Youth

Simon John Ritchie^[1][3] was born on 10 Might 1957 in Lewisham to John and Anne Ritchie (1933–1996). Anne had dropped out of faculty and joined the British Military, the place she met Ritchie’s father, a guardsman at Buckingham Palace and a semi-professional trombone participant on the London jazz scene.^[4] Shortly after Ritchie’s delivery, he and his mom moved to Ibiza, the place they anticipated to be joined by his father, who didn’t seem and supplied no monetary help—Anne reportedly offered marijuana to get by.^[5] With the assistance of the British Excessive Fee in Spain, Anne returned to England and settled in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the place she enrolled Simon in Sandown Court docket Faculty (now The Skinners’ Kent Academy).

In 1965, Anne married Christopher Beverley, who died six months later of kidney failure. Anne and Simon lived briefly in Bristol and Clevedon, Somerset, the place Simon attended Clevedon Faculty. In 1971, the pair moved to Stoke Newington in Hackney, east London, the place Simon attended Clissold Park Faculty (now Stoke Newington Faculty). Presently, he started utilizing the identify ‘John Beverley’.

By 1973, Anne’s life was consumed by her dependancy to heroin and opiates, to the purpose the place she was unaware that her son was attending Westminster Kingsway Faculty, then generally known as Kingsway Faculty of Additional Schooling and as a group and vocational college for college students with difficulties. Whereas at Kingsway—which he was seemingly attending to finish his ‘O Ranges’ (GCE Abnormal Degree), John indicated to a counselor that he was considering suicide; there have been additionally claims that he was torturing and killing cats.^[6] When John turned 16 that 12 months, Anne kicked him out of her dwelling.^[7]

In 1973, Beverley met fellow Kingsway pupil John Lydon, who launched him to his pals John Gray and John Wardle. All 4, who turned identified domestically as ‘The 4 Johns’, give up college and started squatting in varied dismal places. Three of the 4 Johns would then take nicknames: Lydon nicknamed Beverley “Sid Vicious” after Beverley was bitten by Lydon’s hamster Sid (named after Syd Barrett).^[8][9] Lydon’s bandmate, guitarist Steve Jones gave him the identify Johnny Rotten, and Sid nicknamed Wardle Jah Wobble.^[10]

The 4 younger males began hanging across the King’s Highway in Chelsea, London which, on the time, was the epicentre of ‘Swinging London’, when music and vogue had been burgeoning.^[11] A favorite spot was Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s clothes retailer, SEX. There, Vicious met American expatriate Chrissie Hynde, earlier than she shaped her group the Pretenders, who reportedly tried (and failed) to persuade Vicious to affix her in a sham marriage so she may get a piece allow.^[12] In response to Lydon, he and Vicious took up busking, with Vicious taking part in the tambourine. They might play Alice Cooper covers, and folks gave them cash to cease.^[13]

In 1975, Lydon joined Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook dinner within the formation of the band the Intercourse Pistols, managed by McLaren—Vicious was photographed watching the band assault their viewers on the Nashville Rooms in Kensington in 1976.^[14] Vicious then started his musical profession.

The Flowers of Romance and Siouxsie and the Banshees – 1976

In 1976, Vicious co-founded, as vocalist and saxophone participant,^[15] the Flowers of Romance together with the Conflict co-founder Keith Levene and Palmolive’s Viv Albertine.^[16] Throughout this time, he discovered to play bass by listening to the primary Ramones album Ramones, fixating on the up-tempo bump-and-grind sample of the track “I Do not Wanna Go All the way down to the Basement”,^[17] a sample he would apply to most of his taking part in from then on.^[18]

In June 1976, Vicious went to a Intercourse Pistols live performance on the 100 Membership. Nick Kent, who had performed guitar with the Intercourse Pistols early on and had left music to change into an NME music critic and champion of punk rock (and who was Hynde’s boyfriend), was additionally there, and was apparently blocking Vicious’ view. Vicious, excessive on velocity, lashed Kent’s head with a rusted bike chain which, based on Hynde, he carried with him.^[19] The incident was reported within the papers however no fees had been laid.^[20][21]

Though the songs they wrote would later be carried out by different bands, The Flowers of Romance didn’t carry out stay, or document any music. However Vicious got here to the eye of members of The Damned. He was thought-about, together with Dave Vanian, for the place of lead singer, however Vicious failed to point out for the audition.^[22] Vicious contended that Vanian and his associates had deliberately withheld details about the audition to make sure that Vicious missed the audition.

