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Book Description
On June 4, 1976, four young men took the stage of a tiny upstairs hall in Manchester for a gig that, quite literally, changed the world. In front of a handful of people they played one of the most important live sets of all time. Alongside Woodstock and Live Aid, the Sex Pistols performance at the Lesser Free Trade Hall has been named by critics as one of the most pivotal performances in music history … not necessarily because of the quality of the music – but because of the effect the music had on the audience.

The crowd were mesmerized by the power and possibilities of punk – and it inspired them to create their own music that would shape the sound of rock music for decades to come. Members of Joy Division and New Order, the Smiths, the Fall and Buzzcocks were there that night as well as Tony Wilson, a key player in the story of Factory records, the Hacienda, Madchester and beyond. This was truly a gig that changed the world.

The truth behind that gig – plus the Pistols repeat performance six weeks later and their first ever TV appearance – has been shrouded in mystery for thirty years. Until now, everyone's been happy to print the legend. For the first time, here's the truth. Featuring previously unpublished photos, interviews with key players and audience members, I Swear I Was There brings pop culture to life thirty years after the Summer of Punk.

Synopsis
On June 4, 1976, four young men took the stage of the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester and, in front of a handful of people, played one of the most important live sets of all time. Alongside Woodstock and Live Aid, the Sex Pistols' performance has been named by critics as one of the most pivotal performances in music history...not necessarily because of the quality of the music - but because of the effect the music had on the audience. The crowd were mesmerized by the power and possibilities of punk - and it inspired them to create their own music that would shape the sound of rock music for decades to come. Members of Joy Division and New Order, the Smiths, the Fall and Buzzcocks were there that night as well as Tony Wilson, a key player in the story of Factory records, the Hacienda, Madchester and beyond. This was truly a gig that changed the world. The truth behind that gig - plus the Pistols' repeat performance six weeks later and their first ever TV appearance - has been shrouded in mystery for thirty years. Until now, everyone's been happy to print the legend. For the first time, here's the truth. Featuring previously unpublished photos, interviews with key players and audience members, "I Swear I Was There" brings pop culture to life thirty years after the Summer of Punk.

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6 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: The birth of modern Manchester, 10 May 2006 By  Phil S - See all my reviews The first version of this book followed in the wake of the Granada Television documentary of the same name. This time around, version two digs deeper, provides more revelations and delves into the psyche of those who swear they were there. So what is it all about? In a nutshell, two students would invite the Sex Pistols to Manchester, a move that would transform the local music scene in the city forever. The students in question would become better known as Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, founder members of the Buzzcocks. The television researchers pulled together an impressive array of participants who really were there. The book itself brings together original interview transcripts recorded for the show along with brand new interviews, all linked by informative and insightful explanations and information. In this respect, the book works well and is structured to allow the story to unfold in a documentary fashion. Beginning with a forward by Howard Devoto, we get to hear of his trip to London with Pete Shelley in search of Malcolm McLaren's shop and the subsequent invitation they made to the Pistols to play in Manchester. This they would do twice, on 4th June and the 20th July 1976, both at the Lesser Free Trade Hall. If, however, Howard didn't have the use of a friend's car one particular weekend it's likely they would never have made it to London and the whole musical revolution in Manchester, if not throughout Britain, might never have happened. The impact of the Pistols on Tony Wilson (then the presenter of 'So It Goes' on Granada) led in turn to the Pistols appearing on the show. One interesting snippet (which wasn't mentioned in the documentary) is the confirmation that the end of the Pistols' performance of Anarchy In The UK had been doctored prior to transmission, by the director, Peter Walker. Why? The reasons are all here. A second edition of the book seemed inevitable. The documentary coupled with the first book led to more interest and more revelations. Important parts of the jigsaw have now been filled, with important additional input from Steve Diggle, John The Postman, and (thanks to www.sex-pistols.net), the elusive Solstice, the support band at the June 4th concert, who had hitherto been impossible to find. Contributions from the likes of Glen Matlock, Jordan, Mick Rossi and Wayne Barrett (Slaughter And The Dogs), Tony Wilson, and many more involved at either the live shows or 'So It Goes', provide a sense of balance as the sea change caused by the Pistols' first appearance at the Lesser Free Trade Hall swept all before it, including the truth in some cases. Often highly amusing (Clive James gets a good trashing!) the book contains some stunning rare photographs that originally appeared in the long forgotten fanzine, Penetration. These pictures help bring the accounts of the night to life. Just check the cover shot - a crowd of confused and bemused punters look on bewildered as the Sex Pistols turn the world upside down. With the subject being scrutinized like never before; no myth is taken for granted. An inspired piece of work that will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in the Sex Pistols, punk rock, or the birth of the Manchester music scene.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: How one summer changed Manchester c/o Sex Pistols, 11 Jul 2001 By A Customer This review is from: I Swear I Was There.... (Paperback) The book follows in the wake of the Granada Television documentary of the same name. Where as the documentary was (initially) limited to the Granada region only, the book will enable those that were not lucky enough to see it, to understand why the subject matter was felt worthy of an hour-long feature. So what is it all about? In a nutshell, two students would invite the Sex Pistols to Manchester, a move that would transform the local music scene in the city forever. The students in question would become better known as Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, founder members of the Buzzcocks. The television researchers pulled together an impressive array of participants that really were there! The book itself brings together the interview transcripts recorded for the show, linked by informative explanations and information. In this respect the book works well and is structured to allow the story to unfold in a straightforward yet entertaining manner. Beginning with a forward by Howard Devoto we get to hear of his trip to London with Pete Shelley in search of Malcolm McLaren's shop and the subsequent invitation they made to the Pistols to play in Manchester. This they would do twice, on 4th June and the 20th July 1976, both at the Lesser Free Trade Hall. If however, Howard didn't have the use of a friend's car one particular weekend it's likely they would never have made it to London and the whole subsequent musical revolution in Manchester, if not throughout Britain, might never have happened! The impact of the Pistols on Tony Wilson (then the presenter of 'So It Goes' on Granada) led in turn to the Pistols appearing on the show. One interesting snippet (which wasn't mentioned in the documentary) is the confirmation that the end of the Pistols performance of Anarchy In The UK had been doctored prior to transmission, by the director, Peter Walker. Why? The reasons are all here. The book is full of new information from the likes of Glen Matlock, Jordan, Mick Rossi and Wayne Barrett (Slaughter And The Dogs), Tony Wilson, and many more involved at either the live shows or 'So It Goes'. Often highly amusing (Clive James gets a good trashing!) and containing material that didn't make it to the finished film plus some rare photographs, this book will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in the Sex Pistols, punk rock, or the birth of the Manchester music scene...  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: Sex Pistols play Manchester & the aftershock it created, 10 Aug 2001 By A Customer This review is from: I Swear I Was There.... (Paperback) A spin-off from the Granada T.V. programme.This book gives you everything you need to know about the Sex Pistols early gigs in Manchester in 1976 and their first ever T.V. appearance on 'So It Goes'. A great read, David Nolan's book answers all those nagging questions with recent interviews with those who really were there! Complete with never-before-seen photographs, read this book and you will understand why the aftershock of these events 25 years ago are still being felt today. Informative, amusing and and a very English tale of inspiration and energy in desperate times...  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?