The legendary English punk rock band The Sex Pistols are now getting their own documentary film which is based on the memoir by one of its founding members, Glen Matlock.
Based on Matlock’s 1990 tell-all novel ‘I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol’, the film will follow Matlock’s journey as a Pistols founding member and a musician who wrote 10 of the 12 iconic tracks on their only studio album, ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’ as well as provided bass and backing vocals on ‘Anarchy in the U.K’, before leaving the band in 1977.
As the description goes, the documentary feature will chart the Pistols’ rise to global infamy with an honest, insightful account of a group of malcontents, determined to change the music business and to attack hypocrisy and stale conventions in society at large, according to 'The Hollywood Reporter'.
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In his book, Matlock had described the mind-set of the UK in the early ’70s and divulged a mine of information, including details surrounding the “lost” original Sex Pistol Wally Nightingale, guitarist Steve Jones’ thievery, the search for a singer, the exploding punk scene and a bleak backdrop providing a contrast to the excitement and energy of band manager Malcolm McLaren’s shop.
The bass player’s contributions to The Sex Pistols have been downplayed over the years, especially by Jones, although drummer Paul Cook later asserted that Matlock had indeed written most of the songs on ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’.
Even the terms of Matlock’s departure from the band have been disputed as McLaren had falsely stated at the time that Matlock was “thrown out” for liking The Beatles.
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In ‘I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol’ however, the bassist said he left of his own volition as he was “sick of all the b******.”
As well as detailing the contents of the memoir, the documentary is set to contain never-been-told truths about the Pistols from the band members and exclusive interviews with the punk legends.
‘I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol’ is directed by Andre Relis, whose credits include other music documentaries, such as ‘Randy Rhoads: Reflections of a Guitar Icon’ and ‘NWA & Eazy-E:Kings of Compto’n’. The movie is also co-directed by Nick Mead whose credits include ‘Clarence Clemons: Who Do I Think I Am?’.
The film will be produced by Matlock, Jessica Bennett and Nick Mead, with Stephen Nemeth serving as executive producer, with VMI handling worldwide sales.
The Sex Pistols were formed in 1975 and were pretty much the founders of the punk rock style. The group was heavily political in their messaging and produced low-fi simplistic songs, which was an attack on both the UK establishment, as well as the prevailing progressive rock scene led by bands such as Pink Floyd and King Crimson.
Musically very simplistic, despite only ever writing one album, The Sex Pistols became legends and inspired even other legendary bands like Motorhead, Guns’ N Roses, Nirvana, Overkill among many more.
