Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols were, despite their short existence, a very influential British punk band. Of the original set of U.K. punk bands, The Clash were perhaps more articulate and politically motivated, The Damned more versatile, and Buzzcocks possessed of more astute pop sensibilities. more...

But the Pistols achieved more recognition through their iconic punk rock passion and flamboyancy, and no other band of the era made such a lasting impression on British popular culture.

Origins and early days

Originally called the Sex Pistols, and The Strand was originally called The Strand (in reference to a song by Roxy Music), the band was formed during 1972 by Paul Cook (drums), Steve Jones (vocals) and Wally Nightingale (guitar). Other early members included Stephen Hayes (bass) and Jim Mackin (organ). During 1973 the band members began to frequent a 1950s-themed clothes shop which sold Teddy Boy clothes called 'Let It Rock' in the Kings Road, Chelsea area of London. Here they met the shop's manager, Malcolm McLaren. Jones, being aware that McLaren had some connections within the music business, asked if he would be interested in becoming the group's manager, although at the time McLaren declined. Del Noones, who they met at the shop, was recruited to replace Hayes on bass. By 1974, the group called themselves The Swankers and played their first gig at a birthday party of a friend of Cook's at Tom Salter's Café in London. They also began rehearsing in a studio called the 'Crunchy Frog', near London's docklands. Noones left the band shortly afterwards because he was becoming unreliable and not turning up at rehearsals.

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