The Sex Pistols
"Undermine their pompous authority, reject their moral standards, make anarchy and disorder your trademarks. Cause as much chaos and disruption as possible but don’t let them take you ALIVE.”- Sid Vicious
SID VICIOUS ( Bassis)- Was born John Simon Ritchie on May10, 1957. He grew up in London and wa
s given the nickname "Sid Vicious" after his friend's hamster bit him he replied " Sid is really Vicious. John joined his first band in 1976 which was named, The Flowers of Romance in which he played drums. Sid was in a couple of other bands after this but never hit big success until he played his first gig with The Sex Pistols in 1977. Sid met a heroin addict groupie named Nancy Spungen. They fell in love fast, and this was a rocky relationship which often had effects on the band. Sid vious died on February 1st, 1979 from a heroin overdose.
SID VICIOUS ( Bassis)- Was born John Simon Ritchie on May10, 1957. He grew up in London and wa
s given the nickname "Sid Vicious" after his friend's hamster bit him he replied " Sid is really Vicious. John joined his first band in 1976 which was named, The Flowers of Romance in which he played drums. Sid was in a couple of other bands after this but never hit big success until he played his first gig with The Sex Pistols in 1977. Sid met a heroin addict groupie named Nancy Spungen. They fell in love fast, and this was a rocky relationship which often had effects on the band. Sid vious died on February 1st, 1979 from a heroin overdose. J
OHNNY ROTTEN ( vocals)- Was born on January 31st, 1956 in London England an John Lydon. There are many explanations for Johnny's nickname, the most famous is because in the mid 70's he began to disregard his own hygiene and his teeth began to turn green. After the band released there album God Save The Queen Johnny was attacked by an angry mob and stabbed repeatedly. Johnny was chosen to be the front man for The Sex Pistols, because of his unique seance of style, and attitude.STEVE JONES (guitarist)- Born on September 3, 1955 in London England. He began playing guitar when he was 19 and co founded The Sex Pistols in 1975. As a teenager Steve was a kleptomaniac and says that The Sex Pistols saved him from a life of crime. He self taught himself to play the guitar just three months before the sex pistols were founded.
PAUL COOK ( drummer)- Born on July 20, 1956 in England. Formed a band in 1972 he formed a band named "The Strand". Paul was the only member of this band to actually buy an instrument instead of stealing one, and this band "The Strand" evolved into The Sex Pistols.
BiOgRaphY
Decades after there success The Sex Pistols are still said to be the most influential punk band in history. The Sex Pistols were formed by the drummer Paul Cook, and guitarist Steve Jones, in 1972 but were originally called " The Strand". The band's music even at this time was very different from other music, while others wee playing mostly "hippy" music. The band member's use to hangout at a clothing store call
ed Malcolm McLaren's, and here was were they first stumbled upon John Lydon. John drew there attention because he was wearing a home made " I Hate Pink Floyd" t-shirt. After seeing this Malcome McLaren who was there manager convinced John to audition for the band. They instantly knew that John would be the perfect front man from his outrageous behaviour. In November 1975 the band started touring, anywhere that would take them. After there shows many people were left angry, or confused by the band's performance, and only a few understood there anarchist views. The band started to develop a following, and there outrageous behaviour soon attracted the record companies, The Sex Pistols were signed to EMI records on October 8th 1976. The bands first single "Anarchy in the UK'!" was released just a month after they signed the record deal and the British press was shocked. However, The Sex Pistols made there huge entrance on to the large music scene when they earned a gig on "The Today Show" with Bill Grundy. Bill Grundy thinking he was superior to these "Kids" wasn't showing them any respect at all causes the band to exploding into a fit of F-bombs. Little did the band know that this was being broadcast and all of London was seeing there interview. The day after this incident they were all over the press, and were giving the name "Punk Rock". John Simone Ritchie (Sid Viscous) was recruited to the band in 1977. After being hired, and fired from A&M records, the band found a place in Virgin records where they released there next single, "God Save the Queen". This single caused the nation to be in a frenzy, no one had ever publicly ridiculed the royal family. Member's of Parliament even suggested the band should be hung at "The Traitor's Gate". As in all show business, any publicity is good publicity and The Sex Pistols shot to number 2 on the charts, even thou they did in fact sell out Rod Stewart's record. The band had made themselves a target, and people who supported the queen and her monarchist views showed this with acts of violence, Johnny Rotten and Paul Cook were both beaten violently. The Sex Pistols released there one and only album on October 28, 1977 in titled "Never Mind the Bollocks" which included the singles Pretty Vacant, and Holidays in The Sun. They came to the states in 1978 to tour throughout America, avoiding most big cities. The band however was starting to fall apart, they were feeling new pressure, personal problems, and Sid's drug addiction. When they reached Sanfransisco Johnny Rotten became ill, and Sid was strung out on drugs. The Sex Pistols broke up the following day when Johhny left, because Jones would not leave McLauren. Although the sex pistols went on I believe they ended the day Sid Viscous died. Just months after Sid's heroin addict girlfriend Nancy Spungen died, Sid overdosed on heroin on Febuary 2nd, 1979. The Sex Pistol's broke down doors, and brought new concepts to the music business, and will always be remembered for there attitudes and there music.
