Soundtrack “Sid & Nancy Love Kills” 1986. I have mixed feelings about the movie, but the soundtrack? nearly perfect! I saw the movie when it was released in ‘86 and maybe viewed it once or twice since then. However, soundtrack was on heavy rotation for the rest of the 80’s.

What an amazing lineup of musicians and performers. The title track, “Love Kills” by Joe Strummer, is one of the best soundtrack offerings ever. Strummers’ “Dum Dum Club” has a shadowy western flavor that conjures the energy of bleak New York streets and wretched flop hotels. “Haunted” by the Pogues (sung by Calt O’Riordan rather than by Shane MacGowan) is truly haunting and probably my favorite (only?) punk rock ballads. Classic American punk makes a strong showing by the Circle Jerks in their own version of “Love Kills.” AND JOHN CALE (“She Never Took No For an Answer”)! It doesn’t get more Britain/New York mash-up than a member of Velvet Underground. Actor Gary Oldman nails perfectly awful renditions of “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and “My Way” because, well, Sid Vicious wasn’t exactly known for his musical prowess.  Even the musical interludes by Pray for Rain lend a dark and fatalistic tone to the soundtrack which perfectly mirrors the movie’s tone. The only weak track, in my opinion, is “Pleasure and Pain,” ironically by the only member of the Sex Pistols included in the project, Steve Jones.