Death of Sid Vicious. The Story of Sid Vicious Coming to the Sex Pistols

(real name John Simon Ritchie (05/10/1957 - 02/02/1979)) - British musician, band member Sex Pistols, a legendary figure in the history of music whose name will always be associated with punk.

Sid Vicious was born on May 10, 1957 in London to the family of John Ritchie (a security guard who at one time worked at Buckingham Palace) and Anne, a woman with hippie tendencies who had been using drugs for many years. Jah Wobble (Sid's childhood friend and later a member of Public Image Limited) recalled how horrified he was when he saw Anne giving her son a dose of heroin: “I was 16 years old, and at that age your mother is the person who leaves you dinner in the oven, and not the syringe that I used myself...”

Soon after the birth of his son, John Ritchie left the family, and Sid and his mother went to the island of Ibiza, where they spent 4 years. Upon returning to England, Anne married Christopher Beverley in 1965. For some time the family lived in Kent; After the death of their stepfather, mother and son rented a room in Tunbridge Wells, then lived in Somerset.

Sid showed no interest in studying and dropped out of school at the age of 15, but soon (under the name Simon John Beverly) entered Hackney College of Art, where he began to study photography. Here he met John Lydon, who gave him his nickname, which later became famous. According to one version, Lydon's hamster, nicknamed Sid, bit John on the hand, and he exclaimed: “Sid is really vicious!” Later versions appeared that the nickname was given in honor of Syd Barrett and Lou Reed's song “Vicious”. Together with John Wardle (who later took the alias Jah Wobble) and John Gray, they formed The 4 Johns. As Anne recalls, unlike Lydon, who was an extremely reserved and shy guy, Sid dyed his hair and behaved in the manner of his then idol, David Bowie. Lydon said that the duo often earned money by performing street concerts, performing Alice Cooper songs: John sang, and Sid accompanied him on the tambourine.

For a long time, Sid lived alternately - either with squatters or in his mother's house, but at the age of 17, having quarreled with her, he became truly homeless, thanks to which he first entered punk culture (the majority of London squatters in those days were punks). It was around this time that Sid first walked into a shop on the King's Road called Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die (soon renamed SEX) and met - firstly Glen Matlock (who worked there and played music in the evenings). bass guitar), then through him with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. The latter two had just formed the Swankers and were trying to persuade store owner Malcolm McLaren (who had recently returned from America, where he briefly managed the affairs of the New York Dolls) to become their manager. Soon the line-up transformed into the Sex Pistols and found a vocalist in the person of another regular, John Lydon - although at first McLaren's wife, Vivienne Westwood, chose Sid.

For some time, Sid was also considered as a possible vocalist for another new group, The Damned, but was dropped from the list after failing to show up for an audition. In those same days, he assembled the notorious squatter band The Flowers of Romance; the future The Slits were among the participants. Having recently suffered from loneliness, Sid suddenly found himself in the very center of a new cultural movement and decided not to miss his chance: taking up (following the example of his new idol, Dee Dee Ramone) a bass guitar, he finally accepted a lifestyle that very soon led him to tragedy.

In September 1976, Sid took part in the so-called First International Punk Festival, organized by Ron Watts, manager of the 100 Club in collaboration with Malcolm McLaren. The headliners here were the Sex Pistols, who by that time already had a reputation as a new, highly promising group with an amazing author's duet. When it became known that time had become available on the program for one more member, two members of Bromley Contingent - Susie Sue and Steve Spanker (Severin) - immediately offered their services, inviting Sid (drums) and Billy as the other two members of the defunct "band". Idol (guitar; the latter’s place was immediately taken by Marco Pirroni, a friend of a girl named Sue Catwoman, with whom Sid was also friends). So on the first day of the Festival, Sid appeared on the big stage for the first time. However, already on the second day he “left” it, because he was arrested (for starting to throw bottles on stage) and placed in the Ashford Remand juvenile prison. After being released from prison, he moved in with Catwoman and became something of a bodyguard for her.

After Sex Pistols bass guitarist Glen Matlock was forced to leave in January 1977, his place was offered to Vicious, who had little command of the instrument, but had the image of an ideal punk. He sincerely tried to master the instrument, but his playing was uneven and weak. In particular, Steve Jones believed that Sid never learned to play. Lemmy, from whom Sid took lessons, shared the same opinion. At concerts, it was often necessary to disconnect his bass guitar from the amplifiers so that he would not confuse other musicians (Vicious did not play in the studio). Sid's concert debut in the group took place on April 3, 1977 at the London club Screen on the Green. This performance was filmed by Don Letts; the recording was included in the film "Punk Rock Movie".

Having joined the Sex Pistols almost by accident, Sid Vicious found himself in the rays of the group's scandalous fame and immediately became its most prominent character. The press was especially attracted by the image and manners of Vicious, who loved to pose and give interviews, which is why in the perception of the general public, Vicious, even more than Rotten and the rest of the band members, became the personification of punk, although he actually contributed little to the work of the Sex Pistols (one written song and several re-covers strangers). Meanwhile, it was Sid who invented the famous pogo “dance”. “I hated the Bromley Contingent and I came up with a way to drive them around this 100 Club. I just rushed from side to side, jumping - boyng, boyng, boyng! - and knocked them down to the floor,” he said.

It is generally accepted that it was thanks to Sid that the atmosphere of violence thickened around the group. It was alleged that he once attacked journalist Nick Kent with a bicycle chain - allegedly at the instigation of McLaren and Rotten, who were outraged by the fact that Kent had performed with The Damned the day before. Subsequently, the reality of this fact was questioned, since there were no witnesses to the attack, and everyone learned about it from articles and memoirs of Kent himself. The myth of the “formidable” Sid also does not correspond to the fact, confirmed by many eyewitnesses, that Sid did not know how to fight at all and was beaten several times - in particular, by Paul Weller, David Coverdale and Thin Lizzy guitarist John Robertson.

Almost immediately after joining the group, Sid met Nancy Spungen, a groupie junkie who had arrived in London from New York with the sole purpose of sleeping with the Sex Pistols. Pamela Rook, a friend of Sid’s who worked in a clothing store, recalled: “She went from John and Steve to Sid, and he fell in love instantly. For him, among other things, Nancy was the personification of an entire culture centered in New York, where his favorite band, the Ramones, reigned.” The couple settled in Rook's apartment not far from Buckingham Palace, where all three sat on one common mattress - in the dining room.

Meanwhile, the Sex Pistols also lost their second contract - with A&M Records; This was largely due to the fights inspired by Sid. However, Jah Wobble, in a review of Alan Parker's book Sid Vicious: Noone Is Innocent, claims that the rumors about them were greatly exaggerated. For example, there was no “attack” on radio host Bob “Whisperer” Harris at the Speakeasy club: Sid only said a few harsh words to him.

The group signed their third contract with Virgin Records, but by the time “God Save the Queen” was released, Sid’s health had deteriorated: he managed to visit the hospital where he was treated for hepatitis C. At the same time, his two passions - for Nancy and heroin - grew uncontrollably.

After the Sex Pistols returned from Scandinavia and played several "secret" British sets (SPOTS: Sex Pistols on Tour Secretly), it became clear that Nancy was becoming a dangerous liability for the group. They tried to forcefully send her to America, but the plan failed: Sid and Nancy became even closer: now they were opposed to the whole world, and nothing could separate them. At times the couple looked quite respectable: for example, during charity concerts in Huddersfield in favor of miners (where John took part in a “cake fight”) Sid and Nancy interacted with children and made the most pleasant impression on everyone. Here, for the first time, Sid was given the opportunity to go to the microphone (he sang “Chinese Rocks” and “Born to Lose”).

In London, McLaren, busy making a film (which was then called "Who Killed Bambi": it was later released under the title "The Great Rock and Roll Swindle"), made it clear to Sid and Nancy that they would not receive money from him unless they agreed to fulfill all his instructions regarding the film. Sid went to Paris to film and recorded a version of "My Way" (a song made famous by Frank Sinatra). The recording was not easy: Sid kept refusing to work “with these French idiots.” The finished tapes were sent to London: here Steve Jones overdubbed the guitar parts and gave the track a specifically “Pistol” sound. "My Way" was released as a single in June (from "No One Is Innocent") and immediately began to climb the charts (#7 UK Singles Chart). In gratitude for his participation in the film, Sid received his freedom from McLaren. Nancy Spungen, who officially became his manager, flew to New York and began organizing the upcoming tour there. With the group The Vicious White Kids (Glen Matlock, Steve New and Rat Scabiz), Sid gave one concert at the Electric Ballroom and, having received the money, immediately flew to New York. Upon arrival, Sid and Nancy headed to the Chelsea Hotel, once famous for its guests, now famous only for its drug orgies, and rented a room here (No. 100). Nancy actually managed to organize several concerts: Jerry Nolan and Killer Kane (ex-New York Dolls), as well as guitarist Steve Dior, appeared in the new group with Sid. Mick Jones, guitarist of The Clash, appeared as a guest at Max's club.

But after on September 7, 1978, at the last concert, Vicious appeared on heroin and, having barely sung a cover of Iggy Pop’s song “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” lost consciousness, all the musicians refused to perform with him. Soon after this, Sid went with Nancy to visit her parents, but the visit was not successful. Both were complete drug addicts, looked terrible and brought horror and indignation to the respectable Jewish family.

Two other songs Sid recorded simultaneously with “My Way” - “Something Else” and “C’mon Everybody” - were released as singles under the Sex Pistols banner and became hits (#3 UK). In October, he received from McLaren a fee (by check) and a cash amount of 25 thousand dollars: the latter was placed in the bottom drawer of the table in the hotel room that same day. The day arrived on October 11th: Sid and Nancy urgently needed a dose. There was a rumor that they had money and were ready to pay any amount. It is known that at least two drug dealers visited their hotel room. After receiving the doses, Sid and Nancy fell into oblivion. Sid came to his senses on the morning of October 12th. Nancy was in the bathroom: she was killed, apparently, with his knife. He immediately called an ambulance, then the police, and on October 19 he was arrested on suspicion of murder. A sum of $25,000 disappeared from the bottom drawer and was never found. The musician himself, due to severe alcohol and drug intoxication, did not remember what happened and categorically denied his guilt.

In the very first hours after the incident, people who knew Sid and Nancy began to express confidence that he could not have committed this crime. “He was anything but Vicious; in fact, I didn’t even know him by that name. He was a quiet, very lonely man. Nancy and he were a very sensitive couple and treated each other well. Even in my office they did not let go of each other's embrace. It was felt that there was a strong connection between them,” said Stanley Bard, manager of the Chelsea Hotel.

