The godfathers of punk. Enfants terrible. Traitors. A much-needed breath of fresh air to a nation stuck in its own stuffiness? Call the Sex Pistols what you will, but back in the mid-70's when they burst on the scene, you couldn't NOT have an opinion on them. Today, there's no denying their rightful position at the top of the punk pile.
The provocative voice of frustrated youths everywhere, in the two years they were together the Pistols electrified the UK and US music scenes. Formed in 1970 by Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock, the Pistols became a growing concern thanks to the intervention of Malcolm McClaren, then running the King's Road clothes shop, Sex. John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, was soon chosen to front the line-up.
Their brand of energetic and anarchic performances combined with safety-pinned outfits and hair spiked to within an inch of its life meant the band were quick to stir up hysteria amongst youngsters keen to stick two fingers up to authority, and consternation amongst their parents and the powers that be.
Starting in London with gigs at small venues, by late 1976 the Pistols took their mix of angry, dangerous and exhilarating rock to the rest of the country on their Anarchy tour - only to find themselves banned by local councils across the land. The press went wild while the band's appearances on TV turned the air blue. As Johnny said at the time, "I want people to see us and start something, or else I'm just wasting my time." And they did - it was at Sex Pistols gigs that fellow-luminaries The Damned, The Clash and The Buzzcocks first took to the stage.
'Anarchy In The UK' was their debut single, but was then deleted and by mid-1977 they signed their third record deal, this time with Virgin, and their recording career began in earnest. By this time they'd also replaced bassist Matlock for Sid Vicious. They scored their highest ever chart entry in June when the gloriously irreverent 'God Save The Queen' beat TV and radio bans to go in at Number 2, while the album, Never Mind The Bollocks - Here's The Sex Pistols, became an instant classic, despite the fact that some stores were fined for stocking it.
Their second single, 'Holidays In The Sun' was also a success but by January 1978 the cracks were showing and a tour of the US ended with Rotten quitting the band and its subsequent dissolution. Sid's death in 1979 sounded the band's final death knell.
Protection - we do a lot of it these days. Sun cream for our skin, sunglasses for our eyes, condoms for you know where - but do you remember to protect your hearing?
Click to find all the information you need to look after your hearing now so you can enjoy music for years to come
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