50 years on, it is the SAME Queen!

Pistol (Disney +, miniseries; 2022)

Director: Danny Boyle

Thanks to my English language in Form 1, my friends and I were exposed to this British punk band. That, I think, is the role of a teacher - to expose the young minds to the real world, not just what is in the syllabus. Most teachers just wanted to finish their teaching plan and ensure that students were prepared for the public exams; KSG (Kiss Some Girls, he boasts) went that extra mile. He would tell us quickly excitable 13 and 14-year-old pubescents about the birds and bees. Somewhere along the way came the story of 'The Sex Pistols'. That was my first exposure to the Pistols, but only in name. The fact it was banned by the British Broadcasting Corporation made it even more fascinating. The jester of class JL used to croak out 'God save the Queen' with an obvious sexual connotation, much to the annoyance of KSG. At that juncture, I wonder if KSG thought that he should have stuck on to the syllabus. To this and much related non-academic exposure to the real world, I thank KSG.

Looking back, I understand that the late 70s were watershed years for the then not-so-great Britain. After the Sun decided to set on the British Empire, Britain was in the doldrums. The century of the English had ended. One by one, the colonial subjects had broken free. It was more about economics. Actually, the East Indian Company and the Colonial Offices had brokered deals that finally made it ever so expensive to maintain the colonies. The final straw came when the Indian Navy mutinied against the Masters.

With a bleak future to look for, with no job opportunities and the baby boomers basking in the glory of the past, the youngsters were filled with pent-up emotions waiting to explode. Against this background came a punk band composed of boys from dysfunctional families.

Punk rules OK!

The story tells the tale of a shoplifting teenager caught redhanded at a boutique in King's Road in London. From there started a foul-mouthed band with an eccentric manager and a fashion designer who just wanted to showcase her creation. The punk group, Sex Pistols became the mouthpiece of the new generation. They had no filter and were forthcoming with what they thought of the Queen, what they felt inside, and the social pressure the average Joe or Jane was going through. They speak frankly about unwanted pregnancies, anarchy and destruction. Their version of Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' is just their way of saying this is our way, take it or leave it!

The miniseries narrates the decadent descent of the band of boys into alcoholism, drugs and depression. A good collection of 70s songs would jog our memories of the past when our chests were filled with hope for a more fantastic future, and politicians were honest.

(P.S. Thanks DA for introducing)

50 years later, it is the same Queen!

Prophetic or what, ask dwellers of Luton!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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