It sounded like you didn’t know what a Jubilee is — “something like the 4th of July” you said.

I think it’s important to understand what a Jubilee is in order to fully understand the impact of the Sex Pistols’ gesture.

A Jubilee is a major anniversary of a monarch’s coronation. This particular jubilee was the Queen’s silver jubilee, marking 25 years on the throne. Nowadays, I would go as far as to say that a healthy disrespect for the monarchy is the norm, but in 1977 it would have been quite daring to be disrespectful of the Queen, especially on her jubilee. While the Sex Pistols were cruising down the Thames performing “God Save the Queen”, many Britons would have been organising street parties, hanging up flags and bunting, to honour the Queen and her jubilee.

The Sex Pistols’ act could be compared to burning a US flag on the 4th of July I suppose.

Punk had a special relationship with the jubilee: see also Derek Jarman’s film “Jubilee” - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076240

I don’t remember having seen Surburbia (the 1984 Penelope Spheeris film - I’ve seen the 1996 Richard Linklater one by the same name). However I assume you are refering to the Speeris film as it includes some great punk acts like T.S.O.L., The Vandals and D.I. In connection with this show and the Repo Man show I have been asked repeatedly about my thoughts on Suburbia. I picked it up on DVD today and I’ll let you know when I get a chance to watch it. Thanks for the comment.

Link: Suburbia

I missed the Pistols, but I was fortunate enough to catch PIL live at Perkins Palace in Pasadena in the late 80’s. Johnny Lydon was absolutely brilliant live - so compelling and wonderful to watch. I remember wanting to be like him for a long while.

Eric and logovo, I’m really glad you guys are enjoying the shows. Comments like yours are what keep me going.

Thanks guys.

ps - Your commenst on Memento blew me away because I *thought* I had it figured out. Turns out there was stuff I was ignoring.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2005-02-09-podcasting-usat-money-cover_x.htm?csp=34

Adam linked to it from his weblog ;). Just thought I’d mention it.

Keep up the good work !

And this reminded me of a story…

I lived through the original Punk era - and when I got the chance a few years ago to see the UK Subs do a gig at a local venue I jumped at the chance to see one of my old favourites.

When I arrived at the scruffy little bar where they were playing ( - how the mighty have fallen! - ) I noticed a bit of an amusing stand off. Surrounding the stage were a large crowd of ‘new wave’-punks - kids of 18-20 who were dressed up in ‘punkesque’ clothing and all behaving in what they thought was typical Punk behaviour!

…Then there was a kind of ‘no mans land’ between the stage and the bar, where a group of unlikely looking middle-ages characters stood (with their wives). These people looked every bit the suburbanites - some dressed in jackets and ties (looking like accountants), and others in cardigans - well on their way to middle age…

Then I realized I recognised some of them - even under the greying hair - these guys were original Punks, guys I knew from the late 70s!!!

…The Nuevo-punks sneered at these ‘oldies’ - many of whom had obviously come straight to the gig from the office.

Some of them were still with the girlfriends they had back in 1979 (wives now - probably with a brood of teenagers of their own at home).

I couldn’t get over the irony of it all - but the best was yet to come when the UK Subs finally came on, as it was blatantly obvious that Charlie Harper also recognized some of us at the bar, and proceeded to hold sporadic reminisces during the breaks between songs! This upset the ‘new wave’ punkets not a little!

At the end of the set Charlie jumped off the stage and cut a swathe through the throng of far too smartly dressed ‘punkets’ to join us at the bar…Fantastic!

Looking at Charlie Harper (known as the ‘Grandfather of Punk’) - who I hadn’t seen this close since 1978 I saw a hero who time had not been kind too…So the whole thing turned out to be a bitter-sweet episode.

Julien Temple in his documentary - as you mentioned - chose to silhouette John (Jonny Rotten) Lydon and Paul Cook so that our focus would be on how they were ‘in the good old days’. Now, maybe this is a good thing in one respect…But in another, aren’t we just really trying not to think about how we ourselves have also aged!

…I can hardly believe - as I sit at my office desk, with a pile of forms and schedules stacked by me, worrying about bills and the kids and all the other trappings of conformity - that I was the noxious ‘rebel’ who proudly spat from a music-hall balcony onto the likes of John Richie (Sid Vicious) and Dave Vanian (The Damned)!