Britain in the 1970s was in the doldrums - for those enough old enough to remember there was mass unemployment, strikes, power cuts and high taxes - and the young people of Britain really didn't have much to look forward to. The rebellion of the 1950s and 70s had disappeared - rock n roll rebels replaced by "corporate" rock like Yes and Pink Floyd. The punk rock backlash of 1976-77 was just what was needed, not only for millions of disillusioned youngsters but for popular music in general. At the forefront uprising were the Sex Pistols - four angry young playing angry, loud and (for it's time) shocking rock music, their frustration and anger vented by snarling frontman Johnny Rotten. The Sex Pistols were the original and best punk rock group, swearing on early evening television (what did happen to Bill Grundy?) and getting themselves fired from a succession of record companies. This album, released in 1977, was their first and only real offering on vinyl and at the time was considered to be a real shocker. 23 years after it's original release this all-time classic punk record still delivers with plenty of aplomb although I can't help but feel that now, in the days of post-grunge, that this great album sounds more like a mainstream rock album than what it would have sounded like in 1977. But let's put things into context here: when you think that it had been a mere seven years since the Beatles had broken up, and at a time when the charts were dominated by the likes of Abba, Cliff Richard, ELO, 10cc and the Bee Gees, this album must have seemed incredibly outrageous and offensive. With the passing of time, it is still a great record but perhaps not as shocking as it was back then. This is without doubt THE definitive album of the punk genre and as a musical snapshot of the punk era, this album cannot be equalled or bettered.