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09/05/08

21/01/08

15/11/07

Sex Pistols Experience - Live, Loud and Superb!
The Guildhall, Gloucester. - Friday 5th October 2007
		By Kathryn Courtney-O'Neill
What do I remember about the "Sex Pistols"? They were definitely over the top, out to shock and anarchists. They are also the band I associated the most with being leaders of Punk Rock. They certainly shocked my Gran and I do remember my friend Steve telling me a story that he was singing "Friggin' In The Riggin' " on the top of his voice outside the School classroom waiting for lessons to start and that promptly landed him in detention! Obviously not the teacher's taste in music. And here I am tonight, about to watch a tribute band called "The Sex Pistols Experience" and wondering if they would live up to the originals on stage and convince the audience that they are almost the real thing? Would Kid Vicious be playing guitar or would he leave it unplugged? After all that is what Sid Vicious did in the early days didn't he?
	"Land Of Hope Is Glory" is the opening to an empty stage and then the band members walk on one by one looking mean, moody and rebellious. Kid Vicious shouts at the audience "Right you faggots!" and gives that Sid Vicious trademark snarl and Johnny Rotter is not far behind giving that mad stare into the audience. So we are off to a great start as my sister's jaw drops wide open. They start with "Holidays In The Sun" and Kid really is playing the guitar and looking the part whilst Johnny is prowling around the stage doing all the movements. Fabulous drumming and guitar and the lighting for the show is creative and blending with the sound. This is such a good opening for the show. Then you get the Johnny stance looking into the audience and being modest is not a strong point but arrogance is. "17" also known to some as "Lazy Sod" is the next song and Johnny throws a strop during this only to shout out at the audience "We're f******* good aren't we?!" and the audience start shouting back at him. Talk about audience participation!
By the time they launch into "Dolls (New York)" Johnny is wiping his nose on his shirt sleeve - which he does several times during the show - and Kid Vicious is really getting into it whilst the drummer Paul Crook - who reminded of Kiefer Sutherland in the film 'The Lost Boys' - is going mad with his drum kit and Steve Bones is really rocking with his guitar. We then get abuse from Kid "What the f***'s up with this lot? Is this a mannequin convention?" he shouts and it gets reaction from the crowd as they start the song "No Feelings" and the way Johnny is treating the mic stand something is bound to happen and it does. He broke it! Yep. He couldn't use it for the rest of the show much to the hilarity of the rest of the band "That'll teach you for buying a new f****** microphone stand" says Kid to Johnny!
	This show certainly has lots of energy, almost explosive in some parts and the camaraderie from the band is electric along with their patriotism with Union Jack visible on stage. They emulate the 'Sex Pistols singing' to perfection but boy can they play those guitars and drums. Every song you can feel through the floor and the audience love it all. There's a big group of fans moshing in the centre of the hall and one punk who did have a high mohican, by the end of the gig it was almost flat. The age range was vast. Students who tried to emulate the era to the original fans who were there first time around, some still showing the same fashion sense of the time and how everything was done, well apart from the spitting. In fact I didn't see any spitting.
Johnny's preening his hair and Kid removes his jacket and T-shirt much to the delight of the women in the audience as he continues the show bare chested. Johnny clocks some of the audience and shouts "Is it getting old in here? Did you get your f****** pensioner discounts?" And during one song one fan throws a pound coin on stage only for it to be thrown back into the audience. At one point Kid's rebellious facade slips with a laugh and smile because of some minor slip up on stage but that doesn't matter and he then starts throwing abuse at the audience to wind them up even more and he gets it back ten fold. And then Johnny shouts "Do you want to hear a Cliff Richard song? Well who likes us and who doesn't? There's the exit now f*** off!" Songs such as "Pretty Vacant", "Liar!", "E.M.I", "Submission" and a cover of The Who song "Substitute" continue to feed the audience hunger with some fantastic guitar sounds. Apart from the drummer there is a lot of movement and interaction on stage too and Johnny asks advice "Does my hair look alright? I'm a f****** sex god" he shouts and they launch into "Problems" where Steve decides to play guitar behind his head and Kid starts spitting on stage. "Anarchy In The U.K" is the last song Johnny 'sings' dressed in black trousers, white shirt and great waistcoat. He's happy to get the lights on the crowd and hear them 'sing' for a change as they go crazy and he sits or rather crouches on stage to do a spot of 'audience/people watching'. After that he's gone and the opening chords of "Something Else" is met with great cheers. What a performance by Kid. "I'm a better singer than that *******" and "I'm a ******* superstar" after his rendition of "C'mon Everybody". As we are entering the final songs of the show Paul, their drummer takes the lead vocal of "Oh You Pretty Thing" and performs it with great energy and more enthusiasm follows with Kid jumping up and down singing "My Way" with stomping guitar sounds. He then leaves the stage with the rest of the band giving a one finger gesture and that snarl but the audience don't let the 'Sex pistols Experience' get away that easily and the drummer is back on stage for a drum solo. One by one they return and Johnny saunters back on stage looking bad tempered and in 'Rotten mode' "We'll do one number only as this is no fun, here we go" and Kid is giving hand signals to the audience winding them up further and closing the show with the song "No Fun". In a ninety minute or so set they performed twenty-one songs and they were absolutely brilliant! Live, loud and superb! This has to be the ultimate 'Sex Pistols' tribute and the best in the punk genre. Mannerisms, abuse, clothing, performance on stage - although Kid really does play the guitar - must have meant hours of studying. They don't take themselves seriously but really play out the character roles so much so next stop "Sex Pistols - The Musical!" and these are the guys to do it! What a show! What a night! This is one performance I will certainly remember for a long time. It was fun, it was entertaining and we loved it! If there is tribute band I recommend you must see then it is "The Sex Pistols Experience" and I've been an ABBA fan for most of my life! This punk band has left such a lasting impression that I will see them again and again without hesitation. *I couldn't take any photos that night because the floor at The Guildhall vibrates with the music so photos with this review are provided by The Sex Pistols Experience. Thanks for the use of photos guys

