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A new Sex Pistols collection is hitting shops in May – much to the chagrin of the band’s former frontman.

The Original Recordings is a simple 20-track summary of the short-lived punk icons, culled mostly from their sole album Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols (1977) and odds-and-ends soundtrack The Great Rock ‘N’ Roll Swindle (1979), plus a few non-LP B-sides. The ostensible hook for the disc: the impending airing of Pistol, a fictionalized miniseries about the group (based on guitarist Steve Jones’ memoir) to premiere on Hulu in America and Disney+ around the world on May 31.

Pistol has been the source of discord between the band and lead singer John Lydon, then known as Johnny Rotten. The outspoken Lydon deemed the production “the most disrespectful shit I’ve ever had to endure”; legal proceedings – with Lydon on one side and Jones, drummer Paul Cook, bassist Glen Matlock and the estate of Matlock’s late, volatile replacement Sid Vicious on the other – would briefly ensue, concerning the use of those original recordings from being used in the show. (They ultimately will be.)

Unsurprising, then, that Lydon has already taken to Facebook to decry this disc as well. “For the avoidance of any doubt, John Lydon has not approved this compilation and does not endorse or support it,” a statement on his Facebook page read. “He has not approved the artwork or tracklisting. He and his team were not involved in producing this compilation and consider it substandard compared to previous Universal releases since 2012.”

Ultimately, the fans can make up their minds when The Original Recordings hits shops just ahead of Pistol‘s premiere on May 27.

Sex Pistols, The Original Recordings (UMC, 2022)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

1. Pretty Vacant
2. God Save the Queen
3. Bodies
4. No Feelings
5. I Wanna Be Me
6. Anarchy in the U.K.
7. Submission
8. No Fun
9. (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone
10. Holidays in the Sun
11. New York
12. Problems
13. Lonely Boy
14. Silly Thing
15. Something Else
16. C’mon Everybody
17. Satellite
18. Did You No Wrong
19. Substitute
20. My Way

Tracks 1-4, 6-7, 10-12 from Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols (Virgin, 1977)
Tracks 5, 9, 13-16 and 19-20 from The Great Rock ‘N’ Roll Swindle (Virgin, 1979)
Track 8 from “Pretty Vacant” single (Virgin, 1977)
Track 17 from “Holidays in the Sun” single (Virgin, 1977)
Track 18 from “God Save the Queen” single (Virgin, 1977)