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 Savoy Records
Anarchy in the UK

PJ Proby


1987

Savoy Metasemiotic Sound

PJS5

12"

Anarchy in the UK

 
A 45rpm

Anarchy In The UK
(Pyat/Makhno/Arshinov)

B 33.3rpm

Anarchy in the UK (Drone Art Version)
(Pyat/Makhno/Arshinov)

Anarchy in the UK (Live Version)
(Pyat/Makhno/Arshinov)

Recorded and mixed in the UK at Square One Studios, Bury

Live version recorded at The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, 1977

Anarchy In The UK available on the Savoy Sessions CD


• See the Orders page for vinyl purchase details.


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Record label text:

Savoy repeat message to the BPI, the PRS, the Cartel,
the Industry: Eat Mucho Fuck!


 
Anarchy label
Savoy Records' FUCK OFF statement against the music industry—and PJ Proby's declaration of intent! With Anarchy in the UK we went against the grain of the music biz, and effectively relaunched Proby's career. By the end of the '80s, after the chain of singles, Love Will Tear Us Apart, Heroes and Anarchy, he was perceived by many in Europe as being one of pop's unspoken, most radical and charismatic cult figures... like Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper) in Blue Velvet, they were often fond of saying. Ludicrous, maybe, humorous to some, but genuinely scary. No one else could have got away with cutting the classic Pistols' anthem in this way.

 

Reviews

"Truly a seminal waxing by the anarchic crotch of yore. Comebacks are rarely less commercial, but one can only hope...trouser-splitting good."

THE FACE

"PJ Proby, the closest thing rock had to Dennis Hopper, describes this as the "biggest crap I've ever done in my life" adding apologetically that he needed the money. We're inclined to disagree. Proby would only squander the money on something horrible and, now that he's so close to the proverbial EDGE, it seems a pity to push him. Neither's Anarchy crap though it certainly reeks of insanity. Proby's deranged, keyless voice nauseatingly understates each all-too-notorious syllable of every ridiculous word. With some trepidation we'll tell you that Anarchy works."

THE STUDD BROTHERS, Melody Maker

"Weirdest revival of the year has to be PJ Proby's comeback single—a cover of the Sex Pistols's Anarchy in the UK."

The Daily Mirror

"Few people saw me being born but nobody will see me leave this world."

PJ Proby to JOE JACKSON, Hot Press interview


ANARCHY ON THE AIRWAVES

BILLY MANN, Sounds (Inside Stories) 

BILLY MANN hears of the strange relationship between a radio DJ and a man who's not interested in records made by homosexuals.

PJ Proby is causing havoc with his unmentionable cover of the Pistols' 'Anarchy in the UK'. In Manchester, at least.

Hapless radio Piccadilly DJ Jim Reeve was hot to play the record when it first came out, and during his late-night, no-holds-barred phone-in slot he could be heard smacking his lips with a promise of "anarchy at midnight". But Jim hadn't done his homework, and as the opening dialogue to Proby's 'Anarchy' uttered, "What would you like me to do—f*** in the light?", Reeve was on his way to the toilet. On hearing this he quickly pulled up his trousers, scrambled back into his wall-to-wall rubber booth, and wrenched the arm from the record player.

"Cripes!" he exclaimed, "what bloody herbert gave me this?" and hastily replaced the offending item with a piece of plastic by The Jesus And Mary Chain.

"Hope the radio authorities were asleep."

Reeve had also run astray a month earlier when PJ Proby appeared on his show and unleashed, "no-holds-barred" his views on contemporary music. "I would love to see the day when I could go into a record shop and ask, Could I buy a record that has not been made by a homosexual?" he said.

Radio Piccadilly were forced to apologise after their switchboard had been jammed with callers complaining of bad taste.

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