The Sex Pistols Experience - Granada Theater, 1/28/06

From the second the curtain came up, it was clear that this was no ordinary tribute band. England’s Sex Pistols Experience ripped through “God Save The Queen,” “Bodies,” “Liar” (dedicated to Tony Blair), “Anarchy In The U.K.” and every other Pistols classic one could think of. But it’s the band’s attention to detail that really sets them apart. Johnny Forgotten (vocals), Kid Vicious (bass), Steve Clones (guitar) and Paul Crook (drums) capture not only the look and sound, but also the onstage swagger and irreverence.
However, a band paying tribute to the circus that was The Sex Pistols also sends out an invitation for chaos - with some audience members throwing cups and bottles at the band. Eventually, Johnny became agitated and left the stage, leaving Vicious to handle vocals and taunting the bottle throwers between songs. We left as the atmosphere became increasingly chaotic, thinking, “Wow! That’s what a real Sex Pistols show must have been like!” I hope the actions of a few idiots didn’t ruin the chance of Dallas getting another dose of this Experience. (Chris Elsken)

PUNK SOUNDS OF THE SEVENTIES

RETURN TO THE WINTER GARDENS

MATT JOHNSON
MATTHEW.JOHNSON@GRIMSBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

10:00 - 21 December 2006

The punk spirit of '76 was rekindled for one anarchic night in Cleethorpes.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the night when the Winter Gardens rocked to the sound of the Sex Pistols and the Clash, a host of top tribute acts arrived in the town to relive the event.

The Sex Pistols Experience, Clash tribute act Rebel Truce and Heartbreakers tribute band LAMF pulled out all the stops to thrill punk fans young and old.

Performing the same songs as their parent groups did on the night, each tribute then went on to play an extended encore featuring the more famous crowd pleasers.

And the night even went one step further when, towards the end of the Sex Pistols Experience set, dozens of fans invaded the stage.

Steve Stanley of Solid Entertainments, who helped promote the event, said: "It was a great night. Everything went really well.

"The bands were very, very good. It's the third time the Sex Pistols Experience have been to the Winter Gardens and they had a different lead singer who did the job really well.

"The night ended with a stage invasion so there were about 20 or 30 people dancing on the stage, which didn't even happen at the original.

"A lot of people who were at the original gig said it was just like the first time around.

"People who were there originally said it was very similar to the first event."

Sex Pistols Experience frontman Jolly Rotten said: "It was absolutely fantastic.

"The crowd absolutely loved it. They went nuts, especially at the end. People just stole the stage from us.

"The fact that it was the anniversary gig made it all the more special.

Drummer Paul Crook said: "We were delighted to be invited along.

"We had looked at doing other anniversary gigs.

"We have done a few but this was the icing on the cake."

We got a nice review in a French 'Inrocks' magazine, the last issue, November, was a Punk 30th anniversary edition featuring all the important & influential punk bands of the 70's, bang in the middle of the 4 page pistols spread was a write up of our first 100 Club gig back in April (which was filmed by onto Dvd by a German production company, soon to be released) & a paragraph or two about the Sex pistols Experience, we don't understand French so have no-idea what it's on about, but we were told "it's good!", maybe someone could email a Translation..

GARDENS TARGETED PISTOLS' LOADED ANARCHY

MATT JOHNSON
MATTHEW.JOHNSON@GRIMSBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

12:15 - 06 December 2006

Anarchy in the UK was a lot more localised in 1976. This year marks the 30th anniversary of that legendary December night when the Sex Pistols and the Clash performed at the Cleethorpes Winter Gardens.

And what a night it was! So good that the Winter Gardens is hoping to recreate the legendary evening with a punk rock show on Monday, December 18.The original gig formed part of the Anarchy tour, which also featured Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers - descendents of the New York Dolls.

The Winter Gardens was one of just five venues in the country with the foresight to host the tour, after punk music was boycotted by the majority of the British press.

However, the Winter Gardens' Anarchy show is often overlooked in books and websites, leading to the night being referred to among die-hard punks as the "lost" Anarchy gig.

The night will feature the Sex Pistols Experience, clash tribute act Rebel Truce and also LAMF, a homage to the Heartbreakers who take their name from the group's 1977 album.

Local promoter Steve Stanley, of Solid Entertainments, said: "The Sex Pistols, the Clash and Johnny Thunder playing at the Winter Gardens was very significant for this area because it planted the seed for all future punk concerts.

