Cash Pussies

There appeared to be no shortage of people to hitch a ride on the Sex Pistols gravy train and in particular Sid and his death and the Cash Pussies single was no exception. However it's not the worst by a long chalk. Unsurprisingly with Dave Goodman as producer it seems to sound remarkably like a the Sex Pistols riff and production on "99% Is Shit". Not bad female vocals from Diana Rich and a little parodying of "Belsen Was A Gas" in the line 'London Town where the Jews all pray.' The B side is weaker with a more kind of folk style vocal. 

 

So how did someone have the bright idea to release clips of an interview by Sid Vicious over a backing track on an independent label that would be guaranteed to sell absolutely zilch. The Cash Pussies were the brainchild of husband wife team Fred and Judy Vermorel. Fred had encountered Malcolm McLaren, the Pistols manager, in 1965 at the Harrow School of Art. In August 1977, Fred and Judy were commissioned to write the first book on the Sex Pistols. The book, "The Inside Story", was completed in three months, and published by Star Books in January 1978. It featured in the main the diaries of Sophie Richmond who worked for the Sex Pistols and interviews with the Pistols and relatives.

 

In mid 1978 they begin writing a script for a film called "Millions Like Us" with Throbbing Gristle to provide the music. They in turn contacted Alex Fergusson, now out of ATV, to help out. Fred Vermorel would also write text which Alex would edit into song verse. By late November, Throbbing Gristle had left the project and Alex started working on Vermorel`s new project The Cash Pussies. 

 

In December they played a benefit gig for Nancy Spungeon (recently deceased) downstairs at the Bedford Corner Hotel. The band, described as a sort of Sex Pistols meets Abba, featured Sarah Osborne and Jan Parker on vocals, Alex Fergusson on guitar and the bassist and drummer from Security Risk. In December The Cash Pussies headlined at Les Bains Douche's opening night in Paris. The line up doesn't last long 

 

In April 1979, after Sid was dead and cremated, the single was released on Dave Goodman's (himself no stranger to exploiting the Sex Pistols) 'The Label' but featuring model Diana Rich not only singing on the B side but inexplicably with her face in cheesy close up on the back cover. The single was reviewed in Sounds and NME but did nothing. The A side had the audio of Sid from one of the interviews the Vermorels used for the "The Inside Story". The band comprised Diana Rich, Alex Fergusson, Alan Gruner and Ray Weston. Fred and Judy Vermorel were described grandiosely as executive producers. The cover also had the following cryptic declaration. "From the forthcoming Millions Like Us Cash Pussies: "They wanted to destroy show biz...wring the neck of entertainment...". There was one further gig in June 1979 then nothing. No film no more music no more Cash Pussies. [SOURCE: PUNK 77]