Phil Strongman, in Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk, states that Nancy's killer was most likely Rockets Redglare, a drug dealer, bouncer, actor (and later stand-up comedian). He was reliably established that he was with Nancy that night, to whom he brought 40 capsules of hydromorphone. There was also a version according to which Nancy’s death was the result of a failed “double suicide.”

Sid was taken to Rikers Prison. McLaren persuaded Virgin Records to provide a deposit amount (50 thousand dollars), promising from Sid new album. Warner Bros. raised money for a team of lawyers and the suspect was released on bail. On October 22, still in a state of deep shock from the death of his beloved, Sid attempted to commit suicide. While he was in the hospital, his mother, who flew in from England, looked after him. As soon as he was discharged, Sid got into a fight on December 9, broke a bottle on the head of Patti Smith's brother Todd Smith and was arrested for 55 days. On February 1, he was released on bail again and headed to the apartment of his new girlfriend Michelle Robinson with his mother and a group of friends. Here he took a dose of heroin and lost consciousness. Those present managed to bring him to his senses, after which he took heroin again. “I could swear that at those moments a pinkish aura appeared over him,” Anne Beverly later said. - The next morning I brought him tea. Sid lay in complete peace. I tried to push him away, and then I realized that he was cold... And dead.”

New York's chief coroner, Dr. Michael Baden, who performed the autopsy, determined that the heroin found in his system was 80 percent pure, while Vicious usually used a 5 percent solution.

On February 7, 1979, Sid Vicious was cremated, and a few days later, Ann Beverly (despite the protests of the Spungen couple) scattered his ashes - as is commonly believed, over Nancy's grave in King David Cemetery. Later, however, reports emerged that she accidentally or deliberately knocked over an urn containing ashes at Heathrow, and the entire contents went into the airport's ventilation system.

Vicious' abilities as a bass player have been disputed. During an interview for Guitar Hero III, when Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones was asked why he did the bass for Never Mind the Bollocks instead of Vicious, he replied: "Sid was in the hospital with hepatitis, he couldn't play, not that... so that he can play at all.” Sid asked Lemmy, Motörhead's bass player, to teach him how to play bass, saying, "I don't know how to play bass," to which Lemmy replied, "I know." In another interview, Lemmy said: “It wasn’t all easy. He still couldn't play the bass guitar at the time of his death."

According to Paul Cook, in the months between joining the band and meeting Nancy, Vicious worked devotedly and struggled to learn how to play. Viv Albertine, a member of The Flowers of Romance, which included Vicious, said that one night she “went to bed and Sid was left with a Ramones album and a bass guitar, and when I woke up in the morning he could play. He took a bunch of speed and taught himself. He was fast." Keith Levine, another member of The Flowers of Romance and later The Clash and Public Image Ltd, tells a similar story: “Could Syd play bass? I don't know that, but I know that Sid did things very quickly. One night he played the first Ramones album non-stop, all night, and the next morning he could play bass guitar. That's how it was; he was ready! Sid did things very quickly!

Biography

Soon after the birth of his son, John Ritchie left the family, and Sid and his mother went to the island of Ibiza, where they spent four years. On her return to England, Anne married Christopher Beverley in 1965. The family lived for some time in Kent; After the death of their stepfather, mother and son rented a room in Tunbridge Wells, then lived in Somerset. .

Sid showed no interest in studying and left school at the age of 15, but soon (under the name Simon John Beverley) entered Hackney Art College. Hackney College), where he began to study photography. Here he met John Lydon, who gave him the nickname that later became famous. According to one version, Lydon's hamster, nicknamed Sid, bit Richie on the hand, and he exclaimed: “Sid is really vicious!” . Later versions appeared that the nickname was given in honor of Syd Barrett and Lou Reed's song “Vicious”. Together with John Wardle (who later took the alias Jah Wobble) and John Gray, they formed The 4 Johns. As Anne recalls, unlike Lydon, who was an extremely reserved and shy guy, Sid dyed his hair and behaved in the manner of his then idol, David Bowie. Lydon said that the duo often earned money by performing street concerts, performing Alice Cooper songs: John sang, and Sid accompanied him on the tambourine.

For a long time, Sid lived alternately with squatters and in his mother’s house, but at the age of 17, having quarreled with her, he became truly homeless, thanks to which he entered punk culture for the first time (the majority of London squatters in those days were punks). It was around this time that Sid first walked into a shop on the King's Road called Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die (soon renamed SEX) and met - firstly Glen Matlock (who worked there and played in the evenings). bass guitar), then through him with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. The latter two had just formed the Swankers and were trying to persuade store owner Malcolm McLaren (who had recently returned from America, where he had briefly managed the affairs of the New York Dolls) to become their manager. Soon the lineup turned into the Sex Pistols and found a vocalist in the person of another regular, John Lydon - although at first McLaren's wife, Vivienne Westwood, chose Syd.

For some time, Sid was also considered as a possible vocalist for another new group, The Damned, but was removed from the list after he failed to show up for an audition. During the same days, he formed the notorious squatter band The Flowers of Romance; participants included the future The Slits. Having recently suffered from loneliness, Sid suddenly found himself in the very center of a new cultural movement and decided not to miss his chance: taking up (following the example of his new idol, Dee Dee Ramone) a bass guitar, he finally accepted a lifestyle that very soon led him to tragedy.

In September 1976, Syd became a participant in the so-called First International Punk Festival, organized by Ron Watts, manager 100 Club in collaboration with Malcolm McLaren. The headliners here were the Sex Pistols, who by that time already had a reputation as a new, highly promising group with a stunning songwriting duo. When it became known that time had become available in the program for one more participant, two participants Bromley Contingent- Susie Sue and Steve Spanker (Severin) - immediately offered their services, inviting Sid (drums) and Billy Idol (guitar; the latter’s place was immediately taken by Marco Pirroni, a friend of a girl named Sue Woman) as the other two members of the non-existent “group”. -cat ( Soo Catwoman), with whom Sid was also friends). So on the first day of the Festival, Sid appeared on the big stage for the first time. However, already on the second day he “left” it, because he was arrested (for starting to throw bottles on stage) and placed in the Ashford Remand juvenile prison. After being released from prison, he moved in with Catwoman and became something of a bodyguard for her.

Coming to the Sex Pistols

Meanwhile, the Sex Pistols also lost their second contract - with A&M Records; This was largely due to the fights inspired by Sid. The group signed their third contract with Virgin Records, but by the time “God Save the Queen” was released, Sid’s health had deteriorated: he managed to visit the hospital where he was treated for hepatitis-C. At the same time, his two passions - for Nancy and heroin - grew uncontrollably.

American tour

The Sex Pistols' American tour began in the South (in Atlanta, Georgia). Nancy was not around, she was left in England, and Sid fell into depression. Additionally, Warner Bros. Records, the band's American label, assigned security guards (led by Noel Monk) to him for the sole purpose of keeping him away from heroin. Thus, the opposite effect was achieved. Sid ran away after a concert in Georgia and returned the next day with a certain Helen Keeler (one of the Pistols fans).

Soon the group split into two camps. Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Malcolm McLaren continued to tour by plane, while John Lydon (by this time seriously concerned about his friend's condition) traveled with Sid in a van. The tour took place in an atmosphere of drug chaos and increasing violence. Bottles were constantly flying at Sid; one day he immediately responded to the offender - hitting him on the head with a bass guitar. With his chest cut up and bleeding, he (in John's words) "turned into circus artist" Sid took the stage in Dallas, Texas, with a bloody inscription scrawled on his chest: Gimme a Fix. On January 14, the remnants of the group, which until recently was considered the most popular in the world, gathered in San Francisco to give their last concert in Winterland Ballroom. At the end of it, throwing his question into the audience: “Have you ever felt deceived?” - John Lydon announced his departure from the Sex Pistols and was left penniless in America. Steve and Paul went to Rio, Sid continued the drug orgy with new friends who provided him with drugs. One of them (a certain Boogie) saved him from death after an overdose and, on the second attempt, transported him to England, to Nancy.

I haven't released it since the Sex Pistols' American tour.<Сида>out of sight - even sat next to me on the bus. Everything was fine with him, but only until we arrived in San Francisco. Some will consider this a mere coincidence, but as soon as Malcolm appeared in our hotel, Sid sank like a stone... The tragedy was that he naively believed in his own image. But he was, in essence, harmless and defenseless! Sid slowly died, and those around him enjoyed the spectacle. Especially Malcolm, who believed that self-destruction was the essence of pop stardom. I was beside myself with rage: we never intended to become pop stars!..

Two other songs Sid recorded simultaneously with “My Way” - “Something Else” and “C’mon Everybody” - were released as singles under the Sex Pistols banner and became hits (#3 UK). In October, he received from McLaren a fee (by check) and a cash amount of 25 thousand dollars: the latter was placed in the bottom drawer of the table in the hotel room that same day. The day arrived on October 11th: Sid and Nancy urgently needed a dose. There was a rumor that they had money and were ready to pay any amount. It is known that at least two drug dealers visited their hotel room. After receiving the doses, Sid and Nancy fell into oblivion. Sid came to his senses on the morning of the 12th. Nancy was in the bathroom: she was killed, apparently, with his knife. He immediately called an ambulance, then the police, and on October 19 he was arrested on suspicion of murder. A sum of $25,000 disappeared from the bottom drawer and was never found. The musician himself, due to severe alcohol and drug intoxication, did not remember what happened and categorically denied his guilt.

In the very first hours after the incident, people who knew Sid and Nancy began to express confidence that he could not have committed this crime. “He was anything but Vicious; in fact, I didn’t even know him by that name. He was a quiet, very lonely man. Nancy and he were a very sensitive couple and treated each other well. Even in my office they did not let go of each other's embrace. It was felt that there was a very strong connection between them,” said Stanley Bard, manager of the Chelsea Hotel.

Phil Strongman, in Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk, states that Nancy's killer was most likely Rockets Redgler, a drug dealer, bouncer, actor (and later stand-up comedian). He was reliably established that he was with Nancy that night, to whom he brought 40 capsules of hydromorphone. There was also a version according to which Nancy’s death was the result of a failed “double suicide.”

Death of Sid Vicious

Sid was taken to Rikers Prison. McLaren persuaded Virgin Records to provide a deposit (50 thousand dollars), promising a new album from Sid. Warner Bros. raised money for a team of lawyers and the suspect was released on bail. On October 22, still in a state of deep shock from the death of his beloved, Sid attempted to commit suicide. While he was in the hospital, his mother, who flew in from England, looked after him. As soon as he was discharged, Sid got into a fight on December 9, broke a bottle on the head of Patti Smith's brother Todd Smith, and was arrested for 55 days. On February 1, he was released on bail again and headed to the apartment of his new girlfriend Michelle Robinson with his mother and a group of friends. Here he took a dose of heroin and lost consciousness. Those present managed to bring him to his senses, after which he took heroin again. “I could swear that at those moments a pinkish aura appeared over him,” Anne Beverly later said. - The next morning I brought him tea. Sid lay in complete peace. I tried to push him away, and then I realized that he was cold... And dead.”