"Here we are 30 years on and punk bands are still pulling large audiences. The music has spanned the generations and keeps finding young audiences."

Log on to www.anarchy76.co.uk/tmbx

What are your memories of Cleethorpes Winter Gardens over the years? The Telegraph is asking people to share their recollections of the venue for a special feature we are doing on its closure. Whether it be a humorous anecdote, fond nostalgia, or memories of some of the acts, we want to hear from you. Please email steve.richards@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk, or send your letters to Steve Richards, Grimsby Telegraph, 80 Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby, DN31 3EH.

Tickets to the Winter Gardens show are £7.50 in advance, available from Solid Entertainments on Wellowgate, Grimsby, by calling (01472) 349222, or £8.50 on the door.

Sex Pistols Experience - May 4, 2006 - Baltimore!

The Sex Pistols Experience are playing the Ram's Head Live in Baltimore on Thursday, May 4, 2006, & if you are a huge Sex Pistols fan, this is the closest thing you're gonna ever get to seeing the band in their prime! The Sex Pistols Experience recreates the vibe, mood, energy, & looks of the original Sex Pistols with an un-canny likeness & devotion. I had the chance to ask the guys a few questions, & here's what they had to say:

Rock N Roll Experience: Why did you choose to start a Sex Pistols cover band?

Drummer Paul Crook:- We're not a 'cover' band, its far more than that, any half arsed musician can be in any old cover band, this is more of a show, or a piece of theatre. It had been on my mind since the early 90's when the tribute band scene started up in the u.k, all the bands were being done, the Who, the Beatles, ABBA, Queen, you name it, but no-one had done the Sex Pistols, one of the u.k's most visual , exciting and influential bands of all time.! I had to do it, being as i was a huge Pistols fan, & had learned to play the drums at the age of 12yrs by playing along to their album 'Never Mind The Bollocks'. But all the four charecters had to look right, & have the right chemistry,& contary to popular oppinion, they, the Sex Pistols band, could really play their instruments too, listen to Glen Matlocks bass lines on the early stuff, and Steve Jones's guitar sound is still today, unique, and incredibly powerful. And the drumming is that of the Beatles, straight down the line, simple, yet effective. The Beatles wouldnt be anything like they were without Ringo, and the same can be said of the Pistols without Paul Cook's drumming. After being involved with other bands over the years it wasn't until 2000 when i found myself free to be able to persue my idea, so i began to advertise & start the auditioning process. I soon found the right mix of people, also mad pistols fan's, who not only could play very well, & knew the songs inside-out, but also looked the part so well too. Then off we went.

Rock N Roll Experience: Has Johnny Rotten/Lydon acknowledged your cover band?

Johnny Forgotten:- We know for sure he know's of us, we sent him a live Dvd some time ago, and he sent some of his close friends over to see us perform on our last U.S.A tour when we played in L.A, - they loved us, thought the show was fantastic, came out the back stage area to meet us & were going crazy about it all..! Then we were invited to appear on Steve Jones's Radio show in L.A, 'Jonesy's Jukebox on indi 103.1, we had a great time on air with him, singing & playing the song's on air, it was only a couple of day's later that Johnny Rotten Lydon then came on his show too, & Steve would most certainly have talked to him about us. So we've had good feedback from Glen Matlock, Steve Jones & Paul Cook, but no direct word from Rotten yet, we hope he'd see it as a huge compliment, that anyone would go to so much trouble to do what were doing. At least he can rest assured that we do it well enough to tour the world on it!! I'm sure he'd have something to say if we were doing it badly & therfore not doing the Sex Pistols any justice.!? There was rumer, in fact Steve Jones asked us, to go along to the Rock'n'Roll hall of fame awards to collect the induction award on their behalf, Johnny would have had to have been in on that, we saw it a great 'joke' on the ceremony, turn up secretly, as the announcement was made "here's the Sex Pistols" we then would of walked out..! but in the end we ran out of time to get it all arranged. We're heading back out to L.A this fall, so perhaps he might cross paths with us then. But we oftern expect him to turn up at one of the England show's, just unnexpectedly turn up, that'd be cool... so long as he liked us..!?

Rock N Roll Experience: What do you think of the "new" punk bands like Greenday & the Offspring?

Steve Clones:- Call them what you like, but they've kept the 'Punk' flag flying on both side's of the atlantic for far longer than the sex pistols did.! They've also been responsible for turning a whole new generation onto the Pistols, the Clash, Ramones etc, & that can only be a good thing, without bands like these the 'spirit of punk' might be just that, a spirit, an old long forgotten ghost.!? They keep music exciting, keep it alive, their live show's are great, and its all good entertainment. Green Days 'American Idiot' is probably THE best album i've heard in the last 5 years. Nothing wrong in that.

Kid Vicious:- Too much eye make-up for my likes, are they gay or what?

Rock N Roll Experience: Does the band also write & record original material, or are you strictly a cover band?