On September 20, 1976, Vicious appeared with Siouxsie and the Banshees, taking part in drums at their first gig on the 100 Membership Punk Particular in London’s Oxford Road,^[23] a two-day competition co-founded by McLaren. The next day, Vicious went to The Damned’s efficiency. Drunk and excessive on amphetamines, he hurled his glass on the stage, trying to strike Vanian. He missed, the glass shattered towards a pillar and blinded a lady in a single eye. Vicious was arrested and imprisoned at Ashford Remand Centre. Westwood and Albertine visited Vicious in jail, with Albertine bringing the e-book Helter Skelter as a present.^[23][24]

The Intercourse Pistols – 1977–1978

The Intercourse Pistols (Vicious left, Steve Jones centre, and Johnny Rotten proper) performing in Trondheim in 1977

In February 1977, McLaren introduced that Glen Matlock had been “thrown out of the band” as a result of “he appreciated The Beatles”, and that he had been changed by Vicious. In his autobiography I Was a Teenage Intercourse Pistol,^[25] Matlock says he give up as a result of he was “sick of all of the bullshit”.^[26] Within the 2000 documentary The Filth and the Fury, the band members agreed that there was pressure between Matlock and Rotten, however Matlock says that these tensions had been aggravated by McLaren, who wished to generate chaos within the band as a inventive mechanism, and as a means of constructing the band’s picture. He wished Matlock to depart, and to switch him with Vicious, saying “if Johnny Rotten is the voice of punk, then Vicious is the angle.”^[27]

Vicious had change into the Intercourse Pistols uber-fan, by no means lacking a live performance. He was inspired to be drunk and disorderly, with Wobble saying “Sid was supplied up as a sacrificial lamb by the folks across the Pistols. None of them would have gone excessive. He was their kamikaze pilot, they usually had been all too joyful to strap him in and ship him off.”^[28]

In March 1977, the Intercourse Pistols had been signed to A&M Data. In celebration, they trashed the corporate’s workplaces, after which held a personal celebration on the Speakeasy, a membership and restaurant frequented by established members of the London music scene. The Intercourse Pistols members confronted the BBC DJ Bob Harris, who was the presenter of the Previous Gray Whistle Check, a tv present which featured non-chart music. Blocking Harris behind the bar, damaged bottles in hand, they demanded to know after they can be on the present. A bar combat ensued. Sid Vicious jammed a damaged bottle into the face of BBC recording engineer George Nicholson. Harris was rescued by the Procol Harum street crew, who grouped round him and escorted him out of the membership, the place they discovered that police had needed to cordon off the whole block. Not one of the Intercourse Pistols had been arrested however, the following day, A&M dropped them and Capital Radio banned all Intercourse Pistols music from its stations.^[29]

Vicious performed his first gig with the Intercourse Pistols on 3 April 1977 at The Display On The Inexperienced;^[30] his debut was filmed by Don Letts and seems in Punk Rock Film. However he couldn’t play nicely and had no bass expertise, so guitarist Steve Jones performed bass on the band’s debut album By no means Thoughts the Bollocks, This is the Intercourse Pistols.^[31] Vicious was allowed to play bass on one observe, “Our bodies,” however his contribution was later overdubbed by Jones.

On 21 July 1977, the Intercourse Pistols appeared on the nationally-popular music chart program High of the Pops. This was a sign that the band had earned mainstream credibility and it was a giant step. For this efficiency, Matlock was introduced again on bass; Vicious was not there.^[32] He additionally missed many of the band’s rehearsals and recording periods as a result of he was in hospital with hepatitis, seemingly attributable to intravenous drug use.^[33] By this time, Vicious was utilizing heroin, with many believing that his mom was his provider.^[34] Dee Dee Ramone had seen him taking pictures medicine on multiple event, and Rotten’s good friend John Grey had discovered Vicious taking pictures velocity whereas he was nonetheless dwelling along with his mom; Vicious informed him that the medicine had been “me mum’s”.^[35]

Additionally in 1977, Vicious met Nancy Spungen, an American groupie dwelling in London, who had a historical past of psychological issues and was additionally a heroin addict.^[36] Spungen, who had initially set her sights on Rotten and who supported herself by alternately dealing medicine^[37] and dealing as a topless dancer,^[38] made herself helpful on the King’s Highway scene by procuring medicine for musicians. She and Vicious turned inseparable, which triggered issues with the band, whose members did not like her; McLaren admitted to planning to have her kidnapped and compelled onto a airplane again to the US.^[39][40] The 2 had a wierd relationship; Vicious performed nursemaid when she was sick and was shy and well mannered together with her mom, who reported watching Nancy reduce his meat for him. Alternatively, Spungen was identified to be verbally abusive and bodily aggressive. Vicious could have facilitated Spungen’s occasional prostitution (and watched). In response to Rotten’s spouse Nora Forster, Vicious typically hit Nancy and, in her final dialog together with her mom, Spungen admitted that beatings which she had beforehand stated had been by the hands of strangers truly got here from Vicious.^[41] They shared an infatuation with knives.^[38]

Starting in July, with Spungen in tow, the band went on a Scandinavian tour, then toured Holland and the UK.^[30] On October 28, 1977, their solely album By no means Thoughts the Bollocks, This is the Intercourse Pistols was launched and, due partly to notoriety (notably of the track “God Save the Queen”), and despite gross sales bans at main retailers, the album debuted at primary on the UK Album Charts and went gold on 17 November. It remained a best-seller for practically a 12 months, spending 48 weeks within the high 75. It’s regularly listed as probably the most influential punk album of all time.^[42]

