Sex Pistols Call It Quits

 On January 17th, 1978 the Sex Pistols called it quits. 

The Sex Pistols (1975-1978)

Sex Pistols Timeline:

8/27/1956 - Glen Matlock Born

5/9/1957 - Sid Vicious Born

10/8/1976 - Sex Pistols Sign with EMI

12/1/1976 - Sex Pistols and the Filth and the Fury

1/6/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by EMI 

3/10/1977 - Sex Pistols Sign to A&M

3/16/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by A&M

4/3/1977 - Sid Vicious First Gig

5/27/1977 - Sex Pistols Release God Save the Queen

6/7/1977 - Sex Pistols Boat Party

1/5/1978 - Sex Pistols 1978 Tour Begins

1/14/1978 - Sex Pistols Last Stand

1/17/1978 - Sex Pistols Call It Quits

10/12/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Murder

10/23/1978 - Sid Vicious Suicide Attempt

12/9/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Assault

1/2/1979 -  Sid Vicious Murder Trial Begins

2/2/1979 - Sid Vicious Dies

11/7/1986 - Sid and Nancy

Sex Pistols Last Stand

 On January 14th, 1978, at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, CA., Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, Steve Jones and Paul Cook performed live for the last time together as the Sex Pistols.

Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten,
Steve Jones and Paul Cook

After a one song encore of the Stooges “No Fun” Rotten’s last words were: “Ever get the feeling you been cheated? Good Night.”

No Fun

By January 17th the band had separated with Rotten making an announcement the next day. 

Sex Pistols Timeline:

8/27/1956 - Glen Matlock Born

5/9/1957 - Sid Vicious Born

10/8/1976 - Sex Pistols Sign with EMI

12/1/1976 - Sex Pistols and the Filth and the Fury

1/6/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by EMI 

3/10/1977 - Sex Pistols Sign to A&M

3/16/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by A&M

4/3/1977 - Sid Vicious First Gig

5/27/1977 - Sex Pistols Release God Save the Queen

6/7/1977 - Sex Pistols Boat Party

1/5/1978 - Sex Pistols 1978 Tour Begins

1/14/1978 - Sex Pistols Last Stand

1/17/1978 - Sex Pistols Call It Quits

10/12/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Murder

10/23/1978 - Sid Vicious Suicide Attempt

12/9/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Assault

1/2/1979 -  Sid Vicious Murder Trial Begins

2/2/1979 - Sid Vicious Dies

11/7/1986 - Sid and Nancy

The Beatles Last Stand

Ramones Last Stand

Sex Pistols Dropped by EMI

On January 6th, 1977, EMI dropped the Sex Pistols after only signing them in October of the previous year. 

Steve Jones, John Lyndon, Paul Cook
and Glen Matlock

The label cited the bands “adverse publicity over the past couple months as a reason. 

The Sex Pistols only EMI release

The band would release a song about the experience entitled “EMI”on their debut full length release two labels later. 

Sex Pistols Timeline:

8/27/1956 - Glen Matlock Born

5/9/1957 - Sid Vicious Born

10/8/1976 - Sex Pistols Sign with EMI

12/1/1976 - Sex Pistols and the Filth and the Fury

1/6/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by EMI 

3/10/1977 - Sex Pistols Sign to A&M

3/16/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by A&M

4/3/1977 - Sid Vicious First Gig

5/27/1977 - Sex Pistols Release God Save the Queen

6/7/1977 - Sex Pistols Boat Party

1/5/1978 - Sex Pistols 1978 Tour Begins

1/14/1978 - Sex Pistols Last Stand

1/17/1978 - Sex Pistols Call It Quits

10/12/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Murder

10/23/1978 - Sid Vicious Suicide Attempt

12/9/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Assault

1/2/1979 -  Sid Vicious Murder Trial Begins

2/2/1979 - Sid Vicious Dies

11/7/1986 - Sid and Nancy

The 1978 Sex Pistols US Tour Begins

On January 5th, 1978 the Sex Pistols kicked off the first US tour in Atlanta, Georgia at the Great South East Music Hall. A previous show had been cancelled in Pittsburgh due to visa issues. 

Steve Jones, Johnny Rotten, Paul Cook
and Sid Vicious 1978 visa photos

The band would then make their way through the southernmost points of the US over the next week. 

Malcolm McLaren had intentionally booked the most redneck venues available to promote as much chaos as possible. 

The Sex Pistols 1978

The band and the tour would implode just over a week later in San Francisco, California. 

Sex Pistols Timeline:

8/27/1956 - Glen Matlock Born

5/9/1957 - Sid Vicious Born

10/8/1976 - Sex Pistols Sign with EMI

12/1/1976 - Sex Pistols and the Filth and the Fury

1/6/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by EMI 

3/10/1977 - Sex Pistols Sign to A&M

3/16/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by A&M

4/3/1977 - Sid Vicious First Gig

5/27/1977 - Sex Pistols Release God Save the Queen

6/7/1977 - Sex Pistols Boat Party

1/5/1978 - Sex Pistols 1978 Tour Begins

1/14/1978 - Sex Pistols Last Stand

1/17/1978 - Sex Pistols Call It Quits

10/12/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Murder

10/23/1978 - Sid Vicious Suicide Attempt

12/9/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Assault

1/2/1979 -  Sid Vicious Murder Trial Begins

2/2/1979 - Sid Vicious Dies

11/7/1986 - Sid and Nancy

Sex Pistols v EMI

On October 8th, 1976 the Sex Pistols signed to EMI for a reported £40,000. 

The Sex Pistols then did what the Sex Pistols will do and were dropped by the label 3 months later for various antics.

Glen Matlock, John Lyndon,
Steve Jones and Paul Cook

They kept the money, integrity and wrote another anthem simply entitled EMI, released two labels later.

Also on this date:

Sigourney Weaver was born in 1949

Sex Pistols Timeline:

8/27/1956 - Glen Matlock Born

5/9/1957 - Sid Vicious Born

10/8/1976 - Sex Pistols Sign with EMI

12/1/1976 - Sex Pistols and the Filth and the Fury

1/6/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by EMI 

3/10/1977 - Sex Pistols Sign to A&M

3/16/1977 - Sex Pistols Dropped by A&M

4/3/1977 - Sid Vicious First Gig

5/27/1977 - Sex Pistols Release God Save the Queen

6/7/1977 - Sex Pistols Boat Party

1/5/1978 - Sex Pistols 1978 Tour Begins

1/14/1978 - Sex Pistols Last Stand

1/17/1978 - Sex Pistols Call It Quits

10/12/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Murder

10/23/1978 - Sid Vicious Suicide Attempt

12/9/1978 - Sid Vicious Arrested for Assault

1/2/1979 -  Sid Vicious Murder Trial Begins

2/2/1979 - Sid Vicious Dies

11/7/1986 - Sid and Nancy