Complete List Of The Sex Pistols Band Members

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When punk rock exploded onto the British music scene in the mid-1970s, no band embodied the movement’s raw energy and rebellious spirit quite like the Sex Pistols. Formed in London in 1975, this groundbreaking group consisted of vocalist Johnny Rotten (byname of John Lydon), guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook, and bassist Glen Matlock, with Matlock replaced by Sid Vicious in early 1977. Despite their brief initial run of just two and a half years, the Sex Pistols released their sole studio album “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” (1977) which was a UK number one and is regarded as seminal in the development of punk rock. The band officially broke up in January 1978, at the final gig of a difficult and media-hyped tour of the US, though Rotten, Jones, Cook and Matlock later reunited for a successful tour in 1996 with further reunion tours occurring through the 2000s.

The Sex Pistols created considerable controversy during their heyday, particularly after swearing live on-air during a December 1976 television interview and releasing “God Save the Queen” in May 1977, which described the monarchy as a “fascist regime.” Their influence extended far beyond music, as their clothing and hairstyles were a significant influence on the early punk image and they initiated the punk movement in the United Kingdom and later inspired many punk, post-punk and alternative rock musicians. Most recently, in 2024, Jones, Cook, Matlock, and guest vocalist Frank Carter, reformed the Sex Pistols to play a series of shows that year, with further dates scheduled for 2025.

Johnny Rotten (John Lydon)

John Joseph Lydon, born 31 January 1956, also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a British-born singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. As the charismatic frontman of the Sex Pistols, Lydon became one of punk rock’s most recognizable figures through his distinctive vocal style and provocative lyrics. Lydon’s outspoken personality, rebellious image and fashion style convinced Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren to invite Lydon to join the group as its lead vocalist after he impressed McLaren by singing along to Alice Cooper’s “I’m Eighteen” at McLaren’s shop.

During his time with the Sex Pistols from 1975 to 1978, Lydon co-wrote many of the band’s most famous songs. With the Sex Pistols, he co-wrote singles including “Anarchy in the U.K.,” “God Save the Queen,” and “Holidays in the Sun.” His contributions to “Never Mind the Bollocks” were substantial, serving as the primary lyricist while working closely with the other members on musical arrangements. Lydon closed the final Sid Vicious-era Sex Pistols concert in San Francisco’s Winterland in January 1978 with a rhetorical question to the audience: “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?”

Following the Sex Pistols’ breakup, Lydon immediately began his next musical chapter. In 1978, Lydon formed the post-punk band Public Image Ltd (PiL), which became his primary musical outlet for decades. The first line-up of the band included bassist Jah Wobble, drummer Jim Walker, and former Clash guitarist Keith Levene. Public Image Ltd allowed Lydon to explore more experimental sounds compared to the straightforward punk of the Sex Pistols. The band has remained active intermittently, with Lydon founding and fronting PiL from 1978 until 1993, and again since 2009. Throughout his post-Pistols career, Lydon has maintained his outspoken nature and continued to tour and record with Public Image Ltd, cementing his legacy as one of punk’s most enduring figures.

Steve Jones

Stephen Philip Jones, born 3 September 1955, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of the punk band Sex Pistols. As the band’s lead guitarist, Jones developed the driving sound that became synonymous with the Sex Pistols’ aggressive style. Jones was ranked No. 97 in Rolling Stone’s 2015 list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. Despite having limited formal training, Jones is a self-taught guitar player, primarily playing Gibson Les Paul electric guitars in his early years, and remarkably he had allegedly only been playing for three months before his first Sex Pistols gig.

Jones played on “Never Mind the Bollocks,” contributing the album’s distinctive guitar sound that helped define punk rock. His playing style was characterized by heavy power chords and a raw, unpolished approach that perfectly complemented the band’s rebellious image. His usual guitar was a cream-coloured Gibson Les Paul Custom which Malcolm McLaren had acquired from Sylvain Sylvain of The New York Dolls. The album’s producer praised Jones for his tight playing, noting his ability to maintain precise timing despite the seemingly chaotic nature of punk music.

After the Sex Pistols disbanded, Jones embarked on a varied musical career. Following the split of the Sex Pistols, he formed the Professionals with former bandmate Paul Cook, releasing several albums including their self-titled debut and “I Didn’t See It Coming.” He has released two solo albums, and worked with Johnny Thunders, Iggy Pop, Cheap Trick, Bob Dylan and Thin Lizzy. In the 1990s, he formed the short-lived supergroup Neurotic Outsiders with members of Guns N’ Roses and Duran Duran. However, Jones found his greatest post-Pistols success in an unexpected arena: radio broadcasting. In February 2004, Jones began hosting a daily radio program in Los Angeles, called “Jonesy’s Jukebox,” on Indie 103.1 FM, which became hugely popular and has continued in various formats, currently as a weekly podcast featuring interviews with major rock stars and celebrities.

