I've always found it hard to believe the Sex Pistols had one,JUST one(1)actual,legit,all-new material album.Which of course was the infamous 'Never Mind The Bollocks...' lp.I counted something like fifty-two CD compilations,live,re-edit releases,whatever... I,mean has ANY other band ever done that?'Filthy Lucre Live'(Lucre is French for 'money')is actually pretty good,I thought.It's a live recording of a reunion gig the guys did in London in early 1996,they toured the states later that fall.I've heard several negative reviews about this reunion,even remember Johnny Rotten nearly popping some MTV staff member on the chin during a TV interview.Nonetheless,rather this regrouping was simply a ca$h cow or not,as far as I'm concerned,the Pistols DID their job.Cuts I liked the most were "Bodies","Did You No Wrong",their signature tune "God Save The Queen","Holidays In The Sun","Pretty Vacant" and "Anarchy In The UK".Great sound quality.Line-up:Johnny Rotten-vocals,Steve Jones-guitar,Glen Matlock-bass and Paul Cook-drums.I just loves these reunions,don't you?

I write this review not only to praise it for its quality, but to warn others about the inept sound of so many other live albums by the Sex Pistols. "Better Live than Dead" is a grainy bootleg with professional packaging, and the "Chelmsford" show is a joke--lousy sound, coupled with a staged "background" tape that repeats several times throughout the show. This album has quite exceptional sound, and fortunately, after an additional 20+ years, finds the Sex Pistols with a bit more mastery over their instruments...but not too much; it was their loud, clumsy abrasiveness that we love about them, right? The setlist is pretty standard, and could replace any "best of" CD that a fan might have, with such great live standards as "EMI," "Pretty Vacant," "Anarchy in the UK," and "God Save the Queen." This album also has "it"--that disturbing and riveting sound that draws you in and holds onto you. It is a bit of a pity that the Sex Pistols have never released some of their more interesting and rare material on any of their live albums (songs like "Revolution in the Classroom," "Dancing on the Dole," and "C'mon Everybody"), but this album should happily tide over most fans of the group.

Who would've thought that the Pistols would get back together for the money? There's a certain amusing irony in there. Or is it the fact that it was done because our convictions told us that they'd never do it? Well, regardless, it happened and this is the result of that.

In terms of live albums, this one exhudes ambiance. John Lydon, I mean, Rotten (it's not PiL anymore) does a good job getting through to the audience in his own particular way. The band itself, despite playing the same chords as always, sound tighter than you'd expect. The fact that the distortion exeeds that you might be expecting also shows how these aging punks won't go down without a noisy fight.

The tracklist itself is pretty solid. It takes the basic "Never Mind the Bollocks" template and appends some tracks from that era and that Monkees cover that ever punk band does. All in all, it's good.

Given the official output from this seminal outfit, this is a welcome addition to their slim line of 'official' stuff. Fans will dig it, and it will compliment the collection of anyone who isn't too keen on bootlegs. The performances might come off as automatic sometimes, but for the most part, this is a live experience that's well worth delving into.

Although I've loved The Sex Pistols ever since I hunted down an import 7" single of "Anarchy In The UK" after reading about them in Creem magazine back in 1977, I have to admit I was skeptical when I heard they were planning a reunion tour after almost 20 years. After listening to "Filthy Lucre Live," however, I'd like to formally apologize to messrs. Lydon, Jones, Cook, and Matlock and to go on record by admitting that I was bowled over by the sound of this live document of said tour. John Lydon, the hunchbacked anti-Christ with green teeth, still sounds as angry as he did back in 1977, Steve Jones and his patented "wall of noise" guitar bombast will strip the enamel off your teeth, and the rhythm section of Glen Matlock and Paul Cook make it painfully obvious what a musical liability Sid Vicious really was. It may be for the better, but after this reunion tour, the lads were gone again, making me realize we need them now more than ever.

This CD kicks @ss . Listening to it brings back memories of the reunion tour in '96. In my opinion this is the second best album in pistols history, right behind "Bullocks", even though Rotten sounds kinda P.I.L. -ish. Still great CD !