EMI Drops the Sex Pistols
Thirty-two years ago on this day in people’s rock history, the EMI record label terminated its contract with the British Punk Band “The Sex Pistols.” On January 6th 1977, the raucous quartet headed by lead singer Johnny Rotten was fired only three months into their two year contract. The swift termination was carried out after news reports covering the band’s departure from Heathrow Airport to tour the Netherlands suggested that the punk rockers used foul language and spat at each other. Production of the Sex Pistols’ sole single “Anarchy in the UK,” was subsequently halted which pleased a Conservative British Member of Parliament who wrote EMI stating they could “forgo the doubtful privilege of sponsoring trash like the Sex Pistols.”
Fortunately, the band resigned on another label and even exacted a little lyrical revenge on their former employers when Rotten sang: Don’t judge a book by the cover /Unless you cover just another /And blind acceptance is a sign / Of stupid fools who stand in line/ Like E.M.I.
Don PalabraZ 