When, in 1976, the Sex Pistols arrived via import singles in the United States, there were those of us who were convinced they were the shot in the arm that rock needed at the time, and others who thought they signaled the end of music (poor Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull never seemed to warm up to punk). For me, hearing the single "God Save the Queen" brought me back to when I was a teenager -- THIS is how music should sound, grab you by the throat and toss you around. It felt like I had a second start at adolescence; I wasn't about to get rid of my Genesis records, but darn if the energy of punk made me feel like a kid again.
So, no, I never thought that the Sex Pistols were The End of Music As We Know It. The fact that they even covered songs like "Roadrunner" indicated they perceived the value of music BP (Before Punk).
But I also worked at a record store when the Knack album came out, and to me, THEY were the ones who invoked the apocalypse, simply because they seemed so cynical. Sure, try to get "My Sharona" out of your head -- I'm not saying they weren't capable of writing a catchy tune. But the way they were marketed seemed like they were trying latch on the Beatles' early look. Not as a tribute, but just crass, cynical marketing, and if you want to destroy something, you first devalue it. The Sex Pistols certainly weren't expert musicians, but they did have passion, and while they likely didn't seem to value record companies, I always thought they DID see music as a valid way to express a point. The Knack on the other hand seemed more like outsiders pillaging and looting. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous, but still...think of the bands that you instinctively know are just hucksters trying shamelessly to get into your wallet. For me, the Knack epitomizes that attitude, and it's a far more destructive thing than a handful of spotty British kids saying rude things.
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