No Sex Pistols in Manchester? ‘No Smiths, Nirvana, indie rock.’ Discuss!

About this episode

The episode discusses the cultural impact of the Sex Pistols on Manchester's music scene and rock history with guest Howard Devoto.

Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley read a review of the Sex Pistols in February 1976, borrowed a car, drove to London, asked the NME where they’d find the band and were told ‘try a sex shop in the King’s Road’. The events that followed changed both the culture of Manchester and the course of rock history, a story mapped out in David Nolan’s excellent ‘I Swear I Was There’, a book as much about the audience as the band. His theory: “If the Pistols hadn’t played the Lesser Free Trade Hall … no Buzzcocks, Joy Division, Factory Records, ‘indie’ scene, Smiths, Fall, Nirvana, Blur, Oasis, Radiohead or Prodigy.’ As the 50th anniversary looms, he talks to us here about …   … those who claimed to be there and the ones who actually were   … the contrast between myth and reality   … the letter Morrissey sent the NME: “Maybe the Pistols will be able to afford some clothes which don't look as though they've been slept in”   … punk metaphor: Howard Devoto asking a tailor to narrow his trouser legs and being told, “there’s no going back”   … North/South crowd violence: “a battle with a gig breaking out in the middle”   … the three reels of home-movie and the photos…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mark Ellen, David Hepworth, Alex Gold

Guest: Howard Devoto

Topics covered

• punk rock history
• Manchester music scene
• impact of the Sex Pistols
• indie rock evolution
• cultural commentary

Keywords

• Sex Pistols
• Manchester
• punk rock
• indie scene
• David Nolan

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NME, Factory Records, Granada TV

Books & works: I Swear I Was There

Places: Manchester

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