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With the punk-rock seeds they sowed 20 years earlier finally bursting into the mainstream, the Sex Pistols return to cash in. We don't mean that as a knock; we're quite sure, in fact, that's exactly what the Pistols themselves would tell you if you asked. And besides, this document of their 1996 London show (released barely a month after the actual gig) finds the Pistols' original intensity undiminished. Playing all the songs that made them infamous, Johnny Rotten (nee Lydon) and company actually sound more aggressive and driving than they did in their '70s heyday. They're a million miles (and a few singing lessons) from the Las Vegas punk nostalgia act some feared. On classics like "Holidays In The Sun", "Pretty Vacant" and "Anarchy In The UK", the Pistols lay it down with an authority that leaves no doubt as to the authenticity of their reunion. Fans of modern-day punks such as Rancid, Green Day and Offspring will instantly recognise the roots of their heroes in this collection of seminal punk played with all the spirit one could hope for.
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