Sex Pistols play Chester

Steve Allan Jones, Mike Peters and Steff Holt (brother of Amsterdam’s Andy) travelled from their native Rhyl to a club called Quaintways in Chester. The venue had a rock night on once a week with bands like The Groundhogs and The Pat Travers Band plying their pub-rock trade. They had seen a poster glued to a wall advertising the notorious Sex Pistols the previous week.

Steve remembers, ‘The gig was amazing… Mike and me had been covering all sorts of songs – mainly cabaret. We couldn’t believe you could get on stage with not much more than raw energy. This was the original line-up with Glen Matlock on bass. As far as I can recall, they didn’t have a record deal then. The crowd (mainly heavy rock fans) didn’t like them much, but they were great, really meaty sound, great attitude. I remember all their amps had other bands names on them; we were told by someone close to the band that they were all nicked. At the end of the set the three of us resolved to talk to the band. We sidled up to them at the bar. With a gentle nudge from Mike I plucked up courage to ask Johnny Rotten, “How do you write your songs then?” He looked me up and down like I was the shit on his shoes, turned to Glen Matlock and said, “Get the beers in Glen.” We shuffled off into the night, chuffed that we’d had a “conversation” with the Sex Pistols, but resolving to never treat fans like that if we ever got famous.’

Steve Rastin says; ‘Read in Dave Goodman’s autobiography that pre-gig the band got thrown off the racecourse for pretending to be horses. After the gig they kipped in their hired van and it was during the night that they resolved to split the songwriting credits four ways (bet Mr Matlock regrets THAT decision!!!).’