Sex Pistols · Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, 1977
Anarchy in the U.K.
13 sourced items across 4 sectionsVerified13
What the sources do and do not say
Single source: Bill Price's account in Richard Buskin's SOS Classic Tracks piece (September 2004), read in full. It covers the Wessex drum, guitar amp, bass amp and vocal mics. It gives no preamps or EQ and no settings. The Mix pages offered were a 2003 live-sound item and a DVD review, and say nothing about this recording.
Lead vocal
2 items
Johnny Rotten
Microphone
The real chain
Shure SM58
Verified
Microphone Rotten sang his rough vocals into during the Anarchy sessions.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
The real chain
Neumann U 47
VerifiedAlbum sessions
Album sessions, not stated for this song: Tube microphone tried on Rotten for overdubs; it sounded poor and gave out when spat on, so the SM58 replaced it.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
Rhythm guitar
3 items
Steve Jones
Amplifier
The real chain
Fender Twin
VerifiedAlbum sessions
Album sessions, not stated for this song: Steve Jones's guitar amp, which had lost its front grille.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Covers this kind of unit
IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5
amp and cabinet simulator
An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.
Also worth a look 1
- Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear)
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann KM 84
VerifiedAlbum sessions
Album sessions, not stated for this song: One of two microphones recording Jones's guitar amp.
- Position
- About six inches in front of the speakers
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
The real chain
Shure SM57
VerifiedAlbum sessions
Album sessions, not stated for this song: The other of two microphones recording Jones's guitar amp.
- Position
- About six inches in front of the speakers
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
Bass
1 item
Glen Matlock
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Microphone pointed at Matlock's bass amp speakers.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
Drum kit
7 items
Paul Cook
Microphone
The real chain
AKG D12
Verified
Kick drum microphone in a standard close-mic setup.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
The real chain
Neumann KM 86
Verified
Top snare microphone.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
The real chain
Shure SM57
Verified
Microphone under the snare.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
The real chain
Neumann U 67
Verified
Tom-tom microphone, used before Sennheiser 421s were available.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
The real chain
Neumann KM 84
Verified
Pair slung above the kit to capture the ambience of the cymbals.
- Position
- Slung above the kit
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
The real chain
Unidentified Ribbon microphone (model not stated)
Verified
Pair of old BBC ribbons at floor level behind the kit, picking up ambience from the bass drum and the lower tom skins.
- Position
- Floor level behind the drums
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
Input chain
The real chain
Allison Research Kepex
Verified
Gates keyed from the drum hits to shorten the ambience mics, giving room sound without it seeming distant.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Close match
Softube Valley People Dyna-mite
compressor
Models the Valley People Dyna-mite, a later gate, expander and limiter from the company that Allison Research became.
Sources
- Classic Tracks: The Sex Pistols 'Anarchy In The UK', Sound On Sound, 2004-09. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
What the ratings mean
Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.
Stated by a reputable secondary source.
An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.
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