Paul Cook

Paul Thomas Cook, born 20 July 1956, is an English musician, best known as the drummer and a founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is nicknamed “Cookie” by friends in the punk music scene. Cook formed the foundation of the Sex Pistols’ rhythm section and was instrumental in developing their tight, driving sound. Cook’s early influences included Motown, ska and glam rock acts like David Bowie, T. Rex, Roxy Music and Slade, in addition to drummers Kenney Jones of the Faces, Paul Thompson of Roxy Music, Al Jackson Jr. and Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Cook’s drumming was essential to “Never Mind the Bollocks,” providing the powerful rhythmic backbone that drove songs like “Anarchy in the U.K.” and “God Save the Queen.” His style combined the precision of his Motown influences with the raw energy required for punk rock. After the Sex Pistols suddenly broke up after their final concert in San Francisco on 14 January 1978, Cook and Jones initially worked on the soundtrack to Julien Temple’s film, “The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle.” Cook even contributed vocals to the project, singing lead on the album version of the song “Silly Thing.”

Following the Pistols’ breakup, Cook embarked on diverse musical projects. The pair then started a new band, the Professionals, with Andy Allan, which became Cook’s primary focus through the early 1980s. Beyond punk rock, in the early 1980s, Cook, along with Jones, discovered the English new wave girl-group Bananarama. Cook helped the trio record their debut single, “Aie a Mwana,” and acted as a producer on their 1982 debut album “Deep Sea Skiving.” He also worked with other notable acts, including playing on the Edwyn Collins song “A Girl Like You,” beginning a longstanding association with Collins as a session musician. In recent years, Cook has continued performing with reformed versions of the Professionals and has participated in various Sex Pistols reunion tours, most recently in 2024 with Frank Carter as vocalist.

Glen Matlock

Glen Matlock was the Sex Pistols’ bass guitarist during 1975–1977 and served as one of the band’s primary songwriters during their formative period. As a founding member, Matlock was crucial in developing the Sex Pistols’ sound and wrote much of the music for their classic songs. The group began writing original material: Rotten was the lyricist and Matlock the primary melody writer (though their first collaboration, “Pretty Vacant,” had a complete lyric by Matlock, which Rotten tweaked a bit). His musical contributions helped shape what would become “Never Mind the Bollocks,” though his time with the band ended before the album’s completion.

Matlock’s departure from the Sex Pistols occurred in early 1977, at which point Sid Vicious replaced him as the group’s bass guitarist. Despite leaving before “Never Mind the Bollocks” was finished, Matlock’s songwriting contributions remained fundamental to the album’s success. Jones played bass on the two songs recorded after Matlock’s departure and overdubbed some additional parts on other existing songs, but the core musical framework had largely been established during Matlock’s tenure with the band.

After leaving the Sex Pistols, Matlock quickly formed his own successful band. Matlock went on to form Rich Kids, a new wave power pop band, with himself as bass guitarist and singer, Midge Ure (guitarist, singer and keyboard player), Steve New (guitarist and singer) and Rusty Egan (drummer). Their only album, “Ghosts of Princes in Towers,” was produced by David Bowie’s essential guitarist, co-producer and arranger Mick Ronson. The Rich Kids achieved commercial success with a self-titled Top 25 hit the following year before the band dissolved. Throughout his career, Matlock has worked with numerous notable artists, including playing bass on the Iggy Pop album “Soldier” and the Damned album “Not of This Earth.” He has also maintained a solo career, recently releasing “Consequences Coming” on 27 April 2023, and has participated in multiple Sex Pistols reunion tours, rejoining the original Sex Pistols members for reunion tours in 1996, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008.

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious, whose real name was John Simon Ritchie, but also went by John Beverly, joined the Sex Pistols in 1977, replacing bass guitarist Glen Matlock. He was previously the co-founder and vocalist of the band Flowers of Romance. Vicious became the Sex Pistols’ bassist during a crucial period in the band’s career, joining just as they were gaining widespread notoriety and preparing to record their landmark album. By the time their album “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” reached number one in early November, Rotten, Vicious, Jones, and Cook had recorded together for the last time.

Despite his iconic status in punk history, Vicious’s musical contributions to the Sex Pistols were limited. Jones played bass on the two songs recorded after Matlock’s departure and overdubbed some additional parts on other existing songs, with Vicious also contributing to the song “Bodies.” His role in the band was more about image and attitude than musical proficiency, as he had limited bass-playing experience when he joined. However, his charismatic stage presence and embodiment of punk’s rebellious spirit made him an integral part of the Sex Pistols’ final phase.

Tragically, Vicious’s story ended shortly after the Sex Pistols disbanded. Vicious died of a heroin overdose in February 1979 following his arrest for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. The bass guitarist died of a heroin overdose at the age of 21 on February 2, 1979, a day after he was released on bail after becoming the prime suspect in his girlfriend Nancy Spungen’s death. Despite his brief time with the band, Vicious became one of punk rock’s most infamous figures, symbolizing both the movement’s rebellious energy and its tragic excesses. His legacy has been preserved through numerous books, films, and documentaries about the Sex Pistols and the punk movement, cementing his place as one of rock’s most controversial and iconic figures.