3rd december Buzzcocks get a front cover and 2 page spread in this weeks NME.Soon after the release of Orgasm Addict , the band are starting to get a lot more attention from the London based music press.
15th december Joy Division ( Still called Warsaw, although they would never perform as such again) complete recording of their first record at Pennine Studios on Riponden Rd in Oldham. Titled 'An Ideal for Living' it contained 4 tracks , 'Warsaw', 'No Love Lost', 'Leaders of Men' and 'Failures (of the Modern Man)'. All self penned compositions, the sound quality was poor and as they soon changed their name , release was held back until mid 1978.
18th
december Buzzcocks
play a ' Xmas party ' gig at the Kings Hall amid the sprawl of Belle Vue in
South East Manchester. Support for the night are Siouxsie and the Banshees
and Penetration . Christmas spirit is distinctly lacking and most of the gig
is marred by fighting and scuffles in the audience.
22nd december The Christmas edition of NME carries a poor review of the Sex Pistols gig at Brunel University near London. Chris Salewicz reviews the gig and picks up on the difficulties that Rotten in particular is facing when he can no longer get a reaction from audiences apart from adoration. Read the review here
23rd december Buzzcocks play a more relaxed Xmas bash at the Ranch club with the Drones and the now almost ubiquitous Jon the Postman. Jon had been on the scene since the first time the Pistols had played in Manchester and had finally formed his own group called Puerile. Across town at the Stretford Civic Hall the Fall were on stage supported by John Cooper Clarke and the Worst
24th
december Sex
Pistols play at Cromer Pavilion, a venue which had hosted them throughout
their career
25th december Sex Pistols play a Christmas Day gig in Huddersfield which proves to be their last ever in the UK. In the afternoon they play a matinee for children of striking firemen which ended in a food fight and saw the band seeming less troubled than of late. Alrthough this was meant to be a benefit, many kids who had no fire service connection managed to get in to see the band. In the evening the show is remembered as one of their best although unusually, no recording was made.
25th
december A
quiet Boxing day with the only action taking place in London where Siouxsie
and the Banshees were playing in Camden supported by the Ants and the first
incarnation of Spizz amongst others. At the old Roxy club in Neal street the
promoters were running a ' bring your sleeping bag' 3 day special of 4th division
punk bands and offering an open stage to anyone who wanted to have a go. I
have never heard anyone talk about this gig and it's possible it fizzled out
well before the end. Certainly out of the bands on the bill none made any
further impact than this
28th december Buzzcocks go into Olympic Studios to start work on 'Another Music in a Different Kitchen ' their debut album.Working with Martin Rushent as producer they manage to record almost half the album in one day working in many cases with first takes.