On 25 December 1977, the band performed two exhibits at Ivanhoes in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. It was throughout the nationwide Hearth Brigades Strike and the band carried out a matinee for the youngsters of firefighters.^[43] Within the 2013 documentary By no means Thoughts the Baubles: Xmas ’77 With The Intercourse Pistols, Lydon claimed stated that Vicious needed to be warned to not be the “hardcore, robust rocker bloke” in entrance of the youngsters. The observe of Vicious singing the Johnny Thunders track “Born to Lose”^[44] which seems on Sid Sings, was recorded throughout this efficiency, as Vicious stepped in when Lydon left the stage to pose as Father Christmas. These had been the Intercourse Pistols’ final performances in Britain, till the unique members reunited for the Filthy Lucre tour in 1996.^[30]

In January 1978, the Intercourse Pistols launched into a two-week US tour. There was rising pressure throughout the band. Rotten was barely talking to anybody. Warner Bros., which organized and staffed the tour, insisted that Vicious clear up his heroin behavior so he was utilizing Methadone. He was in a relentless state of semi-withdrawal and livid that the band had blocked Spungen from accompanying them on the tour. McLaren had lengthy been retaining Vicious on rations of $14.00 (US) every week however he nonetheless managed to seek out medicine.^[45] To make issues worse, McLaren, ever looking forward to extra chaos and cautious that journalists had been on-scene, booked the band, not into the golf equipment of New York, however into bars in Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.^[46] In San Antonio on January 8, Vicious felt antagonized by an viewers member and struck him on the pinnacle along with his bass.^[47] Earlier than the Intercourse Pistols took the stage of the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas on January 10, Vicious carved the phrases “gimme a repair” into his chest with a razor (later joking that “should you attempt to kill your self [with a razor to the chest], it will not work”). He greeted the viewers by calling them “cowboy faggots”; in return, he obtained a full can of beer to the pinnacle.^[48] At their January 14 present on the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, Vicious didn’t trouble to plug in his bass and barely made a pretense of taking part in.^[49] Rotten began to lose his voice, made feedback to the viewers about being cheated, and walked off the stage. That was the tip of the band.^[50]

Publish-Intercourse Pistols

On January 19, Vicious boarded a flight from San Francisco to New York. By the point the airplane landed at JFK Airport, he had slipped right into a Valium-, Methadone- and alcohol-induced coma and was rushed to a hospital in Queens the place, as he informed the photographer Roberta Bayley, the physician informed him that if he did not give up consuming, he’d be lifeless in six months.^[51]

When he was launched, he re-united with Spungen. In April, The 2 traveled to Paris to movie the Intercourse Pistols Mockumentary The Nice Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, the place they spent most of their time of their lodge room, doing medicine. Director Julien Temple was capable of get Vicious to attend manufacturing lengthy sufficient to document three songs: “C’Mon Everyone”, “One thing Else” and “My Manner”.^[52] When Vicious returned to his lodge, he discovered that Spungen had retaliated for being left alone by (superficially) slicing her wrists.^[53]

The couple then traveled to London the place, by August, they wanted to return to the US however had no cash. He ran into Glen Matlock and prompt that they play a gig collectively. After leaving the Intercourse Pistols, Matlock had based the band Wealthy Youngsters. and he recruited his Wealthy Youngsters guitarist and singer Steve New, and The Damned’s drummer Rat Scabies. They referred to as themselves Vicious White Youngsters and carried out as soon as—on the Electrical Ballroom in Camden City on 15 August 1978. Sid didn’t play bass on this band; he was the lead singer. Spungen joined on backing vocals however Matlock made positive that her microphone was not plugged in for the live performance.

Vicious and Spungen then returned to New York, the place they settled into Room 100 of the Chelsea Resort (aka Resort Chelsea) (after inflicting a hearth of their first room) as Mr. and Mrs. John Ritchie.^[54] Spungen acted as his supervisor, placing collectively the band of Steve Dior, Jerry Nolan and Arthur Kane and reserving him, for probably the most half, into the New York golf equipment Max’s Kansas Metropolis and CBGB. Spungen sang with him,^[55] they usually had been generally joined by Mick Jones and Johnny Thunders. He drew giant crowds, although some performances had been “hellish”, with the viewers booing his tried imitation of Rotten, and Vicious insulting the viewers. Examples of this may be heard within the in-between tracks on his stay album Sid Sings;^[56] these performances had been additionally launched in 2002 (and once more in 2011), as Dwell at Max’s Kansas Metropolis, NY 1978.^[57] Within the documentary Who Killed Nancy?, Dior stated that Vicious “obtained good cash for these exhibits,” however Spungen typically needed to name her dad and mom for cash. In certainly one of these conversations, Spungen stated that she was having issues together with her kidneys, and requested her mom to look into getting her, and Sid, right into a detox program.^[58][59]