Influences/ Importance
The Sex pistols were very original type of band at the time, which is one of the reasons they were so popular. They created a music of there own, so there influences are hard to trace, however it is said they admired bands such as The Who, Alice Cooper. The Sex Pistols resulted in many punk bands such as Oasis, NOFX and Nirvana. They were one of the first people who brought forward the ideas of rebellion, and anarchy, this changing the way many people live and view there lives.
Target Audience Description
Jimmy wakes up up to his teacher yelling his name, it's third perios and he has fallen asleep again. He stayed up late again last night playing Pacman, and is now exhausted. He attends St. Jacobs Catholic school and feels trapped tge majority of the time. He's sick of being told what to do by teacher's, and his parents. HIs parents get him in crap for eveything to staying up too late, and listening to what they think are "satanic" records such as Led Zeplin and Black Sabbath. Jimmy's can't wait to get out of highschool so he can start a life of his own, he's never really been much for school, and has always had dreams of becoming famous. Him and a couple of his friends have started a band, they arent very talented but they make up for it in enthusiasm. I think The Sex Pistols attract teenagers like Jimmy because they go against all authority. The 70's were a time of revouloution and I think teenagers wanted a voice in all the chaos. I think at this age people want to seperate themselves from parents and other things like this because they want to become there own person.
Song Analysis
ANARCHY IN THE UK'!
Right! Now ha ha ha...
I am an antichristI am an anarchist
Don't know what I wantBut I know how to get it
I wanna destroy the passerby
'Cause I wanna be Anarchy
No dogsbodyAnarchy for the UK
It's coming sometime and maybeI give a wrong time stop a traffic line
Your future dream is a shopping scheme
'Cause I wanna be Anarchy
In the cityHow many ways to get what you wantI use the bestI use the rest
I use the N.M.EI use Anarchy
'Cause I wanna be Anarchy
It's the only way to beIs this the M.P.L.A orIs this the U.D.A or
Is this the I.R.AI thought it was the UKOr just another countryAnother council tenancy
I wanna be Anarchy
And I wanna be Anarchy(Oh what a name)
And I wanna be an anarchist(I get pissed, destroy!)
There is not much to decieiefer in this song, no hidden messages. The song is basically telling people to go against what they know, and not to be just average. It also states "your dream is a shopping scheme" by this I think the band is trying to get people to notice that there lives are so planned out. Something they also talk about rather than just anarchy, and going against thing's is geting what you want. "Don't know what I want But I know how to get it", " How many ways to get what you want, I use the best, I use the rest." By this I think they mean to do just what makes you happy rather than doing what people tell you to.
Video
The Following is a link to sex pistols - bill grundy tv show live on 1 December 1976
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEvGzd8k6WQ
I chose to review this video because they didnt have any music videos, and I beleieve this video would tell you evrything you need to know about The Sex Pistols. It shows there attitudes, and how they dont take crap from anyone. Even though they were the underdogs next to Bill Grundy at the time they still stuck up for themselves. I think this is also the video that helped make them so famous and really showed England what they were all about. CHeck It OUt!!
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