The Sex Pistols is an English band formed in 1975 and originally composed of John Lydon aka 'Johnny Rotten', Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock.
A group that was born under the leadership of Malcom McLaren, then manager of 2 clothing stores in London, who detected in them a musical potential that was unbridled to say the least. Musical potential that mixes permanent provocation and systematic questioning of the system...
From their first performances, the group also stood out for its clothing provided precisely by MacLaren, outfits intended to shock and which the fans of the first hour will quickly adopt. Revolutionary outfits but also violent and provocative behavior that will lead to many fights during their first concerts.
The group's first single "Anarchy in the U.K." was released in 1976 and created a real shock in England, both musically and societal, particularly among young people. A title that created controversy up to the level of the cover of the single since the cover is a torn and pinned Union flag…
A controversy around the group which swells throughout the country and which causes the concerts to be canceled one after the other to avoid too much disorder. In the process, the EMI label which had signed them broke the contract under ambient pressure...
Matlock will leave the group the following year because he is more in disagreement with the guideline of the group and especially its permanent excesses. He was then replaced by a certain John Ritchie, known as 'Sid Vicious', a last minute recruit who was not really going to improve the band's reputation with his mad dog side and his addiction to heroin...
New A&M label in 1977, but the group's stint signing with the label was so calamitous that the label immediately broke the contract (Vicious collapsing on one of the toilets cuts his foot and leaves bloodstains in offices, Rotten will insult the staff and Jones will attempt to sexually assault a woman in the toilet)…
The group manages to sign with Virgin Records shortly after, a label which is about to release their new single "God saves the queen". Release canceled since the workers of the pressing factory refuse to press the discs as the lyrics of the song and the cover of the disc revolt them...
The disc still manages to be released in the end but censorship is almost total in the media which will not prevent the disc from selling more than 150,000 copies in one week and from making a real worldwide hit thereafter. The success of the title is such that it unleashes the hatred of the anti Sex Pistols to the point that several members of the group, mainly Rotten, are attacked and injured on several occasions after the release of the title.
The same year the group released their first - and only - album "Never mind the bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols", an album which in turn was a hit despite all the controversy surrounding the group.
A controversial outing followed by a disastrous tour of the United States where most of the dates are canceled to once again avoid multiple disorders but also because of the increasingly unmanageable behavior of Vicious, who creates incidents wherever he goes...
A Vicious out of control because of his extreme addiction to drugs and a totally megalomaniac Rotten who thinks he is God will get the better of the group, which ends up splitting up in the process.
Rotten will resume his birth name and create a new group 'Public Image Limited' with which he will achieve several less controversial successes in the years to follow. He will also attack McLaren for non-payment of fees, misuse of the name Johnny Rotten as well as a request for damages for all the incidents suffered by the singer during - the short - life of the group.
As for Sid Vicious, he died at the age of 21 of an overdose in 1979 during the party organized for his release from prison. Prison where he has just spent 55 days for which he is serving several convictions related to fights...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others…) :
Anarchy in the U.K. 1976
God save the Queen 1977
Pretty vacant 1977
Holidays in the sun 1977
No one is innocent 1978
My way 1978
Something else 1979
Friggin’ in the riggin’ 1979
Silly sing 1979
C’mon everybody 1979
The great Rock’n’Roll swindle 1979
(I’m not Your) Steppin stone 1980
Black leather 1980
Who killed Bambi ? 1981
Submission 1984
Clips :
1976...the aliens are coming ! England is totally in shock, both literally and figuratively, to see these madmen disembarking who respect nothing and no one...
1977... the shock wave is so violent that it now invades the whole planet ! Not to mention that the group dares to tackle all the most taboo subjects and shatters a hell of a lot of societal barriers inherited from previous decades...
1977...the group and especially its members fascinate as much as they worry. The group takes pleasure in shocking consciences and can't imagine how much he is shaking up old English society...
1977...they will concentrate most of their successes during this year 1977. The major problem is that they climbed too high and especially too fast and that the descent will be more violent. Definitely in their image...
1978...the fame and fortune that falls on them will hardly help the situation because they are unable to manage them. But even them are unmanageable, that is to say...
1978...probably the trashiest and most anti-conformist version of the masterpiece. They will have pushed the provocation to the end with more or less success...
1979...a flashy career, to say the least, since the group did not survive 1979. In just 4 years, they shattered everything, the group and English society...
1979...a group which will have marked as much by its excessiveness as by its excesses. But which will also have allowed a whole youth to change era...
1979...rarely before them has a band been so decried. It must be said that they will have pushed the provocation to a level rarely reached before them...
1979...after having revisited 'My way', they are now covering one of Eddie Cochran's reference titles dating from 1958. A revisited version already a little more successful than the previous one...
1979...the programmed end of the group is inevitable as its various members have fallen into mental and physical decay. With one of the most tragic endings...
1980...almost posthumous titles. New luxury cover this time on the title of Paul Revere & The Raiders dating from 1966...
1980... all the unreleased tracks that will be released later will only come from compilations for the most part but will necessarily delight the basic fans...
1981... the last titles will go unnoticed to say the least but are still part of the group's history. A turbulent story to say the least...
1984...a very last title to close an incredible saga. Incredible from all points of view and who will have especially seen this group unleash passions as rarely before them...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :