The Sex Pistols are not a religion in this writer's world. Johnny Rotten is not the man who saved rock from disco. Sid Vicious was a heroin-addicted goof whose most fascinating quality was his poetic jibberish. Steve Jones made great noise but was no virtuoso. But the band's debut and swan song, Nevermind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, is without question one of rock's great triumphs, a prime example of the album as superstar. It doesn't matter who made the noise because it's the noise that rules.

The bands who contribute to Nevermind the Sex Pistols, Here's the Tribute — I.C.U, Les Stitches, Murphy's Law, Blanks 77 and 11 others — seem to understand this truth, and in bringing the noise on this song-by-song tribute to Bollocks, they give credence to the effect of that album on several generations of rock musicians. The versions here are faster, meaner and cleaner than the originals, and they still rock, rumble and amuse. Standouts include I.C.U.'s "God Save the Queen" (RealAudio excerpt), Blanks 77's "Anarchy in the U.K." (RealAudio excerpt) and the Krays' rendition of "Problems" (RealAudio excerpt), perhaps one of the greatest songs ever laid to tape.

Though no band will ever overwhelm the blistering originals recorded by

Rotten, Vicious, Jones and drummer Paul Cook back in'77, Nevermind the Sex Pistols serves as a potent reminder of the original album's

enduring power.