Homicide of Nancy Spungen

Vicious’ mugshot from 9 December 1978

On the night time of October 11, 1978, Sid and Nancy hosted a celebration of their lodge room, throughout which Vicious took roughly 30 Tuinol tablets and, whereas quite a few folks got here and went, was comatose for the remainder of the night time. At about 11:00 the following morning, lodge employees discovered Spungen lifeless on the toilet flooring, with a knife wound to her stomach. Vicious was discovered wandering the hallway. He first claimed to have killed her, then stated he remembered nothing. Two individuals who had been on the celebration acknowledged that Nancy was alive at 5:00 a.m. The homicide weapon was recognized as a Jaguar Ok-11 looking knife, which Nancy had bought for Sid a couple of days earlier.^[60][61] Vicious was arrested and charged with second-degree homicide.^[62] He informed police that he and Nancy had argued that night time however gave conflicting variations of what occurred subsequent, saying, “I stabbed her, however I by no means meant to kill her,” then saying that he didn’t bear in mind something, then that Spungen had fallen onto the knife.^[63] Later, the arresting officer, Sgt Thomas Kilroy of the Third Murder Unit, was quoted as having stated: “After an investigation, Vicious admitted killing Miss Spungen throughout a dispute.”^[64]

Lawyer Michael Berger first handled the matter, however McLaren and Anne Beverley had been lawyer-shopping. They interviewed a number of high-profile legal professionals, together with Melvin Belli, Gerald B. Lefcourt and William Kunstler earlier than selecting F. Lee Bailey. Bailey by no means appeared in court docket, however one other lawyer from his agency, Jim Merberg, organized for Vicious to be launched on $50,000.00 bail, with the circumstances that he not depart New York and that he check in day by day on the third Murder Unit workplaces, and on the Lafayette Road Methadone Middle. All authorized prices had been paid by The Intercourse Pistols label, Virgin Data.^[65] Vicious returned to the Chelsea Resort, the place he was joined by McLaren and his mom.

McLaren firmly believed that Vicious was harmless. Noting that the knife was left in plain view and that the couple stored their money in a drawer, he believed that Spungen caught one of many celebration company stealing cash and was stabbed by that individual.^[66] Given the quantity of people that had been by the lodge room on the night time of the homicide, Bailey had his investigator look into the chance {that a} third celebration was concerned in Spungen’s dying.^[38]

Bailey additionally employed forensic psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Teich to guage Vicious. After their preliminary dialog, throughout which Vicious was preoccupied by the ‘working class in Berlin’ and remained fixated on the tv, Teich informed Anne Beverley that Sid should not be left alone. Hours later, Beverley referred to as Teich and stated that Sid had slit his wrist with a smashed gentle bulb. Teich returned to the lodge and referred to as an ambulance. EMS employees arrived with the police; when Sid noticed them, he headed for the window however was blocked by Teich. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital after which moved to the New York-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Well being Middle in White Plains, New York.^[67] He was launched on November 26 and returned to the Chelsea. Presently, Rotten tried to contact his good friend, however was barred by Beverley and McLaren.^[68] On November 28, Vicious was interviewed by the Irish journalist Bernard Clarke. He stated that Spungen’s dying was “meant to occur” and that “Nancy all the time stated she’d die earlier than she was 21.” He stated that he simply wished to have enjoyable. When requested the place he’d wish to be, he replied, “Below the bottom.”^[69]

Within the meantime, McLaren introduced that the Intercourse Pistols would reunite to document a Christmas album to profit Sid’s protection, and offered T-shirts with the slogan, “I’m Alive. She’s Useless. I am Yours.”^[70]

Assault on Todd Smith

Vicious had began seeing ladies once more and was casually concerned with rocker Judy Nylon, Dee Dee Ramone’s ex-girlfriend Connie Gripp, an aspiring actress named Michele Robison and Rotten’s ex-girlfriend, Danielle Boothe. On December 5, Vicious went to the Hurrah night time membership with Boothe, the photographers David Nonetheless and Peter Kodick Gravelle, and the comic Michael Morra (aka Rockets Redglare) who was Sid’s self-appointed bodyguard. Enjoying that night time was Skafish; their drum roadie was a lady named Tarrah, who was the girlfriend of Todd Smith (Patti Smith’s brother). Vicious started flirting with Tarrah. She rebuffed him and he pinched her. Smith informed him to again off and Vicious smashed a beer bottle and jammed it into Smith’s face. Smith required 5 stitches. Morra informed police that Smith provoked Sid, that the bottle broke in Sid’s hand and, producing the glass shards, stated that Smith’s wound was the unintentional results of flying glass. On December 7, Vicious was arrested and charged with assault.^[71] The choose agreed that Vicious had damaged the phrases of his earlier bail and despatched him to Rikers Island, the place he underwent enforced detoxing. Whereas he was in Riker’s, Anne Beverley introduced Robison to go to her son.^[72]

On January 18, Vicious appeared in court docket, represented by Jim Merberg. To everybody’s shock, the choose, James Leff, not solely launched Vicious on $10,000.00 bail, however decreased his earlier bail circumstances—he now needed to report back to the Murder Unit solely three days every week and didn’t have to look on the methadone heart in any respect. Leff utilized one situation—that Vicious not frequent night time golf equipment.^[73]

Whereas it was broadly reported, together with by Rotten, that Mick Jagger paid Vicious’ bail, that was unfaithful; Virgin Data continued to pay his authorized charges. Anne Beverley, who was in court docket with Robison, was proud of the result, telling reporters “Now the general public will know he is an efficient boy.”^[74]

