HATE RATES.... ***** BIBLE **** TABLOID *** COMIC ** CHIP PAPER * PULP
| LONELY BOY TALES FROM A SEX PISTOL STEVE JONES Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: William Heinemann (17 Nov. 2016) Language: English ISBN-10: 1785150677 Like a lotta people especially Pistols fans, I was highly anticipating the Steve Jones autobiography. Steve gave us the sound of the Sex Pistols which is still outstanding even in 2017. He was the kid who did all the real swearing on the Bill Grundy show, he's the genius who introduced to the world that clinical but mind blowing intro on 'Pretty Vacant' and he's the yob who coined their eponymous album title 'Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols'. His version of events is a must read. And as McLaren declared, he was the real Sex Pistol. Unlike Rotten whose put two books out and Glen Matlock with his premature book, before the reunions. 'Lonely Boy' is probably the most readable. It's easily the most honest and also the most shocking of them all! 'Sex Pistols shocking' I hear you say! Yeah most definitely and the disturbing stuff arrives early. Steve had a really shitty upbringing, with his cold mom and her Paedophile boyfriend who abused Steve for years. His real dad had disappeared very early on, but Steve did make contact with him later on in life. You'd think a kid who went through that childhood experience would be so messed up in the head he'd never have picked up a guitar, never mind the 'guitar hero' status he created and carried through to those ground breaking panzer division riffs in the Sex Pistols repertoire. However besides his self taught affinity for music, he also had a kleptomaniac impulse for thievery. The robbing adventures he lovingly details inside will amaze you. Nicking became his escape route from the scary home life and the poverty of his surroundings. He has us laughing out loud and sympathising whole heartedly when he describes how a kid so young could be left to his own devices to wander the streets of London on his own. Steve Jones really was a modern day Oliver Twist, walking the metropolis at the age of 9 robbing places like Harrod's as he dodged 'nonces' round every subway. We soon learn sex was his other hangup. But I spose being that messed up in his home life it had to take some course of action throughout his growing up. I was quite astonished to read he was even getting blow jobs off his school mates for 50p, even though he would later have an unquenchable desire for women. He followed QPR as a boy with his school mate Paul Cook. But Steve now runs with Chelsea, which was a little disappointing. He never mentioned why he changed allegiance, but you get the impression he appears to be dare I say it... a glory seeker ha! And thats something I'd never associate Steve Jones with, before reading this book. He had a very close relationship with drummer Paul Cook of course, even though he even slept with one of Cookies early girlfriends. But what was even more curious, was he was really close with Malcolm McLaren which in itself was another bizarre relationship from the off. When you consider Steve's youth, illiteracy and upbringing on the council estates of West London. Then going drinking and partying with the Chelsea art crowd and staying with McLaren and Westwood in their Clapham flat. But Malcolm and Viv really did give the young pre-punk vagabond a place to live and showed him some misplaced attention, once he'd left the darkness of his own home environment. Steve was also a massive Rod Stewart fan, which was our next big revelation and a big Faces devotee, which he readily admits is one of the biggest influences on the Pistols sound or should I say, speed. Once the Sex Pistols had formed he admits he enjoyed the pre-Bill Grundy era of the bands career best, as he says it all become a media thing once that occurred. Chrissie Hynde who wrote the intro to this book was one of his early sexual conquests, although Sex Shop assistant Jordan wasn't, as she was way too outrageous even for Steve. He mentions Rotten, Sid and Jordan as the 3 people he felt on edge being around, although Nancy Spungen got a seeing too, just to see what it was like. The biggest disappointment in this book is most of the Pistols day to day activity isn't mentioned much very in depth, as Steve was usually too pissed or stoned to remember. He admits he never tried Heroin till after the band imploded. And once that occurred, it was the shock of being a nobody again, which made it hard for him to cope. I remember an interview he did in Sounds in March '79 when he said "You walk down the street now and see little punk rockers about 13 and they don't even recognise me. They've never seen the Pistols". No one prepares you for overnight stardom and they certainly don't when it all comes crashing down. He did however get a flat from being a Pistol and a few cars, but amazingly he never passed his driving test considering he nicked almost every car in his manor. You quickly get from his story Steve Jones is probably the ultimate survivor, especially once he got into Heroin circa '79. He realised London was not where he wanted to be. Although he recalls a very close encounter with Siouxsie Sioux but her honour remained intact. He reckons London post Pistols was very dark and grey, he wanted to get out. He was also due up court for nicking and was expecting being banged up, so he sold up everything he owned and jumped on a plane bound for New York where he spent the next few years shagging, robbing and living a dismal junkie lifestyle. He was constantly given help by girlfriends or friends from bands, but it became clear New York was little better than London for his health and well being. He couldn't go back to England and life was looking pretty grim. But his next break came when he was offered a slot as guitarist in Chequered Past who were based in LA, so he immediately headed to the West coast. This is where Steve's story goes a bit LA on us... (“Russell Brand got me into transcendental meditation”) I kid you not. Transcendental meditation maybe, but Russell Brand fer fux sake, that is definitely not a good combination. I couldn't and wouldn't see Steve Jones making that mistake, but he did lol. That was the last big laugh we got out this book. His autobiography definitely starts to lose pace and interest by the chapter 'Detox In Tarzana', as he begins the long journey into quitting the lifestyle which made him a big name. I much preferred Jonesy when he was drinking, shagging and playing punk, but fair play to him if growing his hair, playing rock and quitting drugs and drink makes him feel better, why not. He started realising his habit was gonna kill him one day and despite many attempts to quit he did eventually get clean. I wasn't surprised about his feelings towards Rotten, in this book. He paints a picture of John Rotten who is a great front man but also a pompous control freak. And the story about him on the plane during the last Pistols reunion tour demanding to have a cigarette in mid flight and screaming and bawling about it, tells you Rotten is a spoilt ego surrounded by 'yes' men. I doubt another Pistols tour will happen, and I think its for the best really, have you heard Rotten's voice singing the classics? But I digress, Steve Jones has now found his niche (apart from playing guitar with everyone and his dog), on his successful radio show 'Jonesy's Jukebox'. Which seems to give him more satisfaction and stability in his drug free, booze free LA zone. However he admits he can't have a regular relationship with women which is a shame, even Rotten managed that one. And despite everything, I hate to say it, but he's turned into a regular LA guy with a Cockney accent and deviant personality. Although his laid back interview technique on his show is a must hear when the right people are in the hot seat. We all know ex junkies, ex smokers, ex anything are a strange breed who gravitate around similar personnel. He seems to need reassurance he's still clean and they all count the days, months, and years they've been clean religeously. He's lived in LA longer than London these days, so it makes sense how he has changed his mind set. But I'm glad Jonesy still remains resolutely honest for a crook, he says what he thinks, and he's still a guitar hero as far as I'm concerned, so his story had to be told. However summing up you realise what is really sad after all this time is.... Steve Jones really is lonely! **** PETER DON'T CARE |
