The Sex Pistols' Guitar Tuner
Material Culture and Mythology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/jca.v2i1.27113Keywords:
bollocks, Denmark Street, evidence, music technology, Sex Pistols, witnessAbstract
Thanks largely to the print and TV media, the Sex Pistols are one of the most mythologised bands of the last 50 years. I argue that by studying the material culture evidence of their career, and comparing and contrasting it with other sources, we can begin to grasp something of the “truth” behind the legends.
References
Adorno, T. 1973 [1966]. Negative Dialectics. Translated by E. B. Ashton. New York: Seabury Press.
Armstrong, L. 2014. “Is Denmark Street, London’s ‘Music Alley’, Under Threat?” Mojo 13 June. Available online: http://www.mojo4music.com/15049/denmark-street-londons-music-alley-threat/
Barthes, R. 1993 [1957] Mythologies. Translated by A. Lavers. London: Vintage.
Goodman, D. 2006. My Amazing Adventures with the Sex Pistols. Liverpool, UK: Bluecoat Press.
Graves-Brown, P. and J. Schofield, 2011. “The Filth and the Fury: 6 Denmark Street (London) and the Sex Pistols.” Antiquity 85: 1385–1401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0003598X00062128
Lydon, J. 1993. Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Matlock, G. 2006. I was a Teenage Sex Pistol. London: Reynolds & Hearn.
Matovina, D. 2000. Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger. San Mateo, CA: Frances Glover.
McLaren, M. 2006. “Foreword.” In My Amazing Adventures with the Sex Pistols, by D. Goodman. Liverpool, UK: Bluecoat Press.
Nolan, D. 2001. I Swear I Was There: Sex Pistols and the Shape of Rock. Lanchester, UK: Milo Books.
Schiffer, M. B. 2000. “Indigenous Theories, Scientific Theories and Product Histories.” In Matter, Materiality and Modern Culture, edited by P. Graves-Brown, 72–96. London: Routledge.
Peterson. n.d. “Peterson Tuner History.” Available online: http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=26
Spencer, N. 1976. “Don’t Look Over your Shoulder but the Sex Pistols are Coming.” New Musical Express 21 February: 31.
Strongman, P. 2007a. Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk. London: Orion.
____. 2007b. (director) Chaos! Ex-Pistols’ Secret History: The Dave Goodman Story (DVD). London: Universal.
The Times. 2011. “Anarchy in the DIY: Would it be in the True Spirit of Punk to Preserve Johnny Rotten’s Wall of Graffiti?” 22 November. Available online: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/leaders/article3233868.ece
Armstrong, L. 2014. “Is Denmark Street, London’s ‘Music Alley’, Under Threat?” Mojo 13 June. Available online: http://www.mojo4music.com/15049/denmark-street-londons-music-alley-threat/
Barthes, R. 1993 [1957] Mythologies. Translated by A. Lavers. London: Vintage.
Goodman, D. 2006. My Amazing Adventures with the Sex Pistols. Liverpool, UK: Bluecoat Press.
Graves-Brown, P. and J. Schofield, 2011. “The Filth and the Fury: 6 Denmark Street (London) and the Sex Pistols.” Antiquity 85: 1385–1401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0003598X00062128
Lydon, J. 1993. Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Matlock, G. 2006. I was a Teenage Sex Pistol. London: Reynolds & Hearn.
Matovina, D. 2000. Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger. San Mateo, CA: Frances Glover.
McLaren, M. 2006. “Foreword.” In My Amazing Adventures with the Sex Pistols, by D. Goodman. Liverpool, UK: Bluecoat Press.
Nolan, D. 2001. I Swear I Was There: Sex Pistols and the Shape of Rock. Lanchester, UK: Milo Books.
Schiffer, M. B. 2000. “Indigenous Theories, Scientific Theories and Product Histories.” In Matter, Materiality and Modern Culture, edited by P. Graves-Brown, 72–96. London: Routledge.
Peterson. n.d. “Peterson Tuner History.” Available online: http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=26
Spencer, N. 1976. “Don’t Look Over your Shoulder but the Sex Pistols are Coming.” New Musical Express 21 February: 31.
Strongman, P. 2007a. Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk. London: Orion.
____. 2007b. (director) Chaos! Ex-Pistols’ Secret History: The Dave Goodman Story (DVD). London: Universal.
The Times. 2011. “Anarchy in the DIY: Would it be in the True Spirit of Punk to Preserve Johnny Rotten’s Wall of Graffiti?” 22 November. Available online: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/leaders/article3233868.ece
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Published
2015-09-02
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How to Cite
Graves-Brown, P. (2015). The Sex Pistols’ Guitar Tuner: Material Culture and Mythology. Journal of Contemporary Archaeology, 2(1), 52-58. https://doi.org/10.1558/jca.v2i1.27113
