Bernie Rhodes and Lydon

[vacuumcleaner]

Some of the Clash books claim Bernie Rhodes (Clash manager) had something to do with John Lydon becoming the lead singer of the Pistols. Others don't mention this at all. Any ideas?

The usual story is the other Pistols and possibly McLaren saw Johnny on the street and he had green hair so they asked him to audition. So Johnny auditioned with a jukebox and that was it.

Steve Jones mentioned that he knew Bernie before the Pistols started.

[101Walterton]

Some of the Clash books claim Bernie Rhodes (Clash manager) had something to do with John Lydon becoming the lead singer of the Pistols. Others don't mention this at all. Any ideas?

The usual story is the other Pistols and possibly McLaren saw Johnny on the street and he had green hair so they asked him to audition. So Johnny auditioned with a jukebox and that was it.

Steve Jones mentioned that he knew Bernie before the Pistols started.

The jukebox was in Malcolm's shop.

[vacuumcleaner]

I thought the jukebox was in the Roebuck club.

Steve Jones' recent book has a transcript of how McLaren described what happened.

[101Walterton]

The Roebuck is a pub.

[Heston]

Wasn't there the story that the Pistols auditioned the wrong John. as Bernie had meant John Ritchie (Sid)?

[101Walterton]

I have heard that but don't think it was a mistake. John was asked to audition purely because of his look when he used to hang around Malcolm's shop Sex ( with Sid). He wore an I Hate Pink Floyd T shirt.
They met up at The Roebuck including Bernie but went back to the nearby shop to audition using the jukebox.

[JohnS]

Wasn't there the story that the Pistols auditioned the wrong John. as Bernie had meant John Ritchie (Sid)?

I read somewhere that this is true, but it was Vivienne Westwood - not Bernie - who'd spotted Sid (or John, as he was then) as a front man for Malcolm's group.
Apparently she had the hots for him when he was working for them in Sex

http://www.contactmusic.net/vivienne-we ... ve_1004191

She recommended 'John' to Malcolm, who auditioned Johnny by mistake, and she went nuts when she found out the wrong man had got the job.
But let's face it, that turned to to be happy accident.

[vacuumcleaner]

I just reread Lydon's book. It was indeed Bernie Rhodes who saw Lydon and asked him to come and meet the band.

Lydon went to the Roebuck to meet them and then they went back to Malcolm's shop where he had the jukebox.

[Marky Dread]

I just reread Lydon's book. It was indeed Bernie Rhodes who saw Lydon and asked him to come and meet the band.

Lydon went to the Roebuck to meet them and then they went back to Malcolm's shop where he had the jukebox.

Correct Bernie spotted John (Lydon) on the Kings Road. Sid (John) had been in Sex 430 Kings Road and Viv had liked him and suggested him to Malcolm as the singer. But Malcolm thought she was talking about the other John (Lydon) that Bernie had spotted. Either way it's lucky they didn't end up with Cliff Richard as lead singer.

[Heston]

Marky, can you help me with a Pistols question as you seem to be the resident expert. Who played bass on which tracks on Bollocks?

[Marky Dread]

Marky, can you help me with a Pistols question as you seem to be the resident expert. Who played bass on which tracks on Bollocks?

Steve Jones plays bass on Bollocks mainly just playing along to his guitr parts and playing just root notes on the bass. Sid is buried deep on one track "Bodies" if memory serves. Obviously it's Glen on Anarchy.

[Heston]

Marky, can you help me with a Pistols question as you seem to be the resident expert. Who played bass on which tracks on Bollocks?

Steve Jones plays bass on Bollocks mainly just playing along to his guitr parts and playing just root notes on the bass. Sid is buried deep on one track "Bodies" if memory serves. Obviously it's Glen on Anarchy.

That's what I thought but someone on FB is saying that Glen came back and played on other tracks.

[Marky Dread]

Marky, can you help me with a Pistols question as you seem to be the resident expert. Who played bass on which tracks on Bollocks?

Steve Jones plays bass on Bollocks mainly just playing along to his guitr parts and playing just root notes on the bass. Sid is buried deep on one track "Bodies" if memory serves. Obviously it's Glen on Anarchy.

That's what I thought but someone on FB is saying that Glen came back and played on other tracks.

That's probably because of the story that Glen was approached at one point by Malcolm to come back and record the album for a small fee. However Glen kept his dignity and it's mostly Steve on bass. The irony being it's Steves less fluent bass parts that give the album a lot of it's clout "Panzer division" as Chris Thomas called it. I like both the Glen demos and Bollocks it like having two great records.

[Heston]

Cheers Marky.