Sex Pistols – God Save Sex Pistols (LP)

n the blistering summer of 1977, the Sex Pistols were ready to unleash their full-length debut upon the world. The master tapes were prepped, the tracklist was set, and factory production notes were drawn up under the working title "God Save Sex Pistols." However, manager Malcolm McLaren and the band abruptly changed course. They held back the release, added new tracks, rearranged the artwork, and finally dropped the album in October 1977 under the legendary name "Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols."

Decades later, the Record Store Day (RSD) release finally brought that lost summer concept back to life, giving fans a direct audio time-capsule to compare against the final masterpiece.

The most immediate difference lies in the songs themselves. The RSD God Save Sex Pistols configuration is a tighter 11-track record, whereas the final Never Mind The Bollocks release expanded into a 12-track powerhouse.

If you spin the RSD version, you will find a hidden gem: "Satellite." In the summer of '77, this track was slated for the main album, but it was ultimately chopped and demoted to the B-side of the Holidays in the Sun single. Even more shocking for modern listeners is what is missing from the RSD version. The final album's absolute highlights—the blistering album-opener "Holidays in the Sun" and the raw intensity of "Bodies"—had not yet been properly completed or integrated into the tracklist when the original concept was frozen.

Musically, the RSD release captures the Sex Pistols in a transitional, utterly fierce state. It utilizes the early studio mixes crafted by producers Chris Thomas and Bill Price in June 1977.

When compared to the final release, these RSD tracks sound noticeably more stripped-back, lean, and cavernous. The final Never Mind The Bollocks release became famous for Steve Jones’s massive "wall of guitars"—a production technique involving heavy multi-tracking and guitar layering to create a dense, commercial punch. The RSD version lacks those extra studio layers. It gives you a raw, punchy rhythm section and a more naked, snarling Johnny Rotten vocal mix that sounds closer to a live studio session.

Finally, the visual identity of the two records tells a story of changing marketing tactics. The RSD release features the originally intended minimalist artwork from the summer of 1977: simple, clean text displaying God Save Sex Pistols on a plain background, mimicking a bootleg or an official company sleeve.

By October, Jamie Reid’s iconic cutout punk aesthetic took over. The final debut album ditched the minimalist look for the now-legendary, eye-watering bright yellow and hot pink sleeve. This packaging felt like a loud, offensive ransom note to the British establishment, perfectly matching the updated, heavier sound inside.

Label: UMC

Country: Europe

Media Condition: Mint (M)
Sleeve Condition: Mint (M)

Sealed. Limited Edition. Remastered