TS: The Clash vs. The Sex Pistols

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I'd say The Clash, despite the fact that they spawned such wretched bands as Rancid.

― T. Weiss (Timmy), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 02:47 (twenty-three years ago)

"The Sex Pistols were a good punk band. The Clash were a great punk band" - Joey Ramone

― David Allen, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 02:59 (twenty-three years ago)

The Clash may have been a great rock and roll band, but the Sex Pistols made rock and roll obsolete.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 03:22 (twenty-three years ago)

the clash fa sho. the sex pistols are gay.

― d k (d k), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 03:34 (twenty-three years ago)

the sex pistols are gay.

Yet they call Johnny Thunders a faggot in "New York". Self-loathing gays!

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 03:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Sex Pistols, like you need to ask.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 03:50 (twenty-three years ago)

The Clash, my god. Creativity, hooks, energy...

The Sex Pistols seemed awfully one dimensional to me. Boring, postured shock-rock.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 04:05 (twenty-three years ago)

neither... the fall.

― gygax!, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 04:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Sex Pistols by any sane estimation of what it means to be punk.

If The Clash were punk, calling Blink 182 punk is much less fun.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 05:16 (twenty-three years ago)

The Sex Pistols were good for about half an album's worth of great songs. The Clash tried a million things but I can't find a single one they actually managed to do well. Why do people complain about the production on Give 'em Enough Rope? It's the only album of theirs where the guitars don't sound like total shit! Plus they just seem like they were invented by Rolling Stone. Can't say I listen to either of them much but the Pistols are far better.

― Kris (aqueduct), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 06:01 (twenty-three years ago)

The Sex Pistols were far and away a much "better" punk band.

That said, I like the Clash a whole lot more.

― Famous Athlete, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 06:27 (twenty-three years ago)

we did this b4: it wz even more bad-tempered

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 09:06 (twenty-three years ago)

yes can we have ppl throwing more insults at each other. thanks.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 10:25 (twenty-three years ago)

'All you cowboys are a bunch of faggots...'

― blueski, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 10:43 (twenty-three years ago)

The Clash were shit. Anyone who thinks they r0x0r3d shd listen to the ruts album, which is like 100 x better. The pistols were ok, but pil and the pop group were loads better than either. Whoeever mentioned thee klash seemingly being invented by rolling stone is OTM/. Joe Strumm0r = sux0r, kirk/mallinder = r0x0r, f3wlz.

― N0rm4N ph4Y, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 10:46 (twenty-three years ago)

YO MUTHAFUCKA DONT DARE RIP ON THE PISTOLS YOU FAGGOT ASS GAYxOR THE PISTOLS ARENT GAY YOU KISS MEN LOOK AT YOUR GAY WRITING FAGGOT ASS POST-MODERN FAGGOT GAY BATTY FAGGOT IF YOU DONT LIKE THE PISTOLS/CLASH THEN YOU ARE NOT A REAL MAN JUST A FAGGOT ASS MARY ASS BITCH ASS FAGGOT ASS HO YO U BETTER NOT BE HATIN ON THIS SHIZNIT FAGGOT ASS MOFO OR YALL ASSLL BE HAULED DOWNTOWN FAGGOT ASS MOFO

― RANDOM GOOGLER, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 11:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Never quite saw the point of Joe Strummer.

Lydon makes it the Pistols by a mile.

― James Ball (James Ball), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 11:38 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm thinking it was the Pistols.Sure, the Clash were great, but the Sex Pistols defined what punk rock is, to a certain extent.

― Jeremy Mikhail Smith, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 11:44 (twenty-three years ago)

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

they were both gay

genesis p orridge would kill both in a fight

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

― s magnet, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 12:05 (twenty-three years ago)

The Clash, of course- Never Mind The Bollocks... isn't even that great an album, the Sid Vicious cult is as annoying as the Jim Morrison cult, The Clash haven't done any reunion tours. Plus < Emo> I prefer people who actually BELIEVE in something to people who just wanna tell me how fucked up everything is, and The Clash did that. Rotten is great to listen to when you just wanna kill everyone you know, but The Clash can actually give me hope for the future.

