UK Articles

SOUNDS, SINGLE OF THE WEEK
Runners Up

The Singles Page reviewed by Tim Lott in Sounds 28th, May 1977 including The Clash, The Sex Pistols

THE CLASH: Remote Control (CBS) "Remote Control/from the city hall/push a button/activate you got to work"... spiky lyrics from the band you hate to love, in Joe Strummer's half whine and the typical Clash hard blur chords taken at medium pace. The Clash apparently wanted 'Janie Jones' as the single but CBS, if rumour is to be believed, insisted on this. I reckon the band were right-'Janie Jones' is both closer to the Clash spirit and more immediately listenable. As an album track 'Remote Control' is a great cut, vicious and brooding, but I'd imagine that airplay might be limited. Maybe they'll ban it anyway in fear of housewives hysterically tearing up kitchen chairs and throwing them in the coalshed.

THE SEX PISTOLS: 'God Save The Queen' (Virgin). No future fascist regime, no future, England's dream, no future, she ain't no human being NO FUTURE. Aaaaaaaagh!Superb. At long last the follow up to 'Anarchy' and it's worthy and more. Jesus it's a relief to hear some air kicked out of the porky,

flatulent Jubilee and the grating vocal and the guitar growl just reek of beautiful irreverance. Advance orders are apparently huge, despite the fact practically no-one's heard it. Can't see anyone being disappointed but EMI and A and M.

Enlarge left - Enlarge right

Enlarge below

28 May 1977 Record Mirror:

Remote Control review

CLASH: 'Remote Control' (CBS 5293). Oh you silly so and so's at CBS, you have the best new wave product in your damp palms, with loads potential hit singles in their Incredible reper-toire and you blow it with one of the less obvious ones. If you'd had any guts/sense you'd have put the 'London's Burning' side up on top. Still, a 'kin good band +++

Link to full edition

Back to the top