Paul Crook:- We're the worlds No'1 Sex Pistols Tribute show, there's no room to deviate at this level, although we are all capable of writing & performing our own stuff should we ever need to in the future, but & all of us have been down that road to varing degree's of success, and on the whole its very difficult to get the breaks, especially coming from the northern regions of England, there's just not the audiences there, no money in it, no talent scouts, it a constant up-hill battle that most likely will lead to nowhere. I spent 12 years with a good band doing all original stuff, paying money to play at most venues! To next to no audience, waste of time unfortunatly. But that was in the early 90's, a time before computers & scanners, before email, everything was done by telephone, and much harder to get the word out. Which is why i decided that the Tribute band thing would be a way forward, you have an instant audience, all the hard work making a name for yourself has been done. So its not like we didnt try that route, to be original, come up with new material, but at our age, we're all almost 40yrs of age, whats the point?? We just want to have some fun with the music now, & there's nothing better than seeing a full crowd going nuts to something we're doing, all -be-it to another (great) bands music. I know for a fact that I'd never of been able to tour the world & wouldnt have so many great stories & experiences had it not for playing in a covers/tribute band, so to my mind this is/has been a successful music career for me.

Rock N Roll Experience: Have you seen the KISS, led zeppelin, queen, etc., cover bands & what do you think of them?

Johnny Forgotten:- We dont often get a chance to see too many of them as were always out playing ourselves, but we do occasionally get to see them if we're sharing the bill at a festival or something. Generally, most of them at our level are great, it really is a good way to experience your favorite band up close for less than half the ticket price.! The problem is though, there's so many of the Kiss, Queen, Led zep bands out there, all doing the same music, fighting over who's going to play the venues first, some are good, and most are terrible, there's varing degree's to the quality of these bands. Some are just 'cover bands', 4 or 5 guys hammering out the music, not always correctly, so long as it sounds something like it should, then it'll do..! Thats not good enough to my mind, it has to be done right & presented well, with attention to detail, solid rehearsals to be sure that everthing is spot-on, then you rise above that 'cover band' status, and become a worthwhile tribute show. Set a high standard for yourself & the band, that way your ensuring people who come to see the show will be impressed & return again & again, and go away from the show talking about your band for days afterwards. Thats what we want, the whole Sex Pistols 'Experience'.! By having these high standards your also doing justice to your chosen band. With the Sex Pistols - there is only 'us' out there doing it as far as i know, or the 'real' sex pistols...! But you won't see them playing live anymore, the sex pistols torch is now in our hands & we'll continue to do our best to portray it as 'they' would like it to be, powerful, dynamic, exciting and most of all, just down-right good fun.!

Rock N Roll Experience: What is the most chaotic thing that has ever happened on stage during one of your performances?

Kid Vicious:- Every show something happens, we get so many incidents, you just never know whats coming next, all the gigs tend to get quite lively, we get quite a few involving 'girls' type incidents, which is always nice.! But i don't want to go into too much detail about some the crazy things that happen through not wanting to encorage any repeate actions.! The exciting part, for the crowd, is not knowing whats going to happen next, maybe nothing.!?? Who know's.

Rock N Roll Experience: What did you think of the Sex Pistols "reunion" tour?

All band:- We all though it was great, they still had relevence in 96 as much as they did in 76'.

J.Forgotten:- And good on them for admitting it was all for the money -the'filth lucre'. They we're long overdue their pay day, their ex manager took off with all their money at the end of the 70's, so i'm happy for them that they did the tours, healed old wounds, earned some money, and raised their status to a whole new generation. AND gave a chance for all those who missed out the first time to get a 2nd chance to see the band. I'm also glad that they didnt keep quiet over the Queens golden jubilee celebrations.! There was more uk press about the Sex Pistols playing in London, than there was about the Queen turning 103 or whatever she is..!?

Rock N Roll Experience: Do you have a favorite Sex Pistols song?

Paul Crook:- The whole of the Never Mind the Bollocks album has stood the test of time, every song is a classic, one after another. It still sounds fresh today, and still influences bands the world over, if i had to choose one, purely on a favorite to 'play' on drums - 'New York'.

Johnny Forgotten:- 'Bodies', say's it all to me.!

Kid Vicious:- 'Belsen was a gas' just cos it gets the best reaction, we played it recently in Berlin, Germany, we though the place was going to explode..! or "Holidays in the Sun", when the guitar solo come's in, makes all the hairs stand up..!

Steve Clones:- I dunno, im just in it for the beer & women...and not in that order..!

And on that note, I don't think you could end an interview more appropriate than that! The Sex Pistols Experience are playing May 4, 2006 at Ram's Head Live in Baltimore...you can check out the bands web site at: SEX PISTOLS EXPERIENCE. & you can get show in at Ram's Head Live. Tix are $10 in advance & $12 the day of show...See you guys at the show!

Review from Dallas Texas show, By Stuart Kincaid

Thursday, February 02, 2006

The Sex Pistols Experience

Over the weekend we had the opportunity to break up the Waldo's Hawaiian Holiday focus for a few days by shooting a live Sex Pistols tribute band in Dallas.

WHAT A GREAT SHOW these guys put on. I encourage anyone on the south or Western parts of the states to visit their website http://www.sexpistolsexperience.co.uk/ and check out if they have any shows in your area over the next few weeks.

You might be "too cool" for the rest of the world and be thinking... a tribute band? Hell no, maybe the REAL Sex Pistols but not a tribute band... Screw that!

