Here is the story of how the Sex Pistols shocked and shamed EMI - the UK's most revered and profitable record company - and ended up GBP40,000 the richer thanks to manager Malcolm McLaren's cunning business strategy.
Sex Pistols: 90 Days at EMI
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About the Author
After 10 years as a journalist, including working for Melody Maker and Disc, Brian Southall joined A&M Records between 1973 and 2003 and worked for EMI Records as a consultant to Warner Music International, HMV Group and the British Phonographic Industry. He has written books including the History of Abbey Road Studios, The A-Z of Record Labels and the Story of the Brit Awards.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Every Mistake Imaginable....the inner workings of a global company in 1976/77
8 Sep 2007
By Martin Percival
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Brian Southall is an EMI insider. A PR Exec during the Pistols 91 day reign at EMI from October 1976 to January 1977, there can be few people better placed to write such a warts and all, methodically researched and insightful account into the politics and machinations that caused the Pistols to be signed in the first place only to be then unceremoniously dumped off the label barely 3 months later.
Recent years have seen a slew of books being produced on punk and especially the Sex Pistols. With only a few notable exceptions most are poorly researched and written with few new facts or insights - generally they just recycle the same old quotes and supposed facts. Southall has clearly gone back to the source material, much of it previously unpublished, and most importantly used his connections from his time at EMI to write a brief but fascinating guide to the bands time at the label. He also does a good job of putting the whole episode into the perspective of the era.
The music industry in the mid 1970s was a very different business from today with EMI records forming a significant but by no means dominant part of a long established, traditional, global conglomerate with fingers in many pies ranging from Arms to Hotels to Medical Devices. They even owned 50% of Thames Television - the London based station that broadcast live the infamous "Today" show with Bill Grundy and the band on 1st December 1976. It's these background facts that help the reader to understand why the label did what it did after coming under enormous pressure from senior executives in the post Bill Grundy show media fueled circus that wrecked the Anarchy tour and effectively short circuited the chances of the band having a long recording career with EMI.... Read more ›
Recent years have seen a slew of books being produced on punk and especially the Sex Pistols. With only a few notable exceptions most are poorly researched and written with few new facts or insights - generally they just recycle the same old quotes and supposed facts. Southall has clearly gone back to the source material, much of it previously unpublished, and most importantly used his connections from his time at EMI to write a brief but fascinating guide to the bands time at the label. He also does a good job of putting the whole episode into the perspective of the era.
The music industry in the mid 1970s was a very different business from today with EMI records forming a significant but by no means dominant part of a long established, traditional, global conglomerate with fingers in many pies ranging from Arms to Hotels to Medical Devices. They even owned 50% of Thames Television - the London based station that broadcast live the infamous "Today" show with Bill Grundy and the band on 1st December 1976. It's these background facts that help the reader to understand why the label did what it did after coming under enormous pressure from senior executives in the post Bill Grundy show media fueled circus that wrecked the Anarchy tour and effectively short circuited the chances of the band having a long recording career with EMI.... Read more ›
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A great read with interesting facts and uknown reactions to the bands 90 odd days signed to EMI Records. It does concentrate on this time so dont expect a full history.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By iwannabeme
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Don't want to add any more to the long & thorough review that's gone before mine, however, I will say...
I have been a Pistols fan since I was 12 years old, & am now 34. This book, more than any other, really hammers home how much real outrage & disgust the Sex Pistols provoked when they burst onto the scene in 1976. Of course, the Filth & The Fury alludes to this outrage, but doesn't elaborate. EMI were under tremendous pressure from the media, their own staff, and politically to drop the band from the very first moment they signed them.
The feeding frenzy & the lies that were perpetrated by the national media at the time were outrageous. Sex Pistols 90 Days At EMI is an essential read for any fan.
I have been a Pistols fan since I was 12 years old, & am now 34. This book, more than any other, really hammers home how much real outrage & disgust the Sex Pistols provoked when they burst onto the scene in 1976. Of course, the Filth & The Fury alludes to this outrage, but doesn't elaborate. EMI were under tremendous pressure from the media, their own staff, and politically to drop the band from the very first moment they signed them.
The feeding frenzy & the lies that were perpetrated by the national media at the time were outrageous. Sex Pistols 90 Days At EMI is an essential read for any fan.
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