The Clash were shit. Anyone who thinks they r0x0r3d shd listen to the ruts album, which is like 100 x better

The Ruts' forays into Reggae were more authentic. But they were less fun.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 12:30 (twenty-three years ago)

'fremmer' that's more like it.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 12:52 (twenty-three years ago)

CLEARLY the Clash. They had moremusical invention, more top-draw hooks, better songs, more passionate vocals (Joe Strummer could do more than snarl, although he did that as well) and more of a coherant philosophy, which is surely what punk is about, if indeed it's about anything. Surely "Get pissed, destroy" is hardly a good way of building a future, no matter how good a hook it is.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 13:52 (twenty-three years ago)

This is all IMHO, of course, but...

The Sex Pistols were shite...a fashion-statement-pretending-to-be-a-musical-group...boring almost-catchy bullshite all-hype no-substance rubbish. They were the Eminem of the late 70s.

The Clash, on the other hand, were great songwriters who put out many great albums (as opposed to the Pistols, um, one? two, maybe?) full of great songs...okay, maybe Combat Rock was iffy, but Sandinista and London Calling in particular are rowdy wonderful rock-for-the-people.

And as for this...

"...the Sex Pistols defined what punk rock is, to a certain extent."

I think a stronger case could be made in favor of the Ramones defining "what punk rock is", but regardless, I base my side taking on the music they made, not on how they defined a "genre" or whatever.

That's all for me on this, love y'all!

― nickalicious, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 15:02 (twenty-three years ago)

fite

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 16:05 (twenty-three years ago)

The Ruts' forays into Reggae were more authentic. But they were less fun.

Clash? Phun?¿?¿?¿

― N0RM4N PH4Y, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 19:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Note: If you say anything in this thread, along the lines of "Pff, they both sucked (unknown band) was the best", then you are a faggot.

― David Allen, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 19:58 (twenty-three years ago)

David do you think that calling someone an anti-gay slur in any way helps discussion?

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 20:09 (twenty-three years ago)

b-but I *am* a faggot.

― N0rm4n Ph4Y, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 20:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Unknown bands, like, uh, the ruts or cabaret voltaire u mean hahaha

― N0RM4N PH4Y, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 20:38 (twenty-three years ago)

http://members.aol.com/shrewnews/daevid.gif

― N0RM4N PH4Y, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 20:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Dude, none of us need to be discussing this! Joey Ramone already told us in the second post! Now shaddap!

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 12 November 2002 21:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Clash? Phun?¿?¿?¿

Revolution (and the idealised, noble kids vs rich bastards one too!) Songs about condoms and safe sex! "I got a crush on you"! Fraternity! Love songs! Hip-Hop experimentation! A general feeling of hope (as opposed to The Sex Pistols' grumble mumble the world sucks!) Springsteen for Brittons! Sub-Ska! VINCE TAYLOR COVERS!! Hilariously bad kiss-off album! Racial angst! "You're my GUITAH HEROOOO!!!!"

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 00:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I hate to come off Eminem-like, but if you think "faggot" is merely an anti-homosexual slang word; well, you're a faggot.

― David Allen, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 01:04 (twenty-three years ago)

don't worry, the resemblance to eminem is vanishingly small

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 01:10 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah Sterling stop being such a fucking David Allen (that's not directed at you, David)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 01:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Sterling he's found a kewl word and now you're trying to stop his fun by telling him it, like, means something??

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 01:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Preferred Terry And The Idiots myself.
Fucking awesome. Ahead of their time.

― panico (panico), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 01:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Which is better, fire or cars? None is 'better'? Aye.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 01:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, since the P.C. patrol decided I had to come up with a new word, just replace "faggot" with "cunt."

― David Allen, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 02:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I prefer people who actually BELIEVE in something to people who just wanna tell me how fucked up everything is, and The Clash did that

Err, what exactly did the Clash believe in? Rioting in the streets? The socialist revolution? Cool t-shirts? I like both bands, but I like the Pistols more for the exact same reason you like the Clash: to me Rotten questioning whether or not life is even worth living is a lot more powerful than Strummer's self-conscious sloganeering. Rotten also has that Mephistophelian/Richard III spark of absolute evil glee that makes a song like "Bodies" troubling even after all these years.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 02:46 (twenty-three years ago)

oh noo, David!! we will defend to the death your right to say faggot but in exchange you must put up with our merciless slagging. fair trade, eh?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 03:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Sounds about fair.

