RE: Who was bass player on 'Bollocks?'
From: GUEST,John
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 10:52 PM

Sid could play. End of story.