Published on Jan 13, 1997
When you were a member of the Sex Pistols, how do you put your
past behind you?
If your name was Sid Vicious, you created an even worse future
by allegedly murdering your girlfriend and dying of a drug overdose
before your trial could begin. If your name was Paul Cook, you
formed a series of bands that failed to go anywhere your former
band did. If your name was Johnny Rotten, you began using your real
last name of Lydon again and formed the band Public Image, Ltd.,
whose work sometimes was more brilliant than the Pistols.
And then there is Steve Jones. He tried to make a name for
himself by taking an anti-drug stance after cleaning up his act,
and he recorded two solo albums, neither of which sold particularly
well. (When not touring with the reunited Pistols last year, Jones
was also a member of the Neurotic Outsiders.)
This is truly a shame in the case of the second album,
Fire And Gasoline, which showed that Jones was not only a
competent guitar player, but a decent singer in his own right.
Backed by a good portion of the Cult (who were on their way to
their best work with their album
Sonic Temple), Jones kicks off strong with “Freedom
Fighter,” demonstrating his powerful (if just a touch hoarse)
vocals and smooth rhythm and lead guitar work. Sure, this may seem
like formula hard rock from that time period these days, but it
still maintains an air of freshness now.
The best song is the title track, which combines crunching,
catchy guitar riffs with a decent lyric and solid rhythm
performance from bassist Terry Nails and drummer Mickey Curry. Cult
lead throat Ian Astbury contributes tambourine and backing vocals
throughout the album, but it is this track that shows that Jones
could have been a star at that time. (It’s also worthy to note that
Cult guitarist Billy Duffy takes over lead guitar on “Get
Ready.”)
Other songs that stand out are “God In Louisiana” and “We’re Not
Saints,” both of which sound as far apart from what the Pistols
were spewing out in their heyday as the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir.
There are a few weak moments on
Fire And Gasoline, namely “I Did U No Wrong,” featuring the
guest vocals of one Axl Rose. Rose’s vocals, even hoarser than
Jones’s, sound incredibly out of place on this one. Were it not for
the cover of David Bowie’s “Suffragate City” to close out the CD
(the track is not on the cassette), the second half of the album
would be pretty much forgettable.
But the first half of
Fire And Gasoline is enough to carry the whole album, and
demonstrate that Jones was not a one-dimensional guitarist or
musician. In fact, contrary to popular belief, he was quite good at
what he did. Pity this album didn’t reach more people to show off
his talent. It doesn’t appear this one is in print anymore, but is
worth looking for at your local used record shop. (If you can find
it, also look for a promo-only release,
Steve Jones Live, featuring five live cuts from
Fire And Gasoline.)