The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle" is the title song of The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
movie soundtrack album.
The single was released on 12 September 1979 and featured vocals by Edward Tudor-Pole
on both sides.
, both songs were recorded at The Who's
Ramport Studios
with himself playing bass on both tracks. According to Edward Tudor-Pole
, the song originally featured lead vocals by Steve Jones
.
The final vocals were recorded live on the second day of an audition for singers specially filmed for inclusion in the The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
movie. Vocal takes by Edward Tudor-Pole
and three others were recorded and later edited together. According to the soundtrack album record sleeve, filming and recording took place at the Duchess Theatre
in June 1978, however John Lydon
wrote in his autobiography that it was actually the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park
near his parents' home.
Vocals for the B-side, “Rock Around The Clock
”, were recorded several weeks later.
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle is a mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas about the British punk rock band Sex Pistols....
movie soundtrack album.
The single was released on 12 September 1979 and featured vocals by Edward Tudor-Pole
Edward Tudor-Pole
Edward Tudor-Pole is an English musician, singer , TV presenter and actor.- Musical career :Tudor-Pole formed the band Tenpole Tudor in 1974, and eventually came to prominence after appearing in the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle as a possible replacement for Johnny Rotten in the Sex Pistols...
on both sides.
Recording
According to producer Dave GoodmanDave Goodman
Dave Goodman was a record producer and musician, perhaps best known as the live sound engineer for Sex Pistols, and the producer of three of their studio demo sessions.-Sex Pistols:...
, both songs were recorded at The Who's
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
Ramport Studios
Ramport Studios
Ramport Studios was a South London recording studio owned by The Who. Several major albums were recorded at Ramport, including the 1974 album Crime of the Century by the progressive rock band Supertramp. The 1973 album Quadrophenia was recorded there . Eventually, Virgin Records acquired it...
with himself playing bass on both tracks. According to Edward Tudor-Pole
Edward Tudor-Pole
Edward Tudor-Pole is an English musician, singer , TV presenter and actor.- Musical career :Tudor-Pole formed the band Tenpole Tudor in 1974, and eventually came to prominence after appearing in the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle as a possible replacement for Johnny Rotten in the Sex Pistols...
, the song originally featured lead vocals by Steve Jones
Steve Jones (musician)
Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
.
The final vocals were recorded live on the second day of an audition for singers specially filmed for inclusion in the The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle is a mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas about the British punk rock band Sex Pistols....
movie. Vocal takes by Edward Tudor-Pole
Edward Tudor-Pole
Edward Tudor-Pole is an English musician, singer , TV presenter and actor.- Musical career :Tudor-Pole formed the band Tenpole Tudor in 1974, and eventually came to prominence after appearing in the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle as a possible replacement for Johnny Rotten in the Sex Pistols...
and three others were recorded and later edited together. According to the soundtrack album record sleeve, filming and recording took place at the Duchess Theatre
Duchess Theatre
The Duchess Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, London, located in Catherine Street, near Aldwych.The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 and is one of the smallest 'proscenium arched' West End theatres. It has 479 seats on two levels....
in June 1978, however John Lydon
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
wrote in his autobiography that it was actually the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare public park in the London Borough of Haringey. Officially part of the London area of Harringay, it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian...
near his parents' home.
Vocals for the B-side, “Rock Around The Clock
Rock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is a 12-bar-blues-based song written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954...
”, were recorded several weeks later.
Charts
- The single spent 6 weeks in the UK Top 75UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, peaking at #21 on 13 October 1979. - Virgin RecordsVirgin RecordsVirgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
also released the single in Holland and West Germany, but it did not chart.