Dying and aftermath

Vicious’ dying certificates

On the morning of February 1, 1979, after finishing his detoxing program, Vicious was launched from Rikers Island. When he arrived in Manhattan, and by likelihood, he met his good friend Gravelle. Vicious requested Gravelle to seek out him some heroin. Gravelle introduced $200.00 value of the drug to the condo of Michele Robison at 63 Financial institution St., the place he joined Vicious, Robison, Beverley, Jerry Solely^[75] and Howie Pyro.^[76][77][78] Gravelle stated that they sat round doing medicine, and he left at 3:00 a.m.^[79] Solely stated that he and Anne Beverley made dinner, and that he left early, when the drug use started. He famous that Vicious was already nodding off,^[75] but Gravelle stated that Robison gave Vicious 4 quaaludes to assist him sleep.^[80] Vicious died within the night time, of a drug overdose. Robison and his mom found his physique the following morning.^[81][82]

Within the 1996 e-book Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral Historical past of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, Vicious’ good friend, photographer Eileen Polk, stated that no New York funeral dwelling was prepared to carry a funeral or burial for Vicious attributable to his fame. There isn’t a proof of this and the situation is unlikely.

Anne Beverley claimed that Vicious and Spungen had made a suicide pact and that Vicious’ dying was not unintentional. She produced a handwritten be aware, which she stated she discovered within the pocket of Sid’s leather-based jacket,^[83] studying “We had a dying pact, and I’ve to maintain my half of the discount. Please bury me subsequent to my child. Bury me in my leather-based jacket, denims and bike boots. Goodbye.”^[84][85] In response to Deborah Spungen, Vicious wrote a letter to her when he was final hospitalized, saying roughly the identical factor. “We all the time knew that we might go to the identical place after we died”, he wrote. “We a lot wished to die collectively in one another’s arms. I cry each time I take into consideration that. I promised my child that I might kill myself if something ever occurred to her, and he or she promised me the identical. That is my last dedication to my love.”^[86] Spungen was Jewish, and is buried in a Jewish cemetery in Pennsylvania. As an inter-faith burial was not attainable, Sid’s physique was cremated at Backyard State Crematory in New Jersey.^[87] In response to Polk, Anne Beverley requested Deborah Spungen if she may scatter Vicious’ ashes over Nancy’s grave and Spungen stated no. Regardless, Polk stated that Jerry Solely drove Beverley, her sister, and two of Vicious’ pals, to Nancy’s gravesite, the place Beverley scattered Sid’s ashes.^[87]

By the point of Sid’s dying, he and Nancy had been internationally infamous. His dying made the entrance pages of most New York newspapers for days, and Robison’s condo constructing was thronged by reporters.^[88] Robison would quickly change her identify. The primary of many posthumous albums appeared in 1980; Sid Vicious, launched by EMI sub-label Harmless Data, has as its jacket picture the picture of Vicious’ physique being faraway from 63 Financial institution St.^[89]

Within the 2006 documentary Ultimate 24, creator Alan Parker claimed that Anne Beverley purposely administered a deadly dose of heroin to Vicious as a result of he was afraid of going again to jail and had doubts about how good his legal professionals had been, although the legal professionals had been sure they might clear his identify. Parker’s declare was instantly met with criticism, however the rumor turned widespread. In a 2018 episode of the This Unusual Life podcast, Parker admitted to inventing the story.^[90][91] He stated he did so to be able to garner a better charge from the producers of Ultimate 24.

In his 2007 e-book Fairly Vacant: A Historical past of Punk, director Phil Strongman acknowledged his conviction that it was Michael Morra who killed Nancy Spungen, noting that it was Morra who introduced the Tuinol to the celebration, and that Morra knew concerning the giant quantities of money stored within the bedside desk drawer.^[92] Morra publicly denied this however privately confessed it to pals, nevertheless Howie Pyro insists that it was Morra’s behavior to inform tales for consideration.^[93] Morra died in 2001. Strongman additionally implicated Morra’s good friend, punk rocker Neon Leon, who lived down the corridor from Sid and Nancy and who was discovered to be in possession of a lot of Sid’s belongings, together with his famed leather-based jacket and two of his gold information. Leon stated that Vicious had given him the objects to him for safe-keeping. He additionally informed the Village Voice that he knew who the assassin was, though he refused to call the individual. Leon now performs underneath one other identify and lives exterior the US.^[94]

Legacy

A number of on-line sources state that the property of Sid Vicious continues to earn roughly $400,000.00 yearly in royalties. These statements aren’t verified. In Lonely Boy, Jones states that Vicious’ property handed to maternal cousins.^[33]

In 2006, Vicious and the Intercourse Pistols had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame. They declined to attend the ceremony.^[95][96]

Anne Beverley had taken possession of Sid’s bass guitar, a white Fender Precision Bass with a black Pickguard and a leather-based strap with the identify ‘Sid’ etched into it. Shortly earlier than her dying (of a drug overdose in 1996) she offered it to Steve Jones for £2,000.^[33]

Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees, remembered Vicious in optimistic phrases, saying “Earlier than he obtained deeply into medicine, he was one of many funniest guys. He had an excellent humorousness, goofy, candy, and really cute.”^[97] In 2009, Lydon informed The Unbiased “I’m sorry, God, for the day I introduced Sid into the band. He felt so remoted, poor outdated Sid, as a result of he wasn’t the sharpest knife on the block. The perfect facet of his character, which was his humour, simply vanished the day he joined the Pistols.”^[98]

