Remembering Sid Vicious on the 38th Anniversary of His Death

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s top music outlet, takes a look back at the legacy and tragic death of the Sex Pistols bassist

Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols - Winterland -
January 14, 1978. Found on Wikipedia. Chicago Art
Department c/o: L. Schorr

Today marks the 38^th anniversary of punk legend Sid Vicious’ death. On February 2, 1979, Vicious overdosed on heroin at a party, ending the wild two year ride that marked his life on and off stage with famed British punk band, the Sex Pistols.

Vicious, nee John Simon Ritchie, joined the Sex Pistols on bass in 1977 at the suggestion of singer and friend Johnny Rotten. And though he was technically part of the band, he never actually played on their sole album, ‘Never Mind the Bollocks,’ and didn’t always play live at their shows, a combination of poor bass playing and drug abuse. Vicious was actually a better singer than bassist, with former manager Malcolm McLaren writing in The Daily Beast that the musician once filled in for Rotten during a soundcheck and out-performed him. When the Sex Pistols broke up in 1978, Vicious went solo. He released three singles, covers of songs by Frank Sinatra (“My Way”) and Eddie Cochran (“C’mon Everybody” and “Something Else”), for the film ‘The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle,’ and played countless shows at Max’s Kansas City.

Unfortunately, his promising career was cut short by his drug abuse, which led to far worse legal troubles.  While under a heavy heroin-induced sleep, he woke up to his girlfriend Nancy Spungen stabbed to death on the floor and the reality that he was being blamed for the crime, a crime that would overshadow everything he had done as an artist.  The next few months saw him at his lowest point, sandwiching two suicide attempts between two arrests and jail time. In the end, Vicious lost out to heroin, OD-ing just one day after getting out of jail.

The most prominent thing about Sid Vicious was his style and attitude. His look became the definition of punk in the 1970s. Black leather jacket, ripped black “drainpipe” jeans and boots were his uniform, and along with his wild hair and constant sneer, it stuck as a symbol of the genre’s characteristic rebelliousness. According to McLaren, Vicious also invented the “pogo,” a dance many fans do in mosh pits that involves bouncing up and down and hitting into other people, which has also become synonymous with the genre.

With all the theories surrounding his death and that of Nancy Spongen, it is easy to overlook the impact Sid Vicious had on the punk aesthetic. As a member of the Sex Pistols and as a solo artist, his art was at the forefront of the burgeoning genre. His attitude and wardrobe were even more influential, shaping the way people perceive punk to this day.

---

Sid Vicious’ legacy lives on at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Shop Long Island’s top new independent record shop to find music from Vicious and the Sex Pistols, as well as many, many more artists. Browse thousands of titles ranging from punk, rock and metal to classical, jazz and blues and everything in between. We have a wide selection of new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, DVDs and memorabilia with new pieces being added all the time. Our store is convenient located in Plainview, NY, near the Long Island Expressway and the Northern State Parkway. Come in during business hours or shop online from the comfort of your own home to check out what’s new at Vinyl Bay 777.