New York City Chief Coroner Dr. Michael Baden Michael Baden), who performed the autopsy, determined that the heroin found in his system was 80 percent pure, while Vicious usually used a 5 percent solution.

The film also claimed that Ann Beverly, shortly before her death, allegedly admitted that she actually injected her son with a lethal dose because she was afraid that he would be sentenced to life for the murder of Nancy Spungen.

Musicality

Vicious' abilities as a bass player have been disputed. During an interview for Guitar Hero III, when Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones was asked why he recorded the bass parts for Vicious instead of Never Mind the Bollocks, he replied: "Sid was in hospital with hepatitis, he couldn't play, not that he could play at all." Sid asked Lemmy, Motörhead's bass player, to teach him how to play bass, saying, "I don't know how to play bass," to which Lemmy replied, "I know." In another interview, Lemmy said: “It wasn’t all easy. He still couldn't play the bass guitar at the time of his death."

Albums

Singles

"My Way" (June 30, 1978)

"Something Else" (February 9, 1979)

"C'mon Everybody" (June 22, 1979)

Bootlegs

My Way/Something Else/C'mon Everybody (1979, 12", Barclay, Barclay 740 509)

Live (1980, LP, Creative Industry Inc., JSR 21)

Vicious Burger (1980, LP, UD-6535, VD 6336)

Love Kills N.Y.C. (1985, LP, Konexion, KOMA)

The Sid Vicious Experience - Jack Boots and Dirty Looks (1986, LP, Antler 37)

The Idols with Sid Vicious (1993)

Never Mind the Reunion Here's Sid Vicious (1997, CD)

Sid Dead Live (1997, CD, Anagram, PUNK 86)

Sid Vicious Sings (1997, CD)

Vicious & Friends (1998, CD, Dressed To Kill Records, Dress 602)

Better (to provoke a reaction than to react to a provocation) (1999, CD, Almafame, YEAAH6)

Steppin' Stone (1989, 7", SCRATCH 7)

Probably His Last Ever Interview (2000, CD, OZIT, OZITCD62)

Better (2001, CD)

Vive Le Rock (2003, 2CD)

Too Fast To Live… (2004, CD)

Naked & Ashamed (7", Wonderful Records, WO-73, 2004)

Sid Live At Max's Kansas City (LP, JSR 21, 2004)

Sid Vicious (LP, Innocent Records, JSR 23, 2004)

Sid Vicious McDonald Bros. Box (3CD, Sound Solutions, 2005)

Sid Vicious & Friends (Don't You Gimmyyyyyyyyyyyyyye) No Lip/(I'm Not Your, 2006)

See also

Notes
Comments
Sources
"The Filth and the Fury", St. Martin's Press, 2000, p. 13

Jah Wabble. www.punk77.co.uk (English) . - Preface to an interview with A. Parker, author of two books about Vicious. Archived

Sid Story, part 1 Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2009.

Kit & Morgan Benson Sid Vicious. www.findagrave.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2009.

, The Punk Issue, March 2006, p. 65

"The Filth and the Fury", St. Martin's Press, 2000, p. 41

Sid Story, Pt.2 (English). - www.punk77.co.uk. Archived

, March 2006. The Punk Issue. The Year of Living Dangerously. Ted Doyle. Page 65

It’s Only Rock and Roll… Lemmy interview (English) . - www.roomthirteen.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2009.

Sid Vicious (English) . - www.imdb.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2009.

Sid Vicious Biography. www.hotshotdigital.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2010.

Sid Story, Pt 3. (English) . - www.punk77.co.uk. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2009.

Sid Vicious Biography. www.hotshotdigital.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2010.

Midlife crisis - this term introduced by modern psychologists is perceived by those musicians who are “hoarse” and devoted to their muse to the point of pain and blood, in their own way. For them, this is not just a term that reduces mental anguish and breakdown to the level of an ordinary episode, completely explainable from a scientific point of view. Those of the few who devote themselves completely to creative activity and give their talent to people, when they finally achieve certain successes, suddenly realize that their best years are behind them. What lies ahead for them? Who will they be and how will they even be? This is where the worst thing begins: the fear of looking into the future, the reluctance to see oneself as no one and nothing, only a shadow of one’s “winged” past. These questions are like stepping stones, it’s on them that people stumble, and it’s because of them that the future seems joyless and meaningless. The life of musicians is the stage, creativity, but as for everyday life, they are simply not adapted to it. Hence the expression that became the motto for “forever young, forever drunk”: “Live fast and die young.” That’s why they die, leave a life that has lost all meaning... And they live as if tomorrow is the last day, greedily grabbing everything from life - both good and bad, “devouring life.”

There are, of course, not so many such people, but they have existed at all times. They are those who “drank the cup of fate’s patience to the bottom, by their very existence refuting the assertion about the triviality and predictability of man in the 20th century...”.

Sid Vicious, bassist and showman of the legendary group “Sex pistols”, is one of them. During his lifetime, he managed to become not just an idol, but something much more - a legend, even the god of punk rock, a symbol of eternal burning, eternal protest against routine, vulgarity, banality, although he himself was the embodiment of madness and vice. Of course, he never imagined that he would someday become a living legend. And, probably, this burden turned out to be too heavy for a person who rejected generally accepted values with his whole being - fame, wealth, etc.

To this day, the group “Sex Pistols” is remembered, talked about and admired, despite the fact that it broke up more than 20 years ago. It is amazing that the performances of this group lasted only two years, and during this time the only official “pistol” album was released. And all this time, the group was hounded in the press, performances were banned, circulation was cut, in other words, they tried in every possible way to destroy it, even falsifying sales figures in the charts. But, despite such obstacles, the group became more and more popular, famous and beloved. As one of the fans of their work wrote, these guys, who had barely passed the 20-year age mark, “were able not only to achieve world recognition, but also to give the seemingly unshakable traditions in heavy metal and hard rock not just a rebuff, but the most a real low blow with a leather boot.”

"Sex pistols" were not just the first punk band, as is commonly believed, they were, as it were, business card punk rock. That’s why they were so noticeable and served as a constant target for attacks, but this only added to their popularity and even lifted them to the skies, making “pistols” literally the subject of boundless worship.

Having taken upon themselves this overwhelming burden, expressed both in regalia and in the traditions of punk, the group could no longer change anything in their image. Whether the “pistols” wanted it or not, now they were simply obliged to fulfill their mission to the end: to rage and tear English flags at concerts, scream and rowdy... They were like switchmen. Their manner of performance, songs, and general way of living - in everything, they maintained those negative trends that, in the opinion of the world community, were the result of the activities of these “new nihilists.” As the press noted, “... these semi-professional musicians, and especially those who had little understanding of what they really mean to young people, the guys could not stand it and... they overstrained themselves. They just wanted (to use their language) to have a blast, party hard, smoke dope, drink hard, and screw girls in secluded places. In return, they were basically offered the same thing, but only under the light of Jupiters and the chirping of television cameras.”

The Pistols became slaves to their image. A kind of protégé of the Sex Pistols (who, by the way, was the creator of many famous groups), Malcolm McLaren played an important role in the formation of the group. It was with his light hand, or rather, with his connivance, that the “pistols” became what they became. It all started on the stage of the 100 Club, where young guys gave vent to their feelings for the first time, driving the entire audience of the club into a frenzy. From that moment on, their fame as a group performing in the style of shock therapy was firmly established. This was followed by a scandalous online performance on Bill Grundy’s program... “Pistols” from now on belonged exclusively to their image.

“Their teenage foolishness,” noted the press, “was perceived as a protest against everything and everyone; their swearing, blasphemy and indecent behavior generally transcribed both a new policy and a new, most futuristic and progressive way of life. “Pistols” became the embodiment of some “new people,” individuals without compromise and without moral and ethical restrictions. In the blink of an eye, the musicians became an integral part of show business, which, having taken the devils into its tenacious tentacles, was already molding from Rotten (Johnny Rotten / Lydon, vocalist, lyricist of “Sex pistols”), Cook (Paul Cook, drummer of the group), Jones (Steve Jones, guitarist) and Vicious (Sid Vicious, the band’s second and last bass player) are another cash register.”

Not a single person can sustain such a crazy rhythm, which is why the group, having existed for only a short time, disintegrated ingloriously. Moreover, Sex Pistols became an overly commercial group, and this was completely incompatible with the principles of punk rock. The musicians swore off ever performing under the old name, which had turned into a tireless money-making machine. According to the press, “what they first organized as a joke began to stink strongly of the mainstream, people who had previously helped the group get out began to engage in more “peaceful” things, and all those intemperate remarks that the members of the “Sex pistols” had previously made became the cause of a series of lawsuits that completely ruined the atmosphere in the team. The musicians were tired of being number one in the scandalous chronicle of the tabloid newspapers; they were too young for that.”

It is likely that the unshakable glory of punks would have faded and faded over time, but everything turned out differently and in the most seemingly trivial way. What does it take to ensure glory throughout the ages? Death. This is what makes the name of a poet, musician or artist immortal. In the case of the “pistols,” the tragic role of a suicide bomber or, if you like, an icon was assigned to the generally recognized leader of the group - the thin and sickly Sid Vicious, whose real name was John Simon Ritchie, or, as he was also called, John Beverly.

It cannot be said that Sid was the founder of the group and its leader, although this is exactly what many fans of “Sex pistols” think, who in fact are little familiar with the work of “pistols”. Of course, Sid Vicious was an exceptional figure, so extravagant and unusual that the public formed an opinion about his leadership. Moreover, the press, publishing another scandal around the team, focused special attention on the person of the charismatic Vicious.

In fact, Sid came to the group far from being a professional musician, he didn’t know how to play his bass guitar very well, but he was a punk rocker to the core. He simply conquered his “brothers in mind” by the fact that he was a man, as they say, without a head, and this, it should be noted, is the primary advantage of a punk musician.

“What Sid proposed,” they wrote in the press, “was very synonymous with what Rotten also sought, i.e., turning the group into a decorated booth, only indirectly related to music. Initially, the team’s creativity was just a reason to go on stage; releasing emotions was the main task of the musicians. Before Sid’s arrival, Glen Mattlock played in the group, a balanced and calm man, from a secular family who raised their child to be a law-abiding citizen. That’s why Johnny Rotten (actually Lydon), who was found by chance, became the vocalist and leader of the team, and so negatively assessed Mattlock’s reluctance to have fun on stage. Soon, following Rotten, the rest of the team rebelled against their once friend. Sid, by his character, was the complete opposite of Mattlock. Being an intelligent person, Sid instantly appreciated the opportunities that were open to him in “Sex pistols”.

