The
Sex Pistols thought by many to be one of the greatest punk rock bands of
all time.......
There have been many stories about how the Sex Pistols originally came
to be, So What, here's the story. In 1972 guitarist Steve Jones and
drummer Paul Cook formed a band with lead singer Warwick Nightingale known
as The Strand. Steve Jones who regularly frequented Malcom McLaren's
shop known as "let it rock" persuaded McLaren to find the band a place
to practice, which led to Bassist Glen Matlock joining the ranks.
The band continued with this line up, but something was missing...
About June 1975 Malcom McLaren after having a failed stint at managing
the band The New York Dolls returned to England. McLaren who's shop
now known as "Sex" took a renewed interest in the band suggesting they
change there name to The Sex Pistols(a name taken off a shirt in the shop)
and find a new singer.
John Lydon, had been a regular at McLaren's shop, with green hair and a
snarling grin Lydon audition to Alice Coopers(I'm 18) on the shop's jukebox,
an instant success. John was soon nicknamed by Jones for his green
hair and rotting teeth, Johnny Rotten. There first gig was in support
of Bazooka Joe(Adam Ant's band) in Nov. 1975 at St. Martins College in
London. The Sex Pistols were already building a name for themselves
and were Banned from playing the Mont De Marson Punk Festival in France
that year. Shortly there after there U.K. tour brought them to play Chelmsford
Prison, in Sept. 1976 they played a punk festival at the 100 club.
Another band to play the festival that year was Siouxie & The Banshees
with future bassist Sid Vicious(Born John Simon Ritchie) on drums.
A month later on Oct. 8th the Pistols signed with major label EMI, soon
there after releasing there debut single "Anarchy In the U.K." With
no air play "Anarchy" entered the charts at number forty three. Later
that year on Dec. 1st the Sex Pistols appeared on the Thames TV's "Today"
program, interviewed live by Bill Grundy who encourged the band to "say
something outrageous" the band eagerly obliged, calling him a "dirty fucker"
and a "fucking rotter" The papers responded by putting them on the
front page for a week straight with captions like TV Fury Over Rock Cult
Filth and Punk? Call It Filthy Lucre. Events like this caused all
of the December U.K. shows to be canceled and the band soon to be
dropped by EMI for a sum of 50,000 pounds and 5000 copies of "Anarchy in
the U.K."
In Feb. of 1977 Bassist Glen Matlock left the band and was replaced by
Sid Vicious. Approx. 1 month later on March 10th A&M records
signed the Pistols with a 50,000 pound advance, only to drop them a week
later for 25,000 pounds more. With the addition of recent Bassist
Sid Vicious things seemed uncertain, It's believed that although Sid had
the look and attitude he couldn't actually play. Causing the band
to have to keep Matlock hidden back stage. Later that year the Pistols
signed with Virgin Records and realeased the single "God Save the Queen"
just in time for the Queen's Silver Jubilee. The song being banned
from radio quickly went to number one on the New Musical Express charts.
In a publicity stunt to make themselves heard, the Pistols played in a
boat just behind the Queen on the day of her Silver Jublee. The follow
up to "God Save the Queen" was "Pretty Vacant" with B-side "No Fun" an
Iggy Pop cover. November of 1977 the long awaited album "Never Mind
the Bullocks-Here's the Sex Pistols" was released. By this time the
Sex Pistols are banned everywhere being forced to play under assumed names,
like the Spots(Sex Pistols on tour secretly) Christmas day
1977 was to be the last day the Pistols would play the U.K. before
the leaving for the U.S tour in Jan. 1978
Eight shows!!! Only eight shows were actually played on the U.S.
tour. Things had gotten so heated and tired, the band virtually hated
each other and McLaren. The Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco was
to be the final hurrah... Vicious addicted to heroin, Rotten fed up, Jones
and Cook nowhere to turn. So on Jan. 14th San Francisco C.A.
Johnny Rotten ended it all with the now infamous words "Ever get the feeling
you've been cheated?" Shortly later Cook and Jones left for Rio to
meet with Mclaren and Ronnie Biggs for recording, in hopes of carrying
on the Pistols fury.
Sid Vicious decided to take his career solo recording his version of "My
Way" making his last appearence at Camden's Electric Ballroom as The Vicious
White Kids, with Glen Matlock on Bass and Rat Scabies(The Damned).
On Oct. 11th, 1978 Sid Vicious' girlfriend Nancy Spungen was found dead
in there hotel room, Vicious arrested was bailed out by Ex-Pistols Manager
McLaren. February 2nd 1979 Sid Vicious died of a heroin over-dose
at age 21 while awaiting the murder trial.
Steve Jones and Paul Cook stayed together for a time and worked with Malcom
McLaren and Ronnie Biggs on "the Great Rock-n-Roll Swindle" Both though
had enough of McLaren and eventually took him to court to sue for royalties.
Taking back his Birth name John Lydon went on to form his moderatly successful
band PIL (Public Image Limited) a Post-Pop Punkadelic band.
Now for some reason or another (MONEY) the Pistols decided to do a reunion
tour. Making the inaugural debut at the 100 Club with the original
line up back in action. The band held a press conference in London
on Monday March 18th, 1996 announcing there world tour would commence June
21. The tour would appropriatly be entitled The Filthy Lucre Tour.
A live album was recorded durring one of the first few shows and is available
now.
Johnny said it best when he said Rock and Roll ended with the Sex Pistols...........
A
big thank you to Chris Deveroux for this killer bio
