Raw: Sex Pistols Live

For a band that rescued rock & roll from the Uriah Heeps of the world in the late '70s, and made a mark on everything that followed, the Sex Pistols left behind precious little in terms of their recorded legacy. Their only official release being the earth-shattering NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, enthusiasts have to turn to collections of outtakes and live material to further satisfy their Pistols jones. A good place to start might be RAW, which features both rare live cuts and four demo tracks from these punk pioneers. While the demos are worth investigating, it's the live recordings that are truly enlightening, offering a more intimate look into the band's musical infrastructure. The Pistols' roots can be seen in punked-up versions of the Who's "Substitute" and The Stooges' "No Fun". Live takes of album tracks such as "Anarchy in the UK" and "No Feelings" are even rawer than their studio counterparts, and offer an interesting peek into the way Rotten and company functioned as a performing unit.|