Conceived by former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, tongue-in-cheek classical crossover project the Anarchy Arias saw punk classics performed in an "operatic" style by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and members of English National Opera. Matlock was inspired to give the idea a try in 2015 after performing "Pretty Vacant" with the string quartet Voluté at a Marshall Amps showcase event. Baritone Stephen Gadd, an internationally renowned opera soloist, heard the performance and was equally enthused. Teaming up with Matlock, he used his clout in the classical world to get the RPO and the ENO Chorus on board, and the Anarchy Arias was born. The project's eponymous debut album saw tracks by the likes of the Clash, the Undertones, the Stranglers, X-Ray Spex, and, of course, the Sex Pistols given the full operatic treatment. It was released in 2017, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the genre that, for good or ill, changed popular music forever. Rock and classical had been uneasy bedfellows since the '60s, when the likes of Deep Purple and Frank Zappa had composed orchestral suites, but this project showed just how much punk -- once the most rebellious genre of them all -- had been co-opted by the "elite" establishment.