Having previously worked in the groups “Siouxsie & Banshees” and “Flowers of Romance”, Vicious was dissatisfied with the matriarchal conformist punk that reigned there. This ambitious self-taught bassist always strived for centrism, for clear boundaries in creativity: here is a verse, here is a chorus, here I throw a bottle into the hall, and here I’m just roaring like a deer. “Siouxsie&Banshees,” this desire was alien, the group was more flexible and experimental as such, so the proposal of “Sex pistols” to borrow “crazy Sid” from Susie was happily satisfied.”

Of course, Sid’s arrival in the group changed a lot, but the reasons for the rapid success of “Sex pistols” were not only this. Vicious was a kind of catalyst, thanks to whose presence peculiar processes took place, new ones were born in the heads of his colleagues original ideas. If you look at each member of the team individually, you won’t notice anything interesting. Vicious himself, or Simon Ritchie, was an ordinary teenager and, as he was called in the press, a typical “post-teenager” of England in the 1970s. He did not possess any phenomenal abilities and did not possess unique knowledge, but he always differed from his peers in some kind of extraordinary expressiveness. He was an extreme maximalist and did not recognize anything average or gray, dividing everything in life into black and white.

Sid showed this attitude to life even as a teenager, and the reason for this was his peculiar upbringing. Sid's mother approved of her son in everything, whether it concerned his leather outfit or even his addiction to drugs, although at first it could hardly be called an addiction, rather an indulgence. Sid's friends called Ann Beverly an ideal mother, but, alas, it was her understanding and desire to give her son complete freedom of action that later became the cause of the musician's death. A person with an unbalanced psyche simply cannot be given absolute freedom, especially when this person’s predisposition to drug addiction is especially pronounced. People of this type certainly need to be restrained, pulled back and periodically switched to something more mundane, their unbridled energy directed in the right direction. Otherwise, this energy, this internal fire, getting out of control, burns a person.

“Sid has always been a party person,” journalists wrote. – He did not exist outside of parties and concerts, he was a “man of the crowd” in the sense that his personality was inseparable from the crowd. Sid never had a permanent home, didn’t really work, mostly making his living through petty theft and begging for money from his mother, alternating these activities with weekly sprees with people he knew (and didn’t know).”

The nature of the eccentric Sid in many ways impressed the well-known McLaren. He managed not only to reveal the crazy nature of the musician, to let the genie out of the bottle, but also to skillfully take advantage of his antics and turn them into an attraction that brings great benefits. As noted in the press, “for McLaren, Sid was always an outlandish toy, an object for achieving his own perfection... The only difference between Sid’s alter ego and other representatives of show business was that McLaren never put his financial demands above the creativity of the groups he controlled. Malcolm skillfully polished the edges of Sid's talent so that the star of the Sex Pistols bass guitarist shone even brighter. Sid was never a musician in every sense this word (he simply did not have time to achieve this, unlike, say, other members of the “Sex pistols”, he was a showman, a sparkling comet, igniting everything around him.”

Was Sid Vicious the notorious drug addict that many imagined him to be, both friends and foes? However, Sid himself considered himself such. He never hid his addiction to heroin and LSD, and even, on the contrary, seemed to boast about how much and what he took. Sid happily shared with reporters the number of doses. He survived treatment for hepatitis and critical weight loss, overdoses also happened often, and he never had the desire to quit injecting drugs - he sat firmly on the needle until his death. Only one McLaren tried to wean Sid from this habit, and not in words, but in deeds. True, it looked rather strange: he slipped Sid alcohol in such quantities that he, having gotten pretty pumped up, forgot about the potion and would no longer be able to go to some den.

Sid started injecting drugs out of simple curiosity, as many teenagers do who find themselves in bad company or under the influence of street “authorities.” But gradually, as he rose to stardom, his passion for drugs turned into a habit, especially since unlimited opportunities for purchasing the potion appeared. When Sid went on a so-called autonomous voyage, the situation worsened significantly, because nothing was holding him back, and no one could influence him, as, for example, Malcolm had tried to do before.

What Sid did at first glance looks like a manifestation of tyranny or complete lack of will, but in fact all his actions reflected the position of a person who did not want to live by generally accepted standards. He didn’t want to be like everyone else, he was ready to be a punk, a drug addict, an outcast, an outsider, anyone, just not like everyone else. He had no concrete plans for the future, and his mother saw him only as a rock star, making no attempt to curb his wild impulses. Such people, as a rule, always end their lives tragically. Sid Vicious, seemingly great and fearless, firmly protected from the whole world by the armor of a punk hero, defending his own with fists, was actually very sensitive to people’s opinions. He couldn't stand any criticism. Amazingly, the man who often emerged victorious in some street fight was completely knocked out by fame. World fame became for him truly a terrible blow, from which he never managed to recover.

He quarreled with his friends, broke up with the “pistols,” and then began to hate McLaren, his, in fact, “second father.” As a result, he found himself in a circle of people who were more pragmatic and tenacious, who, according to Rotten, “began to make a rock totem out of Sid.” Vicious hoped to completely change his image and thought that it would be enough to change his torn jacket for something more decent. However, the public still perceived him as part of the scandalous and at the same time beloved group “Sex pistols”, which, unfortunately, fell apart. In the press, the former bass guitarist was called “one of the Sex Pistols.”

The breakup of the group was a planned act, and the management of the EMI label was already creating a new punk group, in which Sid was offered to take the place of leader. He had no choice; he was hinted that only in this case would he receive support. Sid was completely devastated. All last year He spent his life in constant drug intoxication, living as if in oblivion. Later, people who knew him well enough said that his life turned into an endless drug trance, from which he practically never emerged even for a day. Sid never had any real friends, only acquaintances. He was either feared or feared, taking him for a madman, or despised, considering him a complete fool. This is how everyone perceived him, with the exception of his mother, who, however, hardly realized the full depth of his spiritual tragedy, and with the exception of Nancy Spungen, Sid’s last passion.

All this time, Sid tried to create a group himself, but then gave up the idea as soon as he invited any musicians. He spent most of his time in semi-basement London pubs and clubs, wandering aimlessly through the gloomy back streets of the capital. Perhaps he still hoped to start all over again, and for this he needed to get rid of the clinging mask of the establishment. The latest attempt to change something is the famous cover of Frank Sinatra’s hit “My Way”. In a sense, this can be called a punk masterpiece, which was recorded in incredible pain. And Vicious himself worked on the recording with truly titanic efforts, because he was currently in permanent depression, and the film crew endured a lot of excitement and torment. With this work, a rehash of the most famous song, Sid tried to prove to everyone that he was capable of something even without “Sex pistols”; in addition, he tried to show his desire to settle down, to become more cultured, digestible, but criticism in response to his move responded with bewilderment. It can be said that Sid's attempt was a complete failure.

Vicious’s last passion, dancer Nancy Spungen, said at the time: “Sid has become different, it’s as if he’s broken inside.” In general, Nancy played, perhaps, a key role in the entire story of Sid’s tragic death.

It all happened in New York on October 12, 1978. Early in the morning in a hotel room at the Chelsea Hotel, after another drug-fuelled night vigil, Sid woke up and, barely remembering anything about yesterday, barely thinking anything, swaying, headed to the bathroom. He was experiencing another “recovery” and hoped that a cold shower would bring him back to his senses a little. Passing a corridor littered with torn clothes, broken chairs and cigarette butts, he opened the door to the bathroom... It’s unlikely that he immediately understood what he saw. Nancy lay on the bathroom floor in a murky pool of blood, a knife with a fancy handle stuck into her stomach. Sid, as if in a fog, stepped over the body, turned on the tap with cold water, splashed it in his face and at that moment accidentally touched the body with his foot. Nancy's body was icy, and not just icy, but deadeningly icy. The full horror of what was happening finally dawned on his stupefied consciousness. Sid screamed shrilly, stumbling and falling, rushed into the room and, trembling with fear and unwillingness to accept reality as it is, began to dial a telephone number with trembling fingers.

Nancy was probably the only person who somehow understood him, at least she forgave him all his attacks of madness.

Memories of yesterday were vague: a drunken orgy, strangers with faces pale from heroin, smog thick from cigarette smoke, in which everything took on blurred and nightmarish outlines... The disorder in the room indicated that there were many guests, but who they were, Sid didn't remember.

The hearing for the murder of Nancy Spungen took place on October 14 in the presence of many famous rock stars, some of whom knew Vicious, and some of whom he did not know at all. And of course, there were correspondents from leading publications from New York and London.

Throughout the entire trial, Sid was in a state of stupor; he was led into the courtroom by the arms and placed in the place of the accused. As soon as those accompanying him removed their hands, Sid collapsed onto the bench like a sack, his head falling with a loud thud on the table. He didn't utter a word or even move; it seemed as if a corpse had been dragged to the meeting. He probably felt like that, or rather, he didn’t feel himself at all, just as he didn’t perceive everything that was happening around him.

The judicial commission found Simon Ritchie guilty of the murder of Nancy Spungen, but he was given the opportunity to be released on bail. Faithful McLaren, Sid’s “second father,” came to him immediately, as soon as he learned about the murder. He publicly stated that he believed Vicious to be innocent, he said that the killer was most likely one of those unknown guests who were in the hotel room on the night of October 11-12. Sid didn't remember anything, but he stubbornly insisted that he didn't kill Nancy. It was Malcolm, who forgave Sid for his latest antics and forgot about the recent serious quarrel between them, who paid bail for him in the amount of 30 thousand dollars. To collect this considerable amount, he had to involve many of his acquaintances. As a result, Sid, after being in prison for almost three months, was released, but now he did not need this freedom. And perhaps, by leaving prison, he thereby signed his own death warrant.

On February 2, 1979, in a New York apartment rented by Sid’s longtime acquaintance Michelle Robinson, something happened that, apparently, will forever remain a mystery. If Nancy's death was eventually explained as a drunken and stupid act of one of the guests, then the death of Sid himself remained unsolved. Early in the morning, Michelle found her lover dead and naked on the floor of her bedroom. Soon Sid’s mother, who lived nearby, came. She suddenly felt that something had happened and, arriving at the apartment, she saw Michelle sobbing, trying to support her lover’s head with her hands, swaying limply in time with her hysterical movements. His mother called the police and an ambulance... She still believed that he could be saved, that this was just another overdose, that strong tea would quickly put him back on his feet. But, alas, it was too late to save her boy. Arriving paramedics confirmed death from a heroin overdose. The thin and pitiful body of the punk legend, covered in scars from razors and knives, with swollen veins on the neck and dark circles around sunken eyes, was loaded into the car. Beverly Ritchie cried all the way to the morgue for her son, still not believing he was dead.