You would be screwing yourself... it's a RAD performance and well worth your time if you dig the pistols. Complete with audience taunting and abuse and they actually play the songs pristine and so closely resemble the pistols it's scarey!

Great bunch of guys and KILLER show!

"stamp of approval"

Review page from 'Harderbeat' magazine.

http://www.harderbeat.com/html/live_reviews.html

The Sex Pistols Experience - Granada Theater, 1/28/06
From the second the curtain came up, it was clear that this was no ordinary tribute band. England’s Sex Pistols Experience ripped through “God Save The Queen,” “Bodies,” “Liar” (dedicated to Tony Blair), “Anarchy In The U.K.” and every other Pistols classic one could think of. But it’s the band’s attention to detail that really sets them apart. Johnny Forgotten (vocals), Kid Vicious (bass), Steve Clones (guitar) and Paul Crook (drums) capture not only the look and sound, but also the onstage swagger and irreverence.
However, a band paying tribute to the circus that was The Sex Pistols also sends out an invitation for chaos - with some audience members throwing cups and bottles at the band. Eventually, Johnny became agitated and left the stage, leaving Vicious to handle vocals and taunting the bottle throwers between songs. We left as the atmosphere became increasingly chaotic, thinking, “Wow! That’s what a real Sex Pistols show must have been like!” I hope the actions of a few idiots didn’t ruin the chance of Dallas getting another dose of this Experience. (Chris Elsken)

They Wanna Be Them

Get ready to gob, because the Sex Pistols Experience is ready for your spit

By Rob Patterson

Article Published Jan 26, 2006

Which of the following is an omen of the impending apocalypse? A) The Sex Pistols playing Dallas' Longhorn Ballroom, once the home of Bob Wills, in 1978. B) The re-formed Sex Pistols playing the Trump Marina Casino during their 2003 tour. C) The Sex Pistols Experience-- a tribute band that looks and sounds like the real thing, complete with a "Johnny Forgotten," "Kid Vicious" and even girlfriend "Nancy Spunked'on" (selling merch, natch)--playing the Granada Theater this weekend on the second date of their "Anarchy From the UK" tour.

Never mind the bollocks, you decide. The English foursome plus one that make up the Experience started emulating the four horsemen of punk rock "just for a bit o' fun more than anything," says drummer "Paul Crook." They've now been at it nearly three times as long as the real Pistols' original run, touring throughout the U.K. and Europe and now the U.S.

Depending on your viewpoint, it could be a great rock 'n' roll swindle and/or a cheeky way for some lads to make a few quid. "Tribute bands started out to be a big deal over here, like, 10 years ago," says "Malcolm McDonalds," the band's "manager" (who sounds suspiciously similar to Crook via transatlantic phone). "I always knew that the Sex Pistols would be the real one to conquer. With bands like The Who and all that such and that, you can more or less pull any pub musician out of any band across the U.K. and put together a Who tribute. But with the Sex Pistols, because of the four strong characters and the music was so unique, it would be difficult for just anyone to do."

The key sales point of the Experience is how much they resemble the real deal (check out sexpistolsexperience.co.uk to judge for yourself). And as a result, they stir up at least a semblance of the Pistols ruckus of yore.

"It's just mental down at the front," Crook says. But what about the '70s punk sport of gobbing (spitting) at the band? "Funnily enough, that's one thing that didn't survive. We're glad about that."

The Experience, who will record the Dallas show for a CD and DVD release, sees their market as two-fold. One segment is "the people now in their late 30s and 40s who want to go back to when they were kids and catch up on the music they were listening to," McDonalds says. On the other hand, "the younger generation want to know who all these bands were that influenced the bands they like today."

Crook falls into the former bunch. "I was only 12 years old when they played my hometown. And I wasn't allowed to go in the venue. But I saw them arrive in their old beat-up van and pull up outside. And Sid and Johnny were doing their rude signals through the window at the crowd. I think that's what stirred up my curiosity. I wanted to know what all the fuss was all about. Because I wasn't allowed to see them, I've since made up for it now, doing it myself with this band."

These Pistols, however, aren't out to spread anarchy and mayhem or transform rock 'n' roll. "That's not really the direction we're coming from," Crook says. "We've come to appreciate that we're not the Pistols." Somehow, so has everyone else.

posted by Matt/Sarah  # 11:45 PM

So I hooked up with the guys from Antstuie Productions to do a multi-camera shoot of the Sex Pistols experience. It was very very fun. A rockin', truly 'punk' good time. I got up close for good shots of the band on stage and in the crowd. 'Kid' Vicious flipped me off. They showed their appreciation for the crowd by hurling nasty insults, and the audience showed their appreciation by throwing things at the band. I was always at the right place at the right time with the camera. Got good shots of securtiy dragging off drunk crowd members who jump on stage and take over their microphones. Somebody right in front of me threw a tshirt at Vicious and he threw it back into the camera. Before the show we had a good time just chatting it up with Tony and Stuie. Sarah and I went across the street to get a delicious gyro. Sarah has no punk in her but has since learned to appreciate the pistols. She had a blast and likes them now!

Interviews

Interview with 86 magazine

Have you guys played in the US before?  

 - nope, first time, but hopefully not the last!! There are plans for the northeast tour in May, and back to the south, southwest & California again in the 'fall', autumn time, maybe september/oct.