― David Allen, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 03:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Pistols over Clash, Ruts over Clash, Damned over Clash, the whole world over Clash, forever and ever amen.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 03:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I actually prefer The Clash to listen to, and Blink 182 for that matter. But I still care less about them (The Clash, not Blink 182) than The Pistols, if that makes any sense.

Also, to David Allen: fuck off and die.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 07:23 (twenty-three years ago)

David, please stop being such a pigfucker -- that shit was tired like 10 years ago.

― Clarke B., Wednesday, 13 November 2002 07:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Err, what exactly did the Clash believe in?

Political action (usually in an enormously naive way, of course, but then, well thought out politics and rock don't mix that much as has been discussed in numerous threads); the rights that an individual has to stand up against society's rules ("The Call Up"); fraternity ("Stay Free"); the beauty of sex ("Lover's Rock"); Rock & Roll ("Garageland".) I know this all sounds terribly cheesy, but that's my exact point- it's a lot easier to just say everything's (haha) rotten and then pass out in a pool of vomit, because actually standing up for something immedatley makes you lose that cloak of coolness.

to me Rotten questioning whether or not life is even worth living

Thing is, he doesn't *question* it- he quickly arrives at the conclusion that it ISN'T aprox. two minutes into "Holidays In The Sun". I accuse The Sex Pistols of doing exactly what Lester Bangs said Richard Hell did- they only paint half of the picture; they draw it extremley well, but it's still incomplete.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 10:14 (twenty-three years ago)

(nb when I say they "believe" in something I mean that exclusively regarding their art; whether they really mean it, maaaaan, is irrelevant.)

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 10:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Easy - The Damned

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 10:22 (twenty-three years ago)

'the beauty of sex'

Two minutes of squelching noises, BFD.

― dave q, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 10:38 (twenty-three years ago)

I still stand by my point that bringing up other bands and saying they were the best is very idiotic.

Id explain the fag thing, but there's no possible way to do it without sounding like A) I hate gays; and B) Having to use the stupid "PILE OF STICKS" argument.

So I wont.

― David Allen, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 18:47 (twenty-three years ago)

The Pistols, cause I just enjoy listening to them more - they sound more energetic + Lydon's snotty vox + the gleeful incompetence ("Roadrunner"). I really tried to like The Clash, but it just wasn't happening. Of course I prefer mumble mumble the saints mumble far better than either.

― Poppy (poppy), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 19:42 (twenty-three years ago)

The reason other bands started to come up is it changed from a "which do you prefer?" thread to a "which is more punk" thread.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 19:44 (twenty-three years ago)

but what if the other bands, like, actually *were* thee best daevid?

― N0RM4N PH4Y, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 23:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Id explain the fag thing, but there's no possible way to do it without....

"MY MiND iT aiN'T So oPeN, THaT aNYTHiNG, CouLD CRaWL RiGHT iN" yadda yadda yadda

― N0RM4N PH4Y, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 23:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Two minutes of squelching noises, BFD.

Who's down with BFD??

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Thursday, 14 November 2002 00:15 (twenty-three years ago)

N0rM4n 0WnZ

― DG (D_To_The_G), Thursday, 14 November 2002 11:56 (twenty-three years ago)

eight years pass...

― RANDOM GOOGLER, Tuesday, 12 November 2002 11:37 (8 years ago)

― kid 606: the nultness (nakhchivan), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 03:57 (fifteen years ago)

I'm skeptical that it really was a random googler.

― RuPaul Weller (S-), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 08:57 (fifteen years ago)

Maybe Steve Jones?

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 11:19 (fifteen years ago)

Don't know if I'll get the bird for being the first one to state the obv, but apples and oranges, etc..
Clash: Musicians led by politico poet
Pistols: Musicians led by anti-musician

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 21:06 (fifteen years ago)

Pistols: Maybe five, six songs. Thousands of bands
Clash: Scores of songs. Thousands of anticapitalists.

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 21:09 (fifteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.