To this day, a wide variety of rumors circulate about the death of Sid Vicious. The day before there was a wild party celebrating Sid's release. According to everyone present, Sid was cheerful and carefree at this party. As always. Michelle Robinson testified during interrogations that on that fateful evening Sid joked and frolicked like a child. Then she went to bed, and Sid stayed. The company consisted of familiar musicians. They all assured the investigation that they left Vicious in the morning in the same cheerful mood. Nobody knew what happened then, why he died. After all, while the guests were in the apartment, according to their assurances, no one was injecting drugs. The same was confirmed by a later examination.

According to one version, someone deliberately slipped Sid spoiled heroin, according to another, he was almost deliberately injected with an overly large dose. There is also a version according to which Sid deliberately injected himself with an excessive dose: he was afraid of the imprisonment that threatened him. According to rumors, a suicide note was even found in his jeans pocket, where he wrote that he intended to commit suicide. They also said that Sid’s mother herself gave her son drugs, as she had done before.

In a word, the death of the legendary and crazy punk turned out to be as strange as his whole life was. Be that as it may, he managed to remain forever young, perhaps not having time to fully realize himself. “The dream of becoming a world-famous punk rocker,” noted one of our domestic journalists, “turned into a nightmare, the fashionable passion for heroin turned into addiction, the only and truly true love ended in murder... There were only 20 years in prison ahead, or, if you’re lucky, free life... but is it life?..” All the best was already behind us. Could this talented but spoiled guy put up with a further boring and dull existence, because he did not recognize anything gray, nothing in between? Moreover, now he no longer belonged to himself. His name was used by those who had money and power. Sooner or later, one way or another, Sid Vicious would give up such a life. People like him are unlikely to find a place among ordinary people who are not burdened with great ideas and dreams.

After the terrible death of Sex Pistols lead singer, 21-year-old Sid Vicious, music fans loudly announced the death of rock and roll. How could a guy who couldn’t really play or sing and only composed one little-known song become a rock legend? Nonsense!

Probably the answer is that Sid Vicious, like no one else, embodied the rockers’ motto: “Live fast and die young.” Sid Vicious (real name John Simon Ritchie) was born in London in 1957. He did not take care of his health from a young age, and this is a great merit of his mother Ann. She was a hippie and she got her son addicted to drugs.

One of Sid’s friends, impressed by the morals in Richie’s family, later said: “I was 16 years old, and at that age, mom is the person who leaves you dinner in the oven, and not the syringe that she used herself...”

It’s not surprising that Sid left at the age of 17 parents' house and went to wander with squatters - that’s what they call in England people who take over empty houses. Drinking
and he tried to combine drugs with music, playing drums in rock bands. His squatter friends then began to become interested in punk rock, which he caught fire with. Punk, the music of tramps and gopniks (the word punk itself means scum), turned out to be close in spirit to Sid.

The reason for the rise in popularity of punk rock in general and Sid Vicious in particular can be attributed to the fact that by the mid-1970s, only hooligan youth from the poor city outskirts remained rebels. She didn’t need beautiful music, but music that was just like them, hooligan. And the best embodiment of their aspirations was the group “Sex Pistols” (“Sexy
pistols").

Sex pistols

This group, despite its rebellious camouflage, was a purely commercial project. Malcolm McLaren was the co-owner of a clothing store for the urban poor. And when he became the producer of the Sex Pistols, with the help of this group he began to promote a new line of anti-fashion, outrageous clothing. The musicians performed in exclusive rags, the design of which was developed by McLaren's partner. And on the head they wore outwardly sloppy, but stylish hairstyles - the hair was combed up in disarray.

The group's "anti-music" was matched by the anti-fashionable clothing style of its members, and all this was complemented by the stage image of the musicians - bad guys and inveterate hooligans. Their anti-music had such an effect on the audience that all their anger spilled out. When the Sex Pistols played, fights broke out in the hall every now and then, and when the musicians staged a swear word during a performance on a television talk show, viewers kicked and smashed the televisions.

The scandals gave the Sex Pistols popularity, but they lacked something for their popular rise. And then McLaren, to enhance the shock effect on the public, took Sid Vicious, who had a disgusting reputation, into the group. According to McLaren, Sid Vicious could not play the guitar at all, but his crazy actions were perfectly consistent with the image of the group. Before this, Vicious had already distinguished himself by beating one journalist with a bicycle chain, and for participating in a fight at Club 100, he was jailed in the bullpen and was banned from further visiting the club.

Now he was asked not to visit this club, but to perform on stage there. Sid Vicious immediately became the most striking character of the Sex Pistols - and a walking scandal. On stage, he practically only pretended to act. The cameramen turned down the sound of his bass guitar to a minimum so that it would not sound dissonant. But Sid Vicious was a soloist when he cut himself with broken bottles, spattering blood on the audience, and when he insulted the audience, provoking them into fights. His behavior was shocking, but at the same time aroused great interest in him.

A goner with half-rotten teeth, Sid Vicious had the cute appearance of a young street kid, which attracted girls' sympathy to him. In the eyes of many, his cockiness made him a hero, although he was as much a fighter as he was a musician. And he was beaten several times, in particular by famous rockers Paul Weller, David Coverdale, John Robertson. But it was he, not them, who became a star and a cult figure in rock.

The pinnacle of the Sex Pistols' concert activity was their tour in the United States. There, Sid Vicious went wild - constantly bullying the audience, and even hit one with his bass guitar.
However, despite the scandals and fights, tens of thousands of Americans came to see the punk rock legends. But these tours seemed to have sucked all the vital juices out of the Sex Pistols.

In January 1978, the group broke up. Sid Vicious tried to build his own musical career, and his friend Nancy Spungen, who became his producer, helped him in this. But the trouble is that by that time both were already complete drug addicts. In October 1978, Sid and Nancy flew to New York and stayed at the Chelsea Hotel, No. 100. Immediately, information spread among local drug dealers that two drug addicts from the “hundredth” in the Chelsea were looking for a dose and would not stand for the price . It is known that on October 11, at least two drug dealers visited Sid and Nancy’s room.

And when on the morning of October 12, Sid Vicious woke up and, barely thinking anything after a night of drug orgy, went into the bathroom, he found Nancy Spungen there in a pool of blood - the only person in the world he loved. Protruding from her stomach was the handle of a knife with a jaguar engraved on it. Nancy gave this knife to Sid. During interrogations, Vicious told the police that he was high and did not remember anything.

True, after his death evidence appeared that he actually remembered everything, and very well. MacLaren's assistant recorded an audio recording of Sid's confession, saying: "We ran out of drugs again that night. I remember wandering down the corridor and shouting: “Give me a dose.” Some nigga hit me in the face and broke my nose. I returned to the room, and Nancy, who also needed to inject herself, could not stand it and also hit... on the nose! It was very painful! There was a knife on the table nearby. I grabbed it and stabbed her in the stomach. Instinctively. We didn't even quarrel, we even hugged. She shouldn’t have died, you don’t die from such wounds unless you pull out the knife. But Nancy pulled me out, and I couldn’t call for help—I passed out.”

Sid Vicious was arrested on suspicion of Spungen's murder and spent 55 days in prison. These days became hell for him. And not only because, according to unverified rumors, he was beaten and raped by prisoners in prison, but because of the lack of heroin. But Sid Vicious had good lawyers, they managed to create some fog about the drug dealers. In particular, Rockets Redgler, who brought Nancy 40 capsules of hydromorphone that night, came under suspicion.

The version that the killer was one of the drug dealers was also facilitated by the fact that a check for 25 thousand dollars, which Sid Vicious received as a fee and put in the bottom drawer of the table, disappeared from the hotel room.

Sid Vicious - death

So, doubts arose about Vicious's guilt, and he was released on bail of 50 thousand dollars, which was paid by McLaren. Sid was met at the prison gates by his mother, Ann Beverly. According to eyewitnesses, on the way home he kept asking her: “Did you get it?” Mom, did you get it?

It was about a dose of heroin, which Sid Vicious could not wait to inject. Actually, his mother wanted to throw a party in honor of his release and organized a small party at the apartment of Michelle Robinson, with whom Sid lived after Nancy's death. But the holiday did not go well. At the party, Sid almost died from an overdose. And although he came to his senses, the guests hurried to leave. At night, Sid began to persuade Michelle to inject him with heroin. She refused, and in order to avoid his annoying requests, she left the bedroom and told Ann Beverly about everything.

The mother went to her son’s room and there, out of the kindness of her heart, prepared him a dose of heroin. The next morning, February 2, 1979, Sid Vicious was found in his bed.
dead. The death of the 21-year-old rock star was due to an overdose. The syringe used to inject Vicious was found to contain heroin of 80 percent purity, while Sid usually made do with 5 percent.

Death overtook Sid Vicious in his own bed

As one expert said, this dose could have killed two people. According to the widespread version, Vicious’s mother injected her son with a lethal dose to spare him from life imprisonment for the murder of Nancy.

And then Anne Beverly dropped the urn with her ashes at London Heathrow Airport, and all its contents went into the ventilation system. So air passengers at Heathrow still believe they are breathing air containing particles of Sid Vicious.

listen)) is a British musician, best known as the bassist for the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.

Biography

Soon after the birth of his son, John Ritchie left the family, and Sid and his mother went to the island of Ibiza, where they spent 4 years. On her return to England, Anne married Christopher Beverley in 1965. The family lived for some time in Kent; After the death of their stepfather, mother and son rented a room in Tunbridge Wells, then lived in Somerset.

Sid showed no interest in studying and dropped out of school at the age of 15, but soon (under the name Simon John Beverley) entered Hackney Art College. Hackney College), where he began to study photography. Here he met John Lydon, who gave him the nickname that later became famous. According to one version, Lydon's hamster, nicknamed Sid, bit John on the hand, and he exclaimed: “Sid is really vicious!” . Later versions appeared that the nickname was given in honor of Syd Barrett and Lou Reed's song “Vicious”. Together with John Wardle (who later took the alias Jah Wobble) and John Gray, they formed The 4 Johns. As Anne recalls, unlike Lydon, who was an extremely reserved and shy guy, Sid dyed his hair and behaved in the manner of his then idol, David Bowie. Lydon said that the duo often earned money by performing street concerts, performing Alice Cooper songs: John sang, and Sid accompanied him on the tambourine.

For a long time, Sid lived alternately - either with squatters or in his mother's house, but at the age of 17, having quarreled with her, he became truly homeless, thanks to which he first entered punk culture (the majority of London squatters in those days were punks). It was around this time that Sid first walked into a shop on the King's Road called Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die (soon renamed SEX) and met - firstly Glen Matlock (who worked there and played in the evenings). bass guitar), then through him with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. The latter two had just formed the Swankers and were trying to persuade store owner Malcolm McLaren (who had recently returned from America, where he had briefly managed the affairs of the New York Dolls) to become their manager. Soon the line-up turned into the Sex Pistols and found a vocalist in the person of another regular, John Lydon - although at first McLaren's wife, Vivienne Westwood, chose Sid.

