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Post by Fuggle on Apr 9, 2007 15:07:48 GMT -5
Book of the Week, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle by Michael Moorcock,Saturday, April 07, 2007The Book of the Week is The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, a bizarre punk rock novel published by Virgin Records and written by science fiction and fantasy author Michael Moorcock. This original 1980 printing of The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle was issued in an unusual 11" x 14" format, like a tabloid newspaper. It was printed in connection with the film of the same title about the punk rock group the Sex Pistols, and contains multiple photos of Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, and the other Pistols. Michael Moorcock was one of the leading voices of the "New Wave" of science fiction in the 1960's and remains an important figure in the SF/F field to this day. But Moorcock was a musician even before finding success as an author, and he remained involved with the music industry for many years. He wrote several songs for Blue Oyster Cult and collaborated extensively with the band Hawkwind. The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle is supposedly a novelization of the film, which gave Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren's skewed view of the punk rock phenomenon. Moorcock, however, was contemptuous of McLaren and took significant liberties with the book version, weaving the story into the ongoing chronicles of his own multifaceted recurring character Jerry Cornelius. After this tabloid edition, the book had a small print run in paperback, but remains probably the most obscure entry in Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius series.
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Post by Fuggle on Nov 11, 2007 12:43:26 GMT -5
The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle (1980)
“Terrorize, threaten and insult your own useless generation”
Malcolm McLaren–former manager of the notorious British punk rock band–the Sex Pistols, directed “The Great Rock and Roll Swindle” after the Pistols broke up at the conclusion of their disastrous North American tour. The film begins with a group of actors dressed in 18th century garb carrying around–and abusing–vinyl effigies of the Pistols. Throughout the film, McLaren brags about his rules for swindling the record companies, and these rules alternate with footage of the Pistols in action. The parts of the film that include McLaren and his backdrop story are largely shapeless, incoherent ramblings. I don’t think it occurred to McLaren that the fans don’t really want to see his mug–we want to see the Sex Pistols. Fortunately, the film is loaded with clips of the Pistols–interviews–and in performance. “The Great Rock and Roll Swindle” is McLaren’s Ode to Himself. Lucky us–we see McLaren lolling around naked in the bath (while he pontificates to a transvestite dwarf). McLaren even takes the camera on a brief visit to Johnny Rotten’s one-time voice coach. She informs the audience that Rotten couldn’t carry a note–unlike dear Malcolm–he apparently has a wonderful ear. And then to prove the point, McLaren–with the same dwarf in tow–sports a nifty little kilt and matching jacket while he weedily performs some hideous song.
The film attempts to show that McLaren was the mastermind behind the Sex Pistols, and that he set out with the intention to swindle the record companies. Furthermore, the Sex Pistols, according to their ever-loyal ex-manager, were a talentless bunch–and that, McLaren believes, makes the swindle even more ingenious. These are the main points of the film, and ironically McLaren manages to debunk his own myth without even realizing it. The Sex Pistols were so ‘effectively’ managed, their first and final tour was a complete and utter disaster. They were managed into destruction. McLaren is evidently rather proud of the fact that two record companies (EMI and A&M) paid large settlements to the Pistols just for the privilege of dropping them from the label. Cartoon segments in the film include extensive bragging with pound signs ringing up at the cash register. If it was really McLaren’s intention at the outset to swindle the record companies, I would like to point out that the brilliant plan imploded rather early on–the Pistols (with Sid Vicious) existed from March 1977 until January 1978. As to the theory that the Pistols were talentless–well you just have to watch the video and catch Rotten’s electrifying stage presence to understand what nonsense that is.
Was there a great rock and roll swindle? Absolutely. The fans were swindled by exploitation of the band. Perhaps if the Pistols had been carefully managed, they would have produced more music. But above all, the band members were also swindled–although a court case against McLaren in 1988 awarded each surviving band member 200,000 pounds each.
I have always kept an open mind towards some of the bleaker motivations applied to McLaren’s management techniques of the Pistols, but after concluding “The Great Rock and Roll Swindle”, I feel as though I have a much better grasp of McLaren’s responsibility in the band’s destruction. The video “The Great Rock and Roll Swindle” is an absolute must for fans of the Sex Pistols. It’s full of vomit-worthy, preening nonsense from McLaren, but it’s also full of scenes from the Sex Pistol’s performances. Songs include: “Anarchy in the UK”, “God Save the Queen”, “No Feelings” and “Holidays in the Sun” (performed by the Pistols). Sid Vicious performs “My Way” and “Something Else.” The film is an invaluable piece of the Sex Pistol’s story, and I recommend it to all the fans out there.
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