Swankers   1972 - Aug. 1975
In 1972, Paul & Steve formed the Swankers with Wally & Del Noone. Glen joined them in 73. Later their manager Malcolm McLaren dismissed Nightingale and Nooe. Steve moved to guitar and the search began for a singer.
l-r: Steve, Glen, Paul
Glen Matlock (bass) Paul Cook (drums) Steve Jones (vocals) Wally Nightingale (guitar)
clockwise at 12: Paul, Johnny, Glen, Steve Sex Pistols #1   Aug. 1975 - Nov. 1975
McLaren wanted someone who was 'not older than 20, not worse looking than Johnny Thunders'. Nick Kent went along out of interest but he left the band after few weeks. Afterward John Lydon was asked to join on Aug 75. John called himself 'Johnny Rotten'. The Sex Pistols was born! On 6th Nov 75, they played their first gig at St Martin's School of Art in London.
Siouxsie and the Banshees #1
Sept. 1976 for 1 gig only
Nick Kent (guitar/ vocals) Glen Matlock (bass) Paul Cook (drums) Steve Jones (guitar) Johnny Rotten (vocals) Marco Pirroni
(lead guitar)
Sid Vicious (drums) Siouxsie (vocals) Steve Havoc (bass) Sid Vicious Siouxsie
Sex Pistols #2   Nov. 1975 - Feb. 1977
The Pistols were barred from playing in many places and festival in London (e.g. European Punk Rock Festival) because of their havoc and outrage. Only the 100 Club booked them for the Punk Rock Festival. On 5th Oct 76, EMI Records singed the Pistols for a £ 40,000 advance. The Pistols made headlines again due to their swearing and shocking behaviour on ITV's programme 'Today', which was hosted by Bill Grundy. EMI sacked the Pistols on 12th Jan 77. Two months later Glen left the Pistols and formed the Rich Kids.
Sid Vicious
Flowers of Romance
Sept. 1976 - Feb. 1977

 

Rich Kids Glen Matlock (bass) Paul Cook (drums) Steve Jones (guitar) Johnny Rotten (vocals) Sid Vicious (vocals ) Sarah (bass) Steve Walsh (guitar) Keith Levine (guitar, ex-The Clash Viv Albertine (guitar) Palm Olive (drums)
Rich Kids
Mar.1977 - the present
Glen Matlock
(bass/ vocals)
Midge Ure
(guitar/ vocals)
Rusty Egan
(drums)
Steve New
(guitar)
Sex Pistols #3   Feb. 1977 - 1978
Sid replaced Glen. The Pistols signed to A&M Records outside Buckingham Palace on 10th Mar 77. But A&M sacked them 6 days later. Virgin Records signed the band for £15,000 afterward. They did some gigs during Jun 77. The most famous one was the River Thames boat trip. The band and other people were arrested when the boat docked. In Jul 77, the Pistols toured Scandinavia. During Aug 77, they did a secret UK tour under various names, then followed a US tour in Jan 78. In Jul 78, Johnny Rotten reverted to his real name 'John Lydon' and formed a new band 'Public Image Ltd' (PiL). The Sex Pistols split after the making of the documentary film 'The Great Rock n Roll Swindle' by Julien Temple. Sid died in Feb. 1979
l-r: Steve, Sid, Johnny, Paul
Paul Cook (drums) Steve Jones (guitar) Johnny Rotten (vocals) Sid Vicious (bass) maybe... who knows?!
PiL logo PiL   Jul. 1978 - the present
Keith Levene (guitar) Jah Wobble (bass) Johnny Rotten (vocals) Jim Walker (drums)

Some information above is taken from the family tree drawn by Pete Frame for ZIG ZAG.