If so, what’s your favourite city and why?  

 -I'll let you know in about a month’s time once we’ve been!!? But we're looking fwd to visiting as many places as possible & meeting as many 'fans' of the band along the way.

How do you compare the crowds of US, UK, and EU?

-They really do vary in all regions of the u.k, depends also how full the venue is, the more packed out a place is, the better, people seem to get into the spirit of it, going crazy, but if on the odd occasion its not so packed, or there's no 'mosh-pit', the folks just kind of stand around watching, drinking beer & enjoying the show sensibly! ..But we prefer them to go nuts!! They'll get a better gig out of us that way!! Europeans are far more relaxed than the English, a lot less self-conscious, not afraid to 'go-for-it' and let their hair down, very much more open, but some of the best gigs can be when its least expected, like up in Scotland, or Newcastle in the north East of the U.K, they love the live bands and really let you know it if its going well, they also let you know it if the gig is crap too!! ...Not that we've ever witnessed that.!!? I also think Londoners are the most boring really, maybe they're too spoilt with all the great bands that come out of the u.k cos they all play London and have become complacent with the quality & quantity of bands? ...Until we come to town!

What’s your favourite place to play across the pond (over there)? 

 -Over here in the u.k, nowhere in particular, but we do like to play somewhere new, where we've never been before, because then people don't know what to expect, and don't have high expectations, the look in peoples faces the first time they see us is great, they always expect nothing much, & don’t see how we can compare to the 'real' pistols, then when we come on, you can see people just looking, well.., stunned.! Blown away with it all, 'gob smacked' as they say in England!  After the initial impact is over the bottom jaw comes back up, and they get on with enjoying the gig for what it is.

Did you get a chance to meet the original members of the Sex Pistols?

-We've come close a couple of times, we know they know of us, but not much feedback has come our way from any of them yet. To be honest its not really high on our priorities, we're just not that fussed, its gone beyond that phase now, maybe 5years back when we started out we would of been a little more star-struck but not now, we couldn’t care less what they think really, however we do hope they'd be flattered that we've gone to so much trouble to help promote they're music!? And see it for what it is, just a bit of FUN, and hopefully they'd be supportive of us. I guess it must be a little weird being imitated so closely, kind of freaky I’d expect if I were them, but it is a TRIBUTE to their achievements, & to everything they stood for, we back them 110% all the way. Hopefully they'd back us too? After all, we do help them to sell their records!

We're supposed to be going onto 'Jonesy's Jukebox' in L.A when we're in town, if that comes off we’ll have a natter with Steve who is the guy all of us are most keen to meet, trade some tales of 'groupies'!!? Then we have a show at the Cavern Club in Liverpool when we get back, we headline a Sex Pistols convention day there 4th March, Glen Matlock is going to be there to perform, so we'll meet him, we have emailed each other in the past, so the ice is broken with him anyway. Everyone's asking if we'll invite him on stage, of course he'd be welcome, but we'd understand fully if he'd rather not, it is a bit cheese'y isn’t it?? To perform with your own tribute!?

Paul Crook met Paul Cook once, he was doing the gig with Edwin Collins touring around the U.K, the bands guitarist comes from the same home town as Paul Crook, & he invited him along to a nearby show, Paul Cook was drumming, Paul Crook met up with him back stage, shared a bottle of wine & had a brief chat, this was as Saturday evening early 1996, just as the pistols, or rather Johnny, had announced the band were to reform for the 'Filthy Lucre Tour', Paul Crook had heard Johnny on the radio that afternoon saying he'd been persuaded by the offer of a million £'s each to re-form the band & tour. Five hundred thousand pounds each at the beginning of the tour, & five hundred thousand each for at the end on completion of all the dates. Of course Paul Cook didn’t believe Paul Crook when he told him of the news! But sure enough, Monday morning, there they all were, all four original Sex Pistols sat at the press conference in London’s famous 100Club where it had all began 20 years earlier, announcing to the worlds media that they were to tour once again, Paul Cook looking a little bemused by it all! ...and Paul Crook watching the T.V at home, no doubt wishing it was him sat there!!

Did they give you tips on how to act like them on stage, or did you watch a lot of old videos? 

-When we began, of course the only thing we could do was study all the DVD’s & videos, but we were/are all big fan's of the band anyway, we pretty much knew what it was all about & had done for over 20years, the films just helped us 'fine-tune' the show. We had the songs down & the sound pretty much came straight away. We chatted to Dave Goodman (early pistols producer & sound engineer) via email fairly often during our early days, he gave us some good tips, advice, and constructive criticism after listening to some C.d's & watching some live DVD’s of us, he was actually very helpful, telling us some good stories of the 1975-76 period, it was great to have made that contact with him  & he was a great inspiration to us, he seemed like a nice enough guy, and he even offered to come over to the u.k (he'd retired out to Malta) and do our sound mix for us sometime, so you can imagine, it was somewhat of a shock to us when he suffered a heart attack & sadly died in March 2005.  It was almost like fate, he'd just told us more or less all he could about his knowledge of the band & sound, and we were off & running doing the thing live, then he never got a chance to see us, a great shame I’m sure he'd of loved it!!?

