The Sex Pistols in 1977. Left to right: Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, and Steve Jones, with drummer Paul Cook in the background. The photo was taken during the video shoot for "God Save the Queen".
Background information
Origin	London, England
Genre(s)	Punk rock, Rock
Years active	1975–1978 1996 2002–2003 2007
Label(s)	EMI, A&M, Virgin, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Public Image Ltd. The Professionals Malcolm McLaren The Rich Kids Neurotic Outsiders Vicious White Kids
Former members
Johnny Rotten Steve Jones Paul Cook Glen Matlock Sid Vicious

The Sex Pistols were an iconic and highly influential English punk rock band, formed in London in 1975. The band originally comprised vocalist Johnny Rotten, guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock (later replaced by Sid Vicious). Although their initial career lasted only three years and produced only four singles and one studio album, the Sex Pistols have been described by the BBC as "the definitive English punk rock band." The Pistols are widely credited with initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and creating the first generation gap within rock and roll.

The Sex Pistols emerged as a response to what was perceived to be the "increasingly safe and bloated" progressive rock and manufactured pop music of the mid-1970s. The band created various controversies during their brief career which captivated Britain, but often eclipsed their music. Their shows and tours repeatedly faced difficulties from authorities, and public appearances often ended in disaster and riot. Their 1977 single, "God Save the Queen", was widely regarded as an attack on the British monarchy and British nationalism.

Lydon / Rotten left the band in 1978, amid a turbulent tour of the United States; the remaining trio carried on for the remainder of the year with vocals provided by Jones, Edward Tudor-Pole and Ronnie Biggs but disbanded in early 1979. With Lydon, they reunited in 1996 for the "Filthy Lucre" tour and have staged subsequent reunion tours in 2002 and 2003. On 24 February 2006, the Sex Pistols were officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but they refused to attend the induction, calling the museum a "piss stain".

History

Origins and early days

The Sex Pistols evolved from The Strand, a band formed in 1972 with Jones on vocals, Cook on drums and Wally Nightingale on guitar. Early line-ups also included Jim Mackin (now a GP practising in Lincolnshire) on organ, as well as Stephen Hayes, and later Del Noones, on bass. By 1973 the band members were spending time at Don Letts' "Acme Attractions", and the more upmarket Let It Rock, a 1950s-themed clothes shop in the Kings Road, Chelsea area of London. "Let It Rock" was owned by former New York Dolls manager Malcolm McLaren and his partner Vivienne Westwood; the shop specialised in "anti-fashion", selling the drapes, slashed T-shirts, brothel creepers and fetish gear later popularised by the punk movement. As Rotten observed: "Malcolm and Vivienne were really a pair of shysters: they would sell anything to any trend that they could grab onto." The shop was to become a focal point of the punk rock scene, and brought together many of its primary members, including Jordan and Soo Catwoman, as well as Captain Sensible, John Ritchie (later Sid Vicious), Jah Wobble, Gene October, Mick Jones, Tony James, and Marco Pirroni. All were reacting to a distaste to the prevailing fashion of long hair and flared jeans of the early 1970s. McLaren took over management of the band around this time.

By then renamed "The Swankers", the band began rehearsing at the Crunchy Frog, a studio near the London Docklands. In 1974, they played their first gig at Tom Salter's Café in London. Noones was ejected from the band shortly afterwards, due to his unreliability and unwillingness to rehearse.

Johnny Rotten joins the band

Promotional flyer for an early Sex Pistols gig.
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Johnny Rotten c. 1977, photographed by Dennis Morris

Glen Matlock was recruited as bass player in early 1975. Around this time Jones and Nightingale began to argue over the band's musical direction, and Nightingale departed soon afterwards. In August 1975, John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), was spotted by Jones at the now renamed and restyled SEX boutique. According to Jones: "He came in with green hair. I thought he had a really interesting face. I liked his look. He had his 'I Hate Pink Floyd' T-shirt on. John had something special, but when he spoke he was a real asshole - but smart." After miming along to Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen" on the shop juke box and though he had never considered singing before, Rotten was asked to join as vocalist. Rotten and his circle of friends (including Soo Catwoman and Bromley Contingent members Siouxsie Sioux, Steve Severin and Billy Idol), were by now dressing in the torn-shirt, sado-masochistic inspired clothing sold by Vivienne Westwood; the trend quickly spread, and was adopted by the band's fans.

NME journalist Nick Kent used to jam occasionally with the band, but left upon Rotten's recruitment. According to Rotten: "When I came along, I took one look at him and said, 'No. That has to go.' He's never written a good word about me since". Following Kent's departure, Cook began to feel that Jones might not be capable enough alone on guitar, and 1976 they placed an advertisement in the Melody Maker for another "Whiz Kid Guitarist" that read "Wanted Whizz kid guitarist Not older than 20, Not worse looking than Johnny Thunders." Steve New answered the advert, and played with the band for a few weeks, though he too left shortly afterwards.