Coming to the Sex Pistols

Sid as part of the Sex Pistols

Having joined the Sex Pistols almost by accident, Sid Vicious found himself in the rays of the group's scandalous fame and immediately became its most prominent character. The press was especially attracted by the image and manners of Vicious, who loved to pose and give interviews, which is why in the perception of the general public Vicious, even more than Rotten and the rest of the band members, became the personification of punk, although he actually contributed little to the work of the Sex Pistols (one written song and several re-covers strangers). Meanwhile, it was Sid who invented the famous pogo “dance”. “I hated the Bromley Contingent and so I came up with a way to drive them through this "Club 100". I just rushed from side to side, jumping - boyng, boyng, boyng! - and knocked them down to the floor,” he said.

Almost immediately after joining the group, Sid met Nancy Spungen, a groupie junkie who had arrived in London from New York with the sole purpose of sleeping with the Sex Pistols. Pamela Rooke, a friend of Sid’s who worked in a clothing store, recalled: “She went from John and Steve to Sid, and he fell in love instantly. For him, among other things, Nancy was the personification of an entire culture centered in New York, where his favorite band, the Ramones, reigned. The couple settled in Rook's apartment not far from Buckingham Palace, where all three sat on one common mattress - in the dining room.

Sid became an easy target for her. Everyone wanted to be with him, but unfortunately he chose Nancy. She was surprisingly thick-skinned: perhaps the most unpleasant person I have ever met in my life. Everyone saw right through her. Everyone except Sid.

Meanwhile, the Sex Pistols also lost their second contract - with A&M Records; This was largely due to the fights inspired by Sid. The group signed their third contract with Virgin Records, but by the time “God Save the Queen” was released, Sid’s health had deteriorated: he managed to visit the hospital where he was treated for hepatitis C. At the same time, his two passions - for Nancy and heroin - grew uncontrollably.

American tour

The Sex Pistols' American tour began in the South. Nancy was not around, she was left in England, and Sid fell into depression. Additionally, Warner Bros. Records, the band's American label, assigned security guards (led by Noel Monk) to him for the sole purpose of keeping him away from heroin. Thus, the opposite effect was achieved. Sid ran away after a concert in Georgia and returned the next day with a certain Helen Keeler (one of the Pistols fans).

Soon the group split into two camps. Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Malcolm McLaren continued to tour by plane, while John Lydon (by this time seriously concerned about his friend's condition) traveled with Sid in a van. The tour took place in an atmosphere of drug chaos and increasing violence. Bottles were constantly flying at Sid; one day he immediately responded to the offender - hitting him on the head with a bass guitar. With his chest cut and bleeding, he (according to John) “turned into a circus performer.” Sid took the stage in Dallas, Texas, with a bloody inscription scrawled on his chest: Gimme a Fix. On January 14, the remnants of the group, which until recently was considered the most popular in the world, gathered in San Francisco to give their last concert in Winterland Ballroom. At the end of it, throwing his question into the audience: “Have you ever felt deceived?” - John Lydon announced his departure from the Sex Pistols and was left penniless in America. Steve and Paul went to Rio, Sid continued the drug orgy with new friends who provided him with drugs. One of them (a certain Boogie) saved him from death after an overdose and, on the second attempt, transported him to England, to Nancy.

It is generally accepted that Nancy was the cause of Sid's downfall. But John Lydon placed much of the blame on McLaren.

I haven't released it since the Sex Pistols' American tour.<Сида>out of sight - even sat next to me on the bus. Everything was fine with him, but only until we arrived in San Francisco. Some will consider this a mere coincidence, but as soon as Malcolm appeared in our hotel, Sid sank like a stone... The tragedy was that he naively believed in his own image. But he was, in essence, harmless and defenseless! Sid slowly died, and those around him enjoyed the spectacle. Especially Malcolm, who believed that self-destruction was the essence of pop stardom. I was beside myself with rage: we never intended to become pop stars!..
Sid and Nancy

In London, McLaren, busy making a film (which was then called "Who Killed Bambi": it was later released under the title "The Great Rock and Roll Swindle"), made it clear to Sid and Nancy that they would not receive money from him unless they agreed to fulfill all his instructions regarding the film. Sid went to Paris to film and recorded a version of "My Way" (a song made famous by Frank Sinatra). The recording was not easy: Sid kept refusing to work “with these French idiots.” The finished tapes were sent to London: here Steve Jones overdubbed the guitar parts and gave the track a specifically “Pistol” sound. "My Way" was released as a single in June (from "No One Is Innocent") and immediately began to climb the charts (#7 UK Singles Chart). In gratitude for his participation in the film, Sid received his freedom from McLaren. Nancy Spungen, who officially became his manager, flew to New York and began organizing the upcoming tour there. With the group The Vicious White Kids (Glen Matlock, Steve New and Rat Scabiz) Sid gave one concert in Electric Ballroom and, having received the money, immediately flew to New York. Upon arrival, Sid and Nancy headed to the Chelsea Hotel, once famous for its guests, now famous only for its drug orgies, and rented a room here (No. 100). Nancy actually managed to organize several concerts: Jerry Nolan and Killer Kane (ex-New York Dolls), as well as guitarist Steve Dior, appeared in the new group with Sid. Mick Jones, guitarist of The Clash, appeared as a guest at Max's club. But after on September 7, 1978, at the last concert, Vicious appeared under heroin, barely sang a cover of Iggy Pop’s song “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and lost consciousness, all the musicians refused to perform with him. Soon after this, Sid and Nancy went to visit the latter's parents, but the visit was not successful. Both were complete drug addicts, looked terrible and brought horror and indignation to the respectable Jewish family.
Two other songs Sid recorded simultaneously with “My Way” - “Something Else” and “C’mon Everybody” - were released as singles under the Sex Pistols banner and became hits (#3 UK). In October, he received from McLaren a fee (by check) and a cash amount of 25 thousand dollars: the latter was placed in the bottom drawer of the table in the hotel room that same day. The day arrived on October 11th: Sid and Nancy urgently needed a dose. There was a rumor that they had money and were ready to pay any amount. It is known that at least two drug dealers visited their hotel room. After receiving the doses, Sid and Nancy fell into oblivion. Sid came to his senses on the morning of the 12th. Nancy was in the bathroom: she was killed, apparently, with his knife. He immediately called an ambulance, then the police, and on October 19 he was arrested on suspicion of murder. A sum of $25,000 disappeared from the bottom drawer and was never found. The musician himself, due to severe alcohol and drug intoxication, did not remember what happened and categorically denied his guilt.
In the very first hours after the incident, people who knew Sid and Nancy began to express confidence that he could not have committed this crime. “He was anything but Vicious; in fact, I didn’t even know him by that name. He was a quiet, very lonely man. Nancy and he were a very sensitive couple and treated each other well. Even in my office they did not let go of each other's embrace. It was felt that there was a very strong connection between them,” said Stanley Bard, manager of the Chelsea Hotel.
Phil Strongman, in Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk, states that Nancy's killer was most likely Rockets Redgler, a drug dealer, bouncer, actor (and later stand-up comedian). He was reliably established that he was with Nancy that night, to whom he brought 40 capsules of hydromorphone. There was also a version according to which Nancy’s death was the result of a failed “double suicide.”

Death of Sid Vicious

Sid was taken to Rikers Prison. McLaren persuaded Virgin Records to provide a deposit (50 thousand dollars), promising a new album from Sid. Warner Bros. raised money for a team of lawyers and the suspect was released on bail. On October 22, still in a state of deep shock from the death of his beloved, Sid attempted to commit suicide. While he was in the hospital, his mother, who flew in from England, looked after him. As soon as he was discharged, Sid got into a fight on December 9, broke a bottle on the head of Patti Smith's brother Todd Smith, and was arrested for 55 days. On February 1, he was released on bail again and headed to the apartment of his new girlfriend Michelle Robinson with his mother and a group of friends. Here he took a dose of heroin and lost consciousness. Those present managed to bring him to his senses, after which he took heroin again. “I could swear that at those moments a pinkish aura appeared over him,” Anne Beverly later said. - I brought him tea in the morning. Sid lay in complete peace. I tried to push him away, and then I realized that he was cold... And dead.”
New York City Chief Coroner Dr. Michael Baden Michael Baden), who performed the autopsy, determined that the heroin found in his system was 80 percent pure, while Vicious usually used a 5 percent solution.
The film also claimed that Ann Beverly, shortly before her death, allegedly admitted that she actually injected her son with a lethal dose because she was afraid that he would be sentenced for many years for the murder of Nancy Spungen.

Musicality

Vicious' abilities as a bass player have been disputed. During an interview for Guitar Hero III, when Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones was asked why he recorded the bass parts for Vicious instead of , he replied: "Sid was in hospital with hepatitis, he couldn't play, not that he could play at all." Sid asked Lemmy, Motörhead's bass player, to teach him how to play bass, saying, "I don't know how to play bass," to which Lemmy replied, "I know." In another interview, Lemmy said: “It wasn’t all easy. He still couldn't play the bass guitar at the time of his death."

Albums

Year Name Notes
1979 Sid Sings A collection of amateur recordings from concerts of Vicious and his friends in September 1978.
1998 Sid Vicious & Friends Collection
2000 Too Fast To Live Collection
Singles

"My Way" (June 30, 1978)

"Something Else" (February 9, 1979)

"C'mon Everybody" (June 22, 1979)

Bootlegs

My Way/Something Else/C'mon Everybody (1979, 12", Barclay, Barclay 740 509)

Live (1980, LP, Creative Industry Inc., JSR 21)

Vicious Burger (1980, LP, UD-6535, VD 6336)

Love Kills N.Y.C. (1985, LP, Konexion, KOMA)

The Sid Vicious Experience - Jack Boots and Dirty Looks (1986, LP, Antler 37)

The Idols with Sid Vicious (1993)

Never Mind the Reunion Here's Sid Vicious (1997, CD)

Sid Dead Live (1997, CD, Anagram, PUNK 86)

Sid Vicious Sings (1997, CD)

Vicious & Friends (1998, CD, Dressed To Kill Records, Dress 602)

Better (to provoke a reaction than to react to a provocation) (1999, CD, Almafame, YEAAH6)

Steppin' Stone (1989, 7", SCRATCH 7)

Probably His Last Ever Interview (2000, CD, OZIT, OZITCD62)

Better (2001, CD)

Vive Le Rock (2003, 2CD)

Too Fast To Live… (2004, CD)

Naked & Ashamed (7", Wonderful Records, WO-73, 2004)

Sid Live At Max's Kansas City (LP, JSR 21, 2004)

Sid Vicious (LP, Innocent Records, JSR 23, 2004)

Sid Vicious McDonald Bros. Box (3CD, Sound Solutions, 2005)

Sid Vicious & Friends (Don't You Gimmyyyyyyyyyyyyyye) No Lip/(I'm Not Your, 2006)

Sid Vicious's height at the time of death was 188 cm, weight 62 kg.

