Sid Vicious “Sid Sings” released on this date, December 15th, 1979. A gloriously awful mess and the first and only solo release by the ex-Sex Pistol, Sid Sings was released about 10 months after his death. Our copy is an original UK pressing with the guitar swastika on the record label which I’ve edited out (rather badly) for this post’s cover. I’m including the back cover of the album and the unedited label here: both the picture and the label are horrible and gross. I can’t believe I thought Vicious was hot back in the day!

Vicious was not a talented musician, to put it politely, so the entire record consists of cover songs, though he sort of covers himself on the Pistols’ “Belsen Was a Gas.” The album was almost entirely recorded – badly – in concert at Max’s Kansas City in September 1978 and there’s some snotty chatter in between songs (Vicious: “If you want the personal touch, I can’t be fucking bothered”). Apparently Mick Jones from the Clash plays guitar in Vicious’ backing band which probably has saved the record from being absolute trash. The really not too bad songs include rather faithful versions of the Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (a perfect choice for Sid’s aesthetic) and “Search and Destroy,” as well as “Something Else” originally by Eddie Cochran. The kinda OK tracks are his two Johnny Thunders covers: “Born to Lose” and “Chatterbox” and the Dee Dee Ramone/Richard Hell penned “Chinese Rocks.”  Beyond horrendous is “My Way” originally by Paul Anka. It’s the only track that wasn’t recorded live; another version of it appears on Sex Pistols’ The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, however we are “treated” to a live version that closes the LP – it’s only a little better than the studio version.