Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music
SEX PISTOLS
The most famous of all punk rock bands, formed in London in 1975. Lineup: Johnny Rotten (b John Lydon, 31 January 1956), vocals; Steve Jones (b 3 May 1955), guitar; Glen Matlock (b 27 August 1956), bass; Paul Cook (b 27 July 1956), drums. Matlock was replaced '77 by Sid Vicious (b John Simon Ritchie, 10 May 1957; d 2 February 1979 NYC of a heroin overdose). They were formed by boutique owner/entrepreneur Malcolm McLaren (b 22 January 1946, London; d 8 April 2010, Switzerland), who had seen the commercial possibilities of snotty punks in New York. He said that he never thought the Pistols would be any good, but that it didn't matter if they weren't.
McClaren's boutique, co-operated with designer Vivienne Westwood, was called Sex. It kept irregular hours and McClaren later said that the object was to sell nothing at all. Customers/employees Cook, Matlock and Jones had formed an even more primitive group called the Swankers with various vocalists; McLaren agreed to manage them, and Rotten was recruited for his ability to sneer and pose. They bragged about their musical shortcomings, their object to revive the myth of rock'n'roll as dangerous. They signed with EMI and planned to headline a punk UK tour; they were obnoxious on a TV interview show (with co-operative provocation) and tour dates were cancelled amid extensive media coverage. Their first single 'Anarchy In The UK' was a hit '76 but EMI cancelled their contract. A&M signed them but cancelled a week later due to more obnoxious behaviour; they were signed by Virgin. 'God Save The Queen' was released the week of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee celebrations in June '77 and banned by the BBC, but made no. 2 in the charts. Six more made the top ten including 'Pretty Vacant' and 'Holidays In The Sun', both '77; debut album Never Mind The Bollocks -- Here's The Sex Pistols topped the UK chart late that year.
They worked on McLaren's film The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle '78; on a USA tour Rotten left, disagreeing violently with McLaren, changed his name back to Lydon and formed Public Image Ltd. The trio completed the film and recorded new material with Vicious as vocalist ('My Way', 'Something Else', 'C'mon Everybody', 'Silly Thing' were all UK top ten hits), also made a track and additional film footage with escaped train robber Ronnie Biggs ('No One Is Innocent'); they recruited new singers (Jimmy Pursey, Tenpole Tudor) but collapsed, having paved the way for marginally better groups (Clash, Damned). Still swindling, McLaren released his silly Paris on No! '94, an empty tourist-trap of an album with cheap echoes of Satie and Miles Davis, suitable for a shampoo ad. Matlock formed Rich Kids (album Ghosts Of Princes In Towers '78 on EMI), released solo album Who's He Think He Is When He's At Home '96 on Creation with rockabilly guitarist Steve New from Rich Kids: Matlock had switched from bass to rhythm guitar but still couldn't sing. The Sex Pistols re-formed '96, contrary to everything they stood for if they had stood for anything; album Filthy Lucre Live said it all: they played better than in the old days, but nobody cared.