Memory

The Exploited song “Sid Vicious Was Innocent” is dedicated to Vicious.

The song of the Chimera group is “Sidu Vishezou”.

The song by Lumen is "Sid and Nancy".

The song of the group Yorsh is "Sid and Nancy".

The song of the group Psyche is “Sid Spears”.

In the song "Foreva?" Russian punk rock band Tarakany! Sid Vicious is mentioned.

NOFX's song is "Sid & Nancy".

The song of the group Alice is “All this is rock and roll”.

In the song “Harakiri” by the punk rock group Civil Defense - “Sid Vicious died before your eyes...”

See also

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Notes
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Sources
"The Filth and the Fury", St. Martin's Press, 2000, p. 13

(English) . - Preface to an interview with A. Parker, author of two books about Vicious. Retrieved October 7, 2009. .

(English) . - www.punk77.co.uk. Retrieved October 7, 2009. . Footnote error: Invalid tag : The name "punk1" is defined multiple times for different contents

Kit & Morgan Benson.. www.findagrave.com. Retrieved October 7, 2009. .

, The Punk Issue, March 2006, p. 65

"The Filth and the Fury", St. Martin's Press, 2000, p. 41

(English) . - www.punk77.co.uk. Retrieved November 2, 2009. .

, March 2006. The Punk Issue. The Year of Living Dangerously. Ted Doyle. Page 65

((cite webhttps://vk.com/video?q=Punk%20Rock%20Movie&z=video1382849_159229885 | url = http://www.roomthirteen.com/cgi-bin/feature_view.cgi?FeatureID=364 | title = It's Only Rock and Roll… Lemmy interview | accessdate = 2009-11-02 | description = www.roomthirteen.com | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/61CA5n9J6 | archivedate = 2011-08-25) )

(English) . - www.imdb.com. Retrieved November 2, 2009. .

. www.hotshotdigital.com. Retrieved August 13, 2010. .

(English) . - www.punk77.co.uk. Retrieved November 2, 2009. .

. www.hotshotdigital.com. Retrieved March 2, 2010. .

. www.punk77.co.uk. Retrieved March 2, 2010. .

. www.punk77.co.uk. Retrieved March 2, 2010. .

. www.punk77.co.uk. Retrieved March 2, 2010. .

. www.chartstats.com. Retrieved April 8, 2010. .

. www.punk77.co.uk. Retrieved April 8, 2010. .

1979. . www.youtube.com. Retrieved April 8, 2010.~ 5:30]

. www.youtube.com. Retrieved April 8, 2010.

. www.hotshotdigital.com. Retrieved May 3, 2010. .

. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved May 3, 2010. .

Filth and Fury, Julian Temple, 2000; " Best time"When Sid first joined the band, he actually decided to learn to play bass and fit in and be part of the band."

John Savage. England's Dreaming. - Faber & Faber, 1994. - P. 194.

Literature

Parker A. Sid Vicious: Too Fast to Live... / Transl. from English O. Andreeva. - M.: Alpina non-fiction, 2013. - 166 pp., ill., 2500 copies. - (Counterculture). ISBN 978-5-91671-257-5

Links

, in which Nancy tries to claim that Sid, not John, was the leader of the group.

