Sex Pistols had the single banned from radio and television for ‘anti-monarchist’ phrases
sex pistols will have the chance to reach the top of British radio with ‘God Save The Queen’. The 1977 single will be released to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, which marks the 70th anniversary of the monarch’s reign, next month (via NME).
The protest music was banned by UK radio and television stations for containing ‘anti-monarchist’ leanings, comparing the model of government to a fascist regime. Despite not being broadcast, the song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, with the name listed in white so as not to offend the Queen.
Prior to that, however, the band had been controversially fired by their previous label A&M, which ended up destroying 25,000 previously unreleased copies of ‘God Save The Queen’. Copies of the original release were auctioned for £13,000 in 2019.
Now, the punk rock reference band will edit the original song, with versions produced by Virgin Records and A&M Records, in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which will be held from 2 to 5 June in the UK. The release is scheduled for the 30th of May.
1,977 7″ copies of the A&M version of the single, which features the B-side of ‘No Feeling’, will be made available, while 4,000 7″ copies of the Virgin-released version ‘God Save The Queen’ (with side B ‘Did You No Wrong’) will be on sale.
Both versions of the single will feature its original artwork, with the A&M edition featuring its generic cover, pressed onto silver/platinum vinyl. Virgin’s single will feature the artist’s sex pistolsdesigned by Jamie Reid.
In addition to the special reissue of the single, the British punk-rock band released a commemorative coin, named ‘Pistol Mint Commemorative Coin’.
Nickel-plated coin features the artist’s design Jamie Reidwith a high quality decal of Queen Elizabeth II with a lip piercing on the back.
Source: Rollingstone
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