After the shows do you guys get crazy like the original Sex Pistols? 

-  That'd be telling!!? But everyone seems to want to invite us here or there after the gig, or else get back stage to meet us, but our security is pretty tight, if we wanna meet people (and most time's we do) we'll go out front and do so, but we aint so young anymore, we did all our partying through our 20's like most kids do, and sometimes we're just too exhausted and need to get to the hotel & go to bed!!

Are you on the 86 lists at any bars? (In the US the 86 list, or getting 86’d, is what it’s called when you get kicked out of a bar for being too drunk and are not allowed to return) 

-No, none, we're pretty respectable, you see there lie's the big difference, we're a tribute to them ON STAGE, off it we're just ourselves, we do like to party like everyone, but we steer clear of drunks, nothing but trouble usually, they have no respect for anyone, and just talk bollocks most times! ...There are a few hotels we can’t go back to though!!

If so what happened? 

-It was the 'Anti nowhere Leagues' fault.... i cant tell you.!

Have you ever been banned from playing on stage? 

- Not yet, the crowds sometimes get very 'active', which is fine, but in venues that are not used to seeing it, it looks like aggression, and looks like people are getting hurt, but its not the case, if someone accidentally gets hit, the other guy will usually shake hands & make sure they're alright, then carry on, things have definitely changed for the better these days!  We have had the 'plug pulled' on us by venue owners a couple of times, to worried that things are getting out of hand, but its never the case, its just that they're too used to the boring Pink Floyds, Bon jovi's, U2's etc of the tribute world, and not used to a little 'Anarchy', all be it, 'in the best possible taste'!

Do you have any wild tour stories? 

-Oh god.... where to begin....its never ending!  Best told over a beer or two, this is not the right time or place!!

What’s next for the Sex Pistols Experience? 

-Who knows, you never know what’s around the corner & what’s coming next, already the band has gone beyond our wildest expectations from when we started out, so anything else is a bonus! We take each day as it comes, we are planning more tours, and will stick at it and enjoy the ride whilst we can, but with all bands, they're a very fickle thing, potentially volatile & we're well aware it could all be over any minute, & no-one's going to offer us a million quid to reform in 20yrs time, so we'll just keep on enjoying it now for as long as possible.!?

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

 - Four J.D & cokes please.!?

Thanks, I can’t wait to see you live!   Check the website www.sexpistolsexperience.co.uk passing through your town if your lucky!!?

Mike Russell

Eighty-Six Magazine

www.86magazine.com

This is a Transcript on an email interview done with 'Paul Crook @ the 'Edmond Sun' newspaper in Tulsa

What is your stage name and what got you started in the Sex Pistol Experience?

   - Paul Crook, the drummer. I was blown away at the age of 12yrs when they made their first apperance on Top Of the Pops here in the u.k, i guess it was a bit like when the Beatles did the Ed Sullivan Show for you guys!?  It made me want to play an instrument & be in a band, which i did, took up drumming, played in lots of bands over the years, but something kept pulling me back to the Pistols, i always had a desire to do a full blown pistols tribute show when the time was right, and it took me a long time to find the right guys to do the job.

Given the brief run of the Sex Pistols, how did you prepare for the role? 

   -  I didnt really prepare, i , personally speaking, didnt have to, as i'd grown up learning to play the drum kit whilst listening to the 'Never mind the Bollocks' album on the headphones, so i naturally took to playing the sex pistols way from an early age, of course as i got older i developed on the basics i'd  learnt & became more accomplished, but i can always revert back to those early days, except now i play with more power & confidence!  Then when we started out with the Sex Pistols Experience band, we got all the live recordings, dvd's, videos and any film footage we could and studied that, to fine tune, get the look & movments down as best we could. We lso spoke with Dave Goodman (sex pistols early sound producer & engineer) He became a good friend, and was very helpful in our formative years.

What do fans expect from a Sex Pistols tribute band?

  -I dont really know, they all differ in oppinions i think. I do know that people setting out to see us for the first time dont really expect much, they dont have very high expectations of us, i guess they think " how can anyone pull that off??" and belive me, its not easy! i dont think just any musician  could do it, there is a very definate style, and way of playing the music that has to be studied, otherwize its just not going to sound right, and fans ogf the pistols will certainly let you know about it if its done wrong or badly. Fourtunatly we leave no room for any mistakes of crittisizm!

How is it different than others(like a Beatles tribute or Kiss?) 

 -There's hundreds of Beatles bands out there, it easy to do that, or to hide under make-up and be like Kiss, literally anyone could do that and make it acceptable & reasonably entertaining. The difference with the Pistols is, we're up there facing people with nothing to hide behind, musically stripped back to the bare essentials, it has to be good & it has to be right, or your likely to get a bottle of beer thrown at you!  It a very easy band to get wrong, and when its wrong it sticks out like a sore finger, and with pistols fans who are passionate about their heros, they'll let you know it, ..and stamp on that finger!

What is more important for a tribute band, playing the music percisly or looking the part?

