Dying Scene 
Most of you know that Sid Vicious was the charismatic, if not controversial, bass player in one of the most influential punk acts in history, the Sex Pistols. You’re probably vaguely aware that the dude played hard and lived life on the edge during his short 22 year tenure in this life but that’s probably the extent of your knowledge. The more senior among you will be more versed with his legend but there’s probably a few facts about the punk rock icon that will still surprise you.
Read our list of 10 things you probably didn’t know about Sid below.
1. Sid Vicious was born John Simon Ritchie
2. Vicious was in a relationship punctuated by bouts of domestic violence and drug abuse with 70’s punk rock figure, Nancy Spungen. Not long into their relationship, Spungen was found dead in their hotel room’s bathtub from a single stab wound to the abdomen. Vicious was charged with the murder but never made it to trial due to his death from a heroin overdose. (Many authors and filmmakers have speculated that Vicious may not have been the murderer, believing that a drug dealer who frequented their room may have actually been the culprit.)
3. Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten gave him the nickname Sid Vicious after his hamster Sid bit the-then-John-Ritchie. Ritchie proclaimed, “Sid is really vicious!” and a famous stage name was born.
4. Sex Pistols Manager Malcolm McLaren stated on one documentary that if he had met Vicious before hiring Johnny Rotton, he would have chosen Vicious to be the front man of the Pistols instead, stating that Vicious had “the most charisma of anyone in the band.”
5. Vicious’s abilities on bass guitar were sometimes questioned. In one interview, when asked why he instead of Vicious recorded the bass parts for their album “Never Mind the Bollocks”, former guitarist Steve Jones stated, “Sid was in a hospital with yellow jaundice and he couldn’t really play…not that he could play anyway.”
6. It is very possible that Vicious’s own mother, Anne, was responsible for the heroin overdose that led to his death. Years after his passing and soon before her death, Anne admitted to a journalist that she had purposely administered the fatal dose of heroin to her son. The question remains of whether Vicious wanted her to administer said dose.
7. Vicious is credited with inventing the Pogo move where you bounce up and down with the music.
8. Before joining the Sex Pistols, Vicious was previously the drummer for punk bands Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Flowers of Romance.
9. Vicious did time in an England remand centre (prison) after intending to throw a glass at a member of the band The Damned, but instead blinded a young girl when the glass shattered. After the incident the 100 club, where it occurred, went on to ban all punk acts at the club.
10. In 2006, the Sex Pistols were inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame with the inclusion of Sid Vicious. In typical punk rock fashion, the band rejected the honor with guitarist Steve Jones saying quote: “Once you want to be put into a museum, rock and roll is over.”
What a useless asshole.
RT @DyingScene: 10 things you probably didn’t know about Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols) http://t.co/bYRK3UNvGr
RT @DyingScene: 10 things you probably didn’t know about Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols) http://t.co/bYRK3UNvGr
This is primer stuff. ?
some of that aint right…he got his name from the lou reed song too.and cos he wasnt (this is in the gang of johns era).malcolm did meet sid first and he worked sometimes at sex/seditionarie for westwood.the nancy thing…by his own admition,eyewitnesses in bowery nightclubs who noticed stained money and sudden large amounts appearing-leads to one”rockets redglare”who even hints at it in his book.malcolm paid to get sids bowie knife cleaned even though it was not involved.and he is on the bollocks lp(if youve got old copy wb/virgin copy on vinyl,turn it up on bodies,holidays in sun and no feelings).there was side to him mostly not known or documented,esp-pre nancy/myth era.
Probably the most iconic ‘punk’
aaron what are you doing on a punk site site slagging off a punk legend
A legend? He was a useless twit who blinded an innocent girl and probably murdered his gf. Maybe forgivable if he actually did anything besides get wasted on stage and slap his bass.
he played in the best punk band in worl what have you ever done
he didnt chuck the glass actually…he wasnt in the hundred club til after damned played(it was vanians girlfriend who got the shard hit her,later reports noted two “fans”who no one knew,chucked it intended to hit scabies as part of”punk shock violence-ie,theyd read the newspapers and followed suit like sheep do)sid got nicked on the staors by two plainclothes who “turned up”just after him and they didnt ask questions,just grabbed him.caroline coon(journalist and friend)followed police car to station,sid got early hearing,no bail and off for three months in ashford remand center.this was weeks after the “reported”nick kent incident in press.everyone now accepts sid didnt throw the glass.
as for killin nancy?well,he was so fucked up on dialudes that he kept zoning in and out of consciousness.then when first dealer turned to spend the $21000(￡11000)royalties theyd just got from various record labels,he took more cos n.y. had a dry spell at time.hence the police records of multiple calls to redglares appartment(to get more opiates).as she was notioriously abrasive,redglare left early,thats when sid got punched by the chelseas bellhop,took more dialude and crashed out.toxicoligy/forensic proved he was “unconscious”at time of nancys demise,wakin two hours after it could possibly happened.sid called ny police6am,got bailed due to conflicting evidence/unsure.
Hedge Insult a lot of the information you provided is WRONG and yes the author is also incorrect.