Current day

As of 2022, Sid Vicious souvenirs are broadly out there. Something provably belonging to him fetches excessive costs. In 2011, a go well with of Vicious offered at public sale by Christie’s for GBP 11,000.^[99]

Any recording with Vicious in it has been repeatedly launched. His singles “My Manner” and “It is Shit” had been final launched by the American label Cleopatra Data in 2021.^[100] Additionally in 2021, Cleopatra’s sub-label, Anarchy Data, launched the album Love Kills.^[101]

Music tributes

A graffiti of Vicious crying, in Madrid, Spain

Quite a few bands have recorded songs about Sid Vicious. In 1979, the band Helpless Huw launched the four-track recording Sid Vicious Was Harmless.^[102] In 1982, the Exploited included the track “Sid Vicious Was Harmless” on their album Troops of Tomorrow.^[103] Former frontman for the Conflict, Joe Strummer, recorded “Love Kills”^[104] and “Dum Dum Membership”^[105] for the Sid and Nancy soundtrack. In 1986, the Ramones launched “Love Kills” on their album Animal Boy, which was a tribute to each Sid and Nancy.^[106] In 2017, Foster the Individuals launched “Loyal Like Sid & Nancy”, which references Vicious and Spungen’s relationship, because the second single from their album Sacred Hearts Membership.^[107][108] In 2015, Medusa launched a music video to their track “Sid and Nancy” which portrays the 2 as youngsters.^[109]

Portrayals

The critically-acclaimed 1986 movie Sid and Nancy, directed by Alex Cox, portrays Sid’s life from his becoming a member of the Intercourse Pistols to the tip of his life. It stars Gary Oldman as Sid Vicious and Chloe Webb as Nancy Spungen. Oldman’s efficiency was praised by Uncut as a “massively sympathetic studying of the punk figurehead as a misplaced and bewildered manchild” although Oldman detested the movie and punk music generally.^[110]

In 1993, Ade Edmondson performed Vicious in The Comedian Strip Presents: Demonella.^[111] Within the movie, which was directed by Paul Bartel, Vicious resides in Hell with Oscar Wilde, Adolf Hitler, Genghis Khan and Marie Antoinette.

The Foo Fighters 1997 video for “Everlong” is about Sid and Nancy, with Sid defending Nancy towards celebration demons. Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins play Sid and Nancy.^[112]

Love, Springfieldian Type, the Valentine’s Day episode of The Simpsons 2008 season, spoofs Sid and Nancy’s relationship.^[113]

In September 2009, the Roy Smiles play Kurt and Sid debuted on the Trafalgar Studios in London’s West Finish. The play, set in Kurt Cobain’s greenhouse on the day of his suicide, revolves across the ghost of Sid Vicious visiting Cobain to attempt to persuade him to not kill himself. Vicious was performed by Danny Dyer.^[114]

In January 2021, FX introduced {that a} sequence concerning the Intercourse Pistols, referred to as Pistol, had gone into manufacturing, with Vicious to be portrayed by Louis Partridge. It’s primarily based on Steve Jones’ memoir Lonely Boy and is directed by Danny Boyle. Lydon referred to as the sequence “Probably the most disrespectful shit I’ve ever needed to endure”^[115] and unsuccessfully sued to dam the usage of the Intercourse Pistols music within the sequence.^[116]

Discography

Solo

• Sid Sings (1979) Virgin, Silver BPI^[56]
• Sid Vicious, 1980, Harmless Data
• Love Kills N.Y.C. (1985), Konexion^[117]
• Dwell At The Electrical Ballroom London (1986), Konexion, MBC Data (re-released 1993 and 2011)^[118]
• The Actual Sid and Nancy (1986), MBC Data^[119]
• Battle of the Rockers, Sid Vicious V Eddie Cochran (1986), MBC Data^[120]
• The Vicious White Youngsters (1991), DeLorean Data^[121]
• The Idols with Sid Vicious (1993), New Rose Data, Fan Membership Data^[122]
• The Better of Sid Vicious (1996), Abroad Data^[123]
• By no means Thoughts The Reunion This is Sid Vicious (1997), Cleopatra Data^[124]
• Sid Useless Dwell (1997), Anagram^[125]
• Sid Vicious & Mates (1998, consists of Intercourse Pistols tracks), Dressed to Kill^[126]
• Higher (To Provoke A Response Than To React To Provocation) (2001), Yeaah! Data, Anagram^[127]
• Sid Vicious in Vicious White Youngsters (2002), Citadel Music
• Dwell at Max’s Kansas Metropolis, NY 1978 (2002), Prism Leisure Company (re-released 2011)^[128]
• Too Quick to Dwell (2004), Virgin, EMI^[129]
• Search & Destroy (2004), Anarchy Music^[130]
• Sid Lives (2007), Jungle Data^[131]
• F#@ok Off You C#{ae90547d17d4d74b17007ee836a04674fd006933c139011dc78eb03c100070a7}t (2008), Anarchy Music^[132]
• Sid! By These Who Actually Knew Him (2009), ITN Supply, Jungle Data^[133]
• Very Vicious (2011), One Media Publishing^[134]
• The Chaos and Dysfunction Tapes (2011), Landmark^[135]
• The Sid Vicious Expertise: Jack Boots & Soiled Appears (2014), Cleopatra^[136]
• I am A Mess (2015), Vinyl Lovers, DOL^[137]
• Love Kills (2021), Anarchy Music