    This is where many many bands go wrong, ...they are eaqually important. I saw a very good Beatles tribute only a few weeks back, sounded perfect, got all the music & harmonies down great, there was Ringo sat behind a Chromed-up, made in Japan, Pearl export kit.! it just undermines the band before they've even played a note.  If you look the part, all of the band and equipment, then it allows you the freedom to not have to play note perfect, because people can see that the effort has been put in, and will be enjoying the show all the more, relaxed and subconciously not looking for faults.

While in a tribute band, do you see yourself as an actor or a musician? 

  - Absolutly BOTH. what we do has been likened to a piece of theatre. It requires both attributes.

What is the historical impact of the Sex Pistols?

- their impact is still influencing bands today who are just starting up. Saying to kids 'you dont have to be great to get on a stage and have a go, if you want to do something, get out there and do it, dont let anyone tell you you can't!' And the music sounds so simple (but in fact it is not!) it inspires, and still sound so fresh today.

Where does "Nevermind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols"  stack up with the greatest albums of all time?

- Well without doubt its up the in its historical importance alone. But i saw in the U.K's 'Q' music/band magazine a couple of yrs back it had been VOTED by the readers upto No2, just behind the Beatles sgt Peppers! So thats not so bad. But a top ten list of all time greatest albums without the Bollocks album in there somewhere, at least somewhere in the top five, can'not be lent any credability to my mind?

Will the Sex Pistol Experience implode with the same grandeour as the Sex Pistols?

  -We live day to day, accepting whatever comes our way & make the most of any oppertunities, who knows what fate will throw at us? But we'll ride this beast as long as we're still enjoing it, and whilst people enjoy to watch it, if & when the rot sets in, hopefully we'll be old enough & wize enough to see the signs and call it a day before we start killing eachother!?? 

Why are you starting your tour in Tulsa at the Cain's Ballroom? 

 - This being the first tour of the states for us, we wanted to kind of pick up where they left off in the 70's, winterland is gone now in San Fran', and that held bitter memories anyway for the pistols, the night before winterland they played Cains, so this seemed to us the ONLY place to start for us, imagine what might of been if Sid had'nt of got on the drugs, and the band had all gotten along, they may well of followed a similar route to us, come to our gig, come up close, set your mind back 30yrs, and enjoy to show, ...this is where we pick up the story.

How have the surviving Sex Pistols reacted to your tribute?

  - We have only ever had posative feedback, i hope they'll be flattered that we've gone to all the trouble to pay them this tribute!?  We have yet to hear from John, but how can you not see it as a compliment? Also, we're doing all the hard work for them, sweating our guts out every night, on the front line, firing line, promoting their music, but it is tremendous fun, it a great gig to play, exciting, you just never know what could happen next.!? maybe nothing. Maybe its the last time we'll ever be on stage together, who knows'??  But for now, whilst the venues keep on selling out, and we're enjoying it, we'll continue. But remember, to quote our singer:- "we're not there for your entertainment, YOUR there for OURS'!!"

In Print (Click On Article To Enlarge)

On Line

15th April 2005

The Sex Pistols Experience, the Standard, Walthemstow, London. At last the country’s top pistols tribute band play a couple of London shows. They play an 80 min set that was just superb. All the classic "EMI", "God Save The Queen”, "Bodies", "Pretty Vacant", " Holidays in the Sun", with all the sneering vocals and wall of sound just like the originals. If your a pistols fan they are a 'must see' band! You'll be surprised at just how good they are. The also play Acton soon, and a special Thames boat gig in June, see you at both of them...!?

Ray Morrisey www.raysgigs.com 2005

23rd April 2005

Sex Pistols Experience, King Arms, Acton, London. It’s a hot, sweaty St Georges day atmosphere. The SPE do a superb 90 min set of all the best-known pistols songs. Their singer 'Johnny forgotten' is on top form tonight. A stunning encore of 'Silly Thing', 'god Save The Queen' & 'Pretty Vacant' was just MEGA!  Like I’ve said, if you like the pistols you MUST go check this lot out.

Ray Morrisey www.raysgigs.com 2005

12th June 2004

The Sex Pistols Experience, on the river Thames on the original boat used by the pistols in 1977, this was a great event to celebrate a legendary day in punk rock history. Plenty of fun gestures to bemused tourists, rowers & passers-by as we sail down river. I was on both the afternoon and the evening sailing. They played 90min's over two set's on both the day's trips. The band has been playing all over the U.K for some time now, and all the tunes sound great. Virtually every song the pistols ever recorded as well as all the covers the pistols did. Great to be amongst so many die-hard pistols fan's who'd travelled from all over he U.K to be here today. A really enjoyable & totally different way to see a band.

Ray Morrisey, www.raysgigs.com 2004.

11th June 2005

The Sex Pistols Experience boat trip party, River Thames London, Even though I had tickets to see the 'Download' festival to see Black Sabbath & Velvet Revolver I simply could not miss this great event. The Sex Pistols No1 tribute hiring out the same boat used by the pistols in 1977. On-board is a 150 people sell-out and a unique atmosphere. First up Tenpole Tudor does a warm up set & goes down really well, then the SPE take to the stage for a brilliant 90min's set of pistols anthems. The whole boat is rocking in every sense. Tenpole joins them for the encore of 'Swords of a Thousand men, there are great gigs, & great events, this was both!  See you there on the boat this time next year!?

Ray Morrisey, www.raysgigs.com 2005.