With the Intercourse Pistols

• By no means Thoughts the Bollocks, This is the Intercourse Pistols (1977), Virgin, Warner Bros. (Platinum, No. 1)
• The Nice Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle (1979), Virgin
• Some Product: Carri on Intercourse Pistols (1979), Virgin
• Flogging a Useless Horse (1980), Virgin
• Pirates of Future (1989), Ball X^[138]
• Kiss This (1992), Virgin
• Anarchy in the usA. (1992), MBC Data^[139]
• Sid Vicious & Mates (1998), Dressed to Kill^[126]
• Intercourse Pistols – Dwell! (2002), Eurotrend^[140]
• The Filth and the Fury (2002), Virgin
• Jubilee (2002), Virgin
• Intercourse Pistols Field Set (2002), Virgin
• Punk Rockers (2003)^[141]

Movie, video, tv, documentaries

• Acceleration Punk (1977)^[142]
• Intercourse Pistols Number one (1977, directed by Derek Jarman)^[143][144]
• Intercourse Pistols: Dwell in Stockholm 1977 (1977)^[145][146]
• Intercourse Pistols: Holidays within the Solar (1977)^[147][148]
• Intercourse Pistols: God Save the Queen (1977)^[149][150]
• Intercourse Pistols: Buried Alive (1978)^[151][152]
• Kill the Hippies (1978)^[153]
• My Manner (1978)^[154]
• The Punk Rock Film from England (1978, directed by Don Letts. Unique title: The Punk Rock Film.)^[155]
• Sid Vicious: One thing Else (1978, directed by Julien Temple)^[156]
• Sid Vicious & Nancy Spungen (1979)^[157]
• High of the Pops (1979, Sequence episode 16.27, incorrectly credited)^[158]
• Mr. Mike’s Mondo Video (1979, directed by Michael O’Donoghue)
• The Nice Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle (1980, directed by Julien Temple)
• British Rock: Punk and Its Aftershocks (1980)^[159]
• D.O.A.: A Ceremony of Passage (1981, directed by Lech Kowalski)
• Decade…A Look Again (1989)^[160]
• Rock & Roll (1995, Sequence episodes “Renegades” and “Within the Groove”)^[161][162]
• Traditional Chaotic (1996)^[163]
• Degeneration Punk (1997)^[164]
• Dwell on the Longhorn (1999)^[165]
• Room 101 (1999, Sequence episode 4.1)^[166]
• The Filth and the Fury (2000, directed by Julien Temple)
• Dwell at Winterland (2001)^[167]
• 24 Hour Get together Individuals (2002, directed by Michael Winterbottom)
• Rage: 20 Years of Punk Rock West Coast Type (2001)^[168]
• 25 Years of Punk (2001)^[169]
• Sendung ohne Namen (2002, Sequence episode “Das Gute und das Böse!”)^[170]
• Hey! Is Dee Dee House? (2002, directed by Lech Kowalski)^[171]
• Traditional Albums (2003, Sequence episode “By no means Thoughts the Bollocks, This is the Intercourse Pistols”)^[172]
• Mayor of the Sundown Strip (2003, directed by George Hickenlooper)^[173]
• Blood on the Turntable (2004, Sequence episode “The Intercourse Pistols”)^[174]
• John Lydon: The Better of British £1 Notes (2005)^[175]
• Music Field Biographical Assortment: The Intercourse Pistols (2005)^[176]
• Pleasure Division: Below Assessment (2006)^[177]
• Ultimate 24 (2006, Sequence episode “Sid Vicious”)^[178]
• The Intercourse Pistols with Glen Matlock: Punk Icons (2006)^[179]
• The Intercourse Pistols: In Their Personal Phrases (2007)^[180]
• NY77: The Coolest Yr in Hell (2007, directed by Henry Corra)^[181]
• Por Toda Minha Vida (2007, Sequence episode “Renato Russo”)^[182]
• Chaos! Ex Pistols Secret Historical past: The Dave Goodman Story (2007)^[183]
• Rock Case Research: Intercourse Pistols (2007)^[184]
• Chelsea on the Rocks (2008, directed by Abel Ferrara)^[185]
• There’ll All the time Be an England (2008, directed by Julien Temple)^[186]
• Derek (2008, directed by Isaac Julien)^[187]
• British Type Genius (2008, Sequence episode “Breaking the Guidelines: The Trend Insurgent Look”)^[188]
• Who Killed Nancy? (2009, directed by Alan Parker)
• Sid! By These That Actually Knew Him (2009, directed by Mark Sloper)^[189]
• Cuéntame (2010, Sequence Episode “Las dos comuniones de María Alcántara”)^[190]
• No matter Occurred to Pink Floyd? The Unusual Case of Waters and Gilmour (2011)^[191]
• Punk Britannia (2012, Sequence episode “Publish-Punk 1978-1981”)^[192]
• High of the Pops: The Story of 1977 (2012)^[193]
• How the Brits Rocked America (2012, Sequence episode “We are the Youngsters in America”)^[194]
• Up Yours Ft. Feral Is Kinky: London (2013)^[195]
• Mainly, Johnny Moped (2013)^[196]
• Christmas with the Intercourse Pistols (2013, directed by Julien Temple. Unique title By no means Thoughts the Baubles: Xmas ’77 With The Intercourse Pistols)^[197]
• Tremendous Duper Alice Cooper (2014)^[198]
• Unhappy Trip: The Final Days of Sid and Nancy (2016, directed by Daniel Garcia)^[199]
• Two Sevens Conflict: Dread Meets Punk Rockers (2017, directed by Don Letts and Pablo D’Ambrosi)^[200]
• The Public Picture is Rotten (2017)^[201]
• Right here to Be Heard: The Story of The Slits (2017)^[202]
• Unhealthy Repute (2018)^[203]
• The Go-Go’s (2020)^[204]
• Blitzed! (2020)^[205]
• Rudi Backstage (2021, Sequence episode “Die größten Skandale der Popmusik II”)^[206]

Extra Soundtrack Credit

• High of the Pops (1977, Sequence Episode 14.43, incorrectly credited)^[207]
• South of Watford (1983, Sequence Episode “Constructive Punk”)^[208]
• Fame (1987, Sequence Episode “Ian’s Lady”)^[209]
• Goodfellas (1990, directed by Martin Scorsese)^[210]
• Rodrigo D: No Future (1990, directed by Víctor Gaviria)^[211]
• The Astronaut’s Spouse (1999, directed by Rand Ravich)^[212]
• Efficiency and Cocktails: Dwell at Morfa Stadium (1999, Stereophonics)^[213]
• On the Highway (2003)^[214]
• Punisher ’79-’82) (2010)^[215]
• Juan of the Useless (2011, directed by Alejandro Brugués)^[216]
• Californication (2014, Sequence Episode “Smile”, directed by John Dahl)^[217]
• Gotham (2016, Sequence Episode “Wrath of the Villains: Pinewood”)^[218]
• Dare to Be Completely different(2017)^[219]
• Natsuki: The Film (2018, directed by Chris Broad)^[220]
• Hits, Hype & Hustle: An Insider’s Information to the Music Enterprise (2018, Sequence Episode “Revivals and Reunions”)^[221]
• Professor Rex Sings Each Track Ever! (2020, Sequence Episode 5: “Intercourse Pistols”)^[222]

Radio and interviews

• Cult Heroes, Sid Vicious/Elvis Presley, was launched in 1993 by BBC Transcripton Providers. It’s an in-depth profile of Vicious intercut with interviews and music, offered by Magenta Devine.^[223]
• Sid Vicious – Most likely His Final Ever Interview (2000), Ozit-Morpheus Data
• In Search of Sid, a 30-minute radio documentary about Sid Vicious recorded by Jah Wobble, was aired on the BBC Radio 4 on 20 January 2009.^[224]

Additional studying

• Anne Beverley, The Sid Vicious Household album (1980, Virgin Books)
  

  ISBN 978-0-907080-02-2

• Gerald Cole, Sid and Nancy (1986, Methuen) ISBN 978-0-413-41210-2
• Alex Cox & Abbe Wool, Sid and Nancy (1986, Faber and Faber) ISBN 978-0-571-14545-4
• Keith Bateson and Alan Parker, Sid’s Manner (1991, Omnibus Press) ISBN 978-0-7119-2483-3
• Tom Stockdale, Sid Vicious. They Died Too Younger (1995, Parragon) ISBN 978-0-7525-0689-0
• Malcolm Butt, Sid Vicious. Rock’n’Roll Star (1997, Plexus) ISBN 978-0-85965-373-2
• David Dalton, El Sid (1998, St. Martin’s Griffin) ISBN 978-0-312-15520-9
• Sid Vicious, Too Quick To Dwell…Too Younger to Die (1999, Retro Publishing)
• Alan Parker, Vicious. Too Quick To Dwell… (2004, Creation Books) ISBN 978-1-84068-110-9
• Deborah Spungen, And I Do not Need to Dwell This Life. ISBN 978-0-449-91141-9
• Ed Hamilton, “Legends of the Chelsea Resort: Residing with the Artists and Outlaws of New York’s Insurgent Mecca” (2007, DeCapo Press) ISBN 978-1-56858-379-2
• Teddie Dahlin, A Vicious Love Story: Remembering the Actual Sid Vicious (2013 New Haven Publishing Ltd UK) ISBN 978-0-9575170-0-4
• Bengt-Erik Larsson, What Occurred In Room 100 at Chelsea Resort? The Dying of Nancy Spungen and Sid Vicious (Musical Memorials in New York) Kindle version
• Alan Parker with foreword by Malcolm McLaren, No One Is Harmless (Orion Books 2008)
• Matlock, Glen (2012) [1996]. I Was a Teenage Intercourse Pistol (2nd ed.). Rocket 88. ISBN 978-1-90661-536-9.