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Albums

Bootlegs

Singles

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An excerpt characterizing Sid Vicious
Long, hard days a line of “unknowns” crawled along, and still no one bothered me. Nothing changed, nothing happened. Anna was silent, not responding to my calls. And I had no idea where she was, or where I could look for her...
And then one day, mortally tired of empty, endless waiting, I finally decided to fulfill my long-standing, sad dream - knowing that I would probably never be able to see my beloved Venice in another way, I decided to go there “by breath” to say goodbye ...
It was May outside, and Venice was dressing up like a young bride, meeting her most beautiful holiday- the holiday of Love...
Love hovered everywhere - the air itself was saturated with it!.. Bridges and canals breathed with it, it penetrated into every corner of the elegant city... into every fiber of every lonely soul living in it... For this one day, Venice turned into a magical flower love - burning, intoxicating and beautiful! The streets of the city were literally “drowning” in a myriad of scarlet roses, with lush “tails” hanging down to the very water, gently caressing it with fragile scarlet petals... All of Venice was fragrant, exuding the smells of happiness and summer. And for this one day, even the most gloomy inhabitants of the city left their homes, and smiling with all their might, they expected that maybe on this beautiful day even they, sad and lonely, would smile at the capricious Love...
The holiday began from the very early morning, when the first rays of the sun were just beginning to gild the city canals, showering them with hot kisses, from which they, blushing shyly, were filled with red bashful highlights... Right there, not even allowing you to wake up properly, under the windows The first love romances were already tenderly sounding for the city beauties... And the magnificently dressed gondoliers, having decorated their polished gondolas in a festive scarlet color, waited patiently at the pier, each hoping to seat the brightest beauty of this wonderful, magical day.
During this holiday, there were no prohibitions for anyone - young and old poured out into the streets, tasting the upcoming fun, and tried to occupy themselves in advance. best places on the bridges to get a closer look at the passing gondolas carrying the famous Venetian courtesans, as beautiful as spring itself. These one-of-a-kind women, whose intelligence and beauty were admired by poets, and whom artists embodied forever in their magnificent canvases.
I always believed that love can only be pure, and I never understood or agreed with betrayal. But the courtesans of Venice were not just women from whom love was bought. Apart from the fact that they were always extraordinarily beautiful, they were all also superbly educated, incomparably better than any bride from a rich and noble Venetian family... Unlike the very educated noble Florentines, the women of Venice in my time were not even allowed to enter to public libraries and to be “well-read,” since the wives of noble Venetians were considered just a beautiful thing, a loving husband closed at home “for the good” of his family... And the higher the status of the lady, the less she was allowed to know. Courtesans, on the contrary, usually knew several languages, played musical instruments, read (and sometimes wrote!) poetry, knew philosophers very well, understood politics, sang and danced superbly... In short, they knew everything that any noble woman (in my opinion) should have known. And I have always honestly believed that if the wives of nobles knew even the slightest fraction of what the courtesans knew, fidelity and love would reign forever in our wonderful city...
I did not approve of treason, but also, I could not respect women who did not know (and did not want to know!) beyond what was beyond the walls of their native Venice. Surely, this was my Florentine blood speaking in me, but I absolutely could not stand ignorance! And people who had unlimited opportunities to KNOW, but did not want to, only caused me hostility.
But let's return to my beloved Venice, which, as I knew, was supposed to prepare for its usual annual celebration that evening...
Very easily, without any special effort, I appeared in the main square of the city.
Everything seemed to be the same as before, but this time, although decorated in the old way, Venice was almost empty. I walked along the lonely canals, unable to believe my eyes!.. It was not too late, and usually at such a time the city was still noisy, like an alarmed beehive, anticipating its favorite holiday. But that evening, beautiful Venice was empty... I couldn’t understand where all the happy faces had gone?.. What happened to my beautiful city in those short few years???
Walking slowly along the deserted embankment, I inhaled such familiar, warm and soft, salty air, unable to hold back the happy and sad tears flowing down my cheeks at the same time... This was my home!.. My truly native and beloved city. Venice has always remained MY city!.. I loved its rich beauty, its high culture... Its bridges and gondolas... And even just its unusualness, making it the only city of its kind ever built on Earth.
The evening was very pleasant and quiet. Gentle waves, quietly whispering something, lazily splashed against the stone portals... And smoothly rocking the elegant gondolas, they ran back into the sea, taking with them the crumbling rose petals, which, floating further, became like scarlet drops of blood, by someone generously splashed across the mirror water.
Suddenly, a very familiar voice pulled me out of my sad-happy dreams:
– This can’t happen!!! Isidora?! Is it really you?!..
Our good old friend, Francesco Rinaldi, stood looking at me in shock, as if a familiar ghost had suddenly appeared right in front of him... Apparently not daring to believe that it was really me.
- My God, where are you from?! We thought you died a long time ago! How did you manage to escape? Have you really been released?!..
“No, they didn’t let me go, my dear Francesco,” I answered sadly, shaking my head. – And, unfortunately, I did not manage to escape... I just came to say goodbye...
- But how can that be? You're here right? And completely free? Where is my friend?! Where is Girolamo? I haven’t seen him for so long and I missed him so much!..
- Girolamo is no more, dear Francesco... Just as his father is no more...
Was the reason that Francesco was a friend from our happy “past”, or was I just wildly tired of endless loneliness, but, telling him about the horror that the Pope had done to us, I suddenly felt inhumanly pain... And then I finally burst through!.. Tears poured out like a waterfall of bitterness, sweeping away embarrassment and pride, and leaving only the thirst for protection and the pain of loss... Hiding on his warm chest, I sobbed like a lost child looking for friendly support...
– Calm down, my dear friend... Well, what are you talking about! Please calm down...
Francesco stroked my tired head, as my father had done long ago, wanting to calm me down. The pain burned, again mercilessly throwing me into the past, which could not be returned, and which no longer existed, since there were no longer people on Earth who created this wonderful past...
– My home has always been your home, Isidora. You need to hide somewhere! Let's come to us! We'll do everything we can. Please come to us!.. You will be safe with us!
They were wonderful people - his family... And I knew that if only I agreed, they would do everything to shelter me. Even if they themselves are in danger for it. And for a short moment I suddenly wanted to stay so wildly!.. But I knew perfectly well that this would not happen, that I would leave right now... And in order not to give myself vain hopes, I immediately said sadly:
– Anna remained in the clutches of the “holy” Pope... I think you understand what this means. And now I have her alone... Sorry, Francesco.
And remembering something else, she asked:
– Can you tell me, my friend, what is happening in the city? What happened to the holiday? Or has our Venice, like everything else, also become different?..
– The Inquisition, Isidora... Damn it! It's all the Inquisition...
– ?!..
- Yes, dear friend, she even got here... And the worst thing is, many people fell for it. Apparently, for the evil and insignificant, the same “evil and insignificant” is needed so that everything that they have hidden for many years will be revealed. The Inquisition has become a terrible instrument of human revenge, envy, lies, greed and malice!.. You can’t even imagine, my friend, how low seemingly the most normal people can fall!.. Brothers slander unwanted brothers... children slander their aged fathers, wanting to get rid of them as quickly as possible... envious neighbors against neighbors... This is terrible! No one is protected today from the coming of the “holy fathers”... It’s so scary, Isidora! All you have to do is say to someone that he is a heretic, and you will never see that person again. True madness... which reveals the lowest and worst in people... How to live with this, Isidora?
Francesco stood hunched over, as if the heaviest burden was pressing on him like a mountain, not allowing him to straighten up. I knew him for a very long time, and I knew how difficult it was to break this honest, brave man. But the life of that time crushed him, turning him into a confused man who did not understand such human meanness and baseness, into a disappointed, aging Francesco... And now, looking at my good old friend, I realized that I was right in deciding to forget my personal life , giving it for the death of the “holy” monster, who trampled on the lives of other, good and pure people. It was only unspeakably bitter that there were low and vile “people” who rejoiced (!!!) at the arrival of the Inquisition. And the pain of others did not touch their callous hearts, rather, on the contrary - they themselves, without a twinge of conscience, used the clutches of the Inquisition to destroy the innocent, good people! How far our Earth was from that happy day when Man will be pure and proud!.. When his heart will not succumb to meanness and evil... When Light, Sincerity and Love will live on Earth. Yes, the North was right - the Earth was still too evil, stupid and imperfect. But I believed with all my soul that someday she would become wise and very kind... only many more years would pass for this. In the meantime, those who loved her had to fight for her. Forgetting yourself, your family... And not sparing your only earthly Life, which is very dear to everyone. Having forgotten myself, I didn’t even notice that Francesco was watching me very carefully, as if he wanted to see if he could persuade me to stay. But the deep sadness in his sad gray eyes told me - he understood... And hugging him tightly last time, I started to say goodbye...
“We will always remember you, honey.” And we will always miss you. And Girolamo... And your good father. They were wonderful, pure people. And I hope that another life will be safer and kinder for them. Take care of yourself, Isidora... No matter how funny it may sound. Try to get away from him if you can. Together with Anna...
Giving him a final nod, I quickly walked along the embankment so as not to show how painfully this farewell hurt me, and how brutally my wounded soul ached...
Sitting on the parapet, I plunged into sad thoughts... The world around me was completely different - it did not have that joyful, open happiness that illuminated our entire life. past life. Didn’t people really understand that they themselves were destroying our wonderful planet with their own hands, filling it with the poison of envy, hatred and anger?.. That by betraying others, they plunged their immortal soul into “black”, leaving it no way to salvation!.. The Magi were right when they said that the Earth was not ready... But this did not mean that there was no need to fight for it! That it was necessary to just sit with folded hands and wait until she herself someday “grows up”! showing the way, and hoping that for some reason she herself will be lucky enough to survive?!..
Without noticing at all how much time had passed in thought, I was very surprised to see that it was getting dark outside. It was time to return. My long-time dream of seeing Venice and my home didn’t seem so right now... It no longer brought happiness, rather the opposite - seeing my hometown so “different”, I felt in my soul only the bitterness of disappointment, and nothing more. Taking another look at such a familiar and once beloved landscape, I closed my eyes and “left”, knowing full well that I would never see all this again...
Caraffa was sitting by the window in “my” room, completely lost in some of his gloomy thoughts, hearing nothing and not noticing anything around... I so unexpectedly appeared right before his “sacred” gaze that Dad shuddered sharply, but then collected himself and surprisingly calmly asked:
- Well, where were you walking, Madonna?
His voice and gaze expressed a strange indifference, as if Dad no longer cared what I did or where I went. This immediately alerted me. I knew Karaffa quite well (I think no one knew him completely) and such a strange calmness of his, in my opinion, did not bode well.
“I went to Venice, Your Holiness, to say goodbye...” I answered just as calmly.
– And did this give you pleasure?
- No, Your Holiness. She is no longer the same as she was... as I remember.
– You see, Isidora, even cities change in such a short time, not only people... And probably states too, if you look closely. But how can I not change?..
He was in a very strange, unusual mood, so I tried to answer very carefully, so as not to accidentally touch some “prickly” corner and not fall under the threat of his holy wrath, which could destroy even more strong man what I was at that time.
“Didn’t I remember you saying, Holiness, that now you will live a very long time?” Has anything changed since then?.. – I asked quietly.
- Oh, it was just a hope, my dear Isidora!.. A stupid, empty hope that dissipated as easily as smoke...
I patiently waited for him to continue, but Caraffa remained silent, again immersed in some gloomy thoughts.
- Excuse me, Your Holiness, do you know what happened to Anna? Why did she leave the monastery? – almost not hoping for an answer, I still asked.
Caraffa nodded.
- She's coming here.
- But why?!. – my soul froze, feeling bad.
“She’s coming to save you,” Caraffa said calmly.
– ?!!..
“I need her here, Isidora.” But in order for her to be released from Meteora, her desire was needed. So I helped her “decide.”
– Why did you need Anna, Your Holiness?! You wanted her to study there, didn't you? Why then was it necessary to take her to Meteora at all?..
– Life is passing away, Madonna... Nothing stands still. Especially Life... Anna will not help me with what I need so badly... even if she studies there for a hundred years. I need you, Madonna. It is your help... And I know that I won’t be able to persuade you just like that.
Here it comes... The worst thing. I didn’t have enough time to kill Caraffa!.. And next on his terrible “list” was my poor daughter... My brave, sweet Anna... Just for a short moment, our suffering fate suddenly became clear to me... and it seemed terrible...
After sitting silently for some more time in “my” chambers, Caraffa stood up and, just about to leave, said quite calmly:
– I will inform you when your daughter appears here, Madonna. I think it will be very soon. - And bowing secularly, he left.
And I, from last bit of strength Trying not to succumb to the surging hopelessness, she took off her shawl with a trembling hand and sank onto the nearest sofa. What was left for me - exhausted and lonely?.. By what miracle could I save my brave girl, who was not afraid of the war with Caraffa?.. What kind of lie did they tell her to force her to leave Meteora and return to this earthly Inferno cursed by God and people? ?..
I couldn’t even think what I had in store for Anna Caraffa... She was his last hope, the last weapon that I knew he would try to use as successfully as possible to force me to surrender. Which meant that Anna would have to suffer severely.
Unable to remain alone with my misfortune any longer, I tried to call my father. He appeared immediately, as if he was just waiting for me to call him.
– Father, I’m so scared!.. He’s taking Anna away! And I don’t know if I can save her... Help me, father! At least give me some advice...
There was nothing in the world that I would not agree to give to Karaffa for Anna. I agreed to everything... except for one thing - to give him immortality. And this, unfortunately, was exactly the only thing that the Holy Pope wanted.
– I’m so afraid for her, father!.. I saw a girl here – she was dying. I helped her leave... Is Anna really going to get a similar test?! Are we really not strong enough to save her?..
“Don’t let fear into your heart, daughter, no matter how much it hurts you.” Don't you remember what Girolamo taught his daughter?.. Fear creates the possibility of bringing into reality what you are afraid of. He opens the doors. Don't let fear weaken you before you even begin to fight, dear. Don't let Karaffa win without even starting to fight back.
- What should I do, father? I didn't find his weakness. I didn’t find what he was afraid of... And I no longer had time. What should I do, tell me?..
I understood that our short lives with Anna were approaching their sad end... But Caraffa still lived, and I still didn’t know where to start to destroy him...
- Go to Meteora, daughter. Only they can help you. Go there, my heart.
My father’s voice sounded very sad, apparently just like me, he did not believe that Meteora would help us.
“But they refused me, father, you know.” They believe too much in their old “truth”, which they once instilled in themselves. They won't help us.
- Listen to me, daughter... Go back there. I know you don't believe... But they are the only ones who can still help you. You have no one else to turn to. Now I have to leave... I'm sorry, dear. But I will return to you very soon. I won't leave you, Isidora.
The father’s essence began to habitually “ripple” and melt, and after a moment completely disappeared. And I, still looking in confusion at where his transparent body had just shone, realized that I didn’t know where to start... Caraffa declared too confidently that Anna would very soon be in his criminal hands, so I had no time to fight there was almost none left.
Getting up and shaking myself from my heavy thoughts, I decided to follow my father’s advice and go to Meteora again. It couldn't have been worse anyway. Therefore, having tuned in to the North, I went...
This time there were no mountains or beautiful flowers... I was greeted only by a spacious, very long stone hall, at the far end of which something incredibly bright and attractive sparkled with green light, like a dazzling emerald star. The air around her shone and pulsated, splashing out long tongues of burning green “flame”, which, flaring up, illuminated the huge hall right up to the ceiling. North stood next to this unprecedented beauty, thinking about something sad.
- Hello to you, Isidora. “I’m glad you came,” he said affectionately, turning around.
- And hello to you, Sever. “I came for a short time,” I answered, trying my best not to relax and not succumb to Meteora’s charm. - Tell me, Sever, how could you let Anna go from here? You knew what she was doing! How could you let her go?! I hoped Meteora would be her protection, but she betrayed her so easily... Please explain, if you can...
He looked at me with his sad, wise eyes, without saying a word. As if everything had already been said, and nothing could be changed... Then, shaking his head negatively, he said softly:
– Meteora did not betray Anna, Isidora. Anna herself decided to leave. She is no longer a child, she thinks and decides in her own way, and we have no right to keep her here by force. Even if you don’t agree with her decision. She was informed that Caraffa would torture you if she did not agree to return there. That's why Anna decided to leave. Our rules are very strict and unchanging, Isidora. Once we transgress them once, the next time there will be a reason why life here will quickly begin to change. This is unacceptable; we are not free to deviate from our path.
– You know, North, I think THIS is exactly your main mistake... You have blindly locked yourself into your infallible laws, which, if you look closely at them, will turn out to be completely empty and, to some extent, even naive. What you are dealing with here is amazing people, each of which is already wealth in itself. And they, so unusually bright and strong, cannot be tailored to fit one law! They simply will not obey him. You need to be more flexible and understanding, North. Sometimes life becomes too unpredictable, just as circumstances are unpredictable. And you cannot judge equally what is common and what no longer fits into your long-established, outdated “framework.” Do you really believe that your laws are correct? Tell me honestly, North!..
He looked searchingly into my face, becoming more and more confused, as if he couldn’t decide whether to tell me the truth or leave everything as it is, without bothering his wise soul with regrets...
– What our laws are, Isidora, was not created in one day... Centuries passed, and the Magi still paid for their mistakes. Therefore, even if something sometimes seems not quite right to us, we prefer to look at life in its comprehensive picture, without focusing on individual individuals. No matter how painful it may be...
I would give a lot if you would agree to stay with us! One fine day you might change the Earth, Isidora... You have a very rare Gift, and you can truly THINK... But I know that you will not stay. Don't betray yourself. And there's nothing I can do to help you. I know that you will never forgive us as long as you are alive... Just as Magdalene never forgave us for the death of her beloved husband, Jesus Radomir... But we asked her to return, offering protection to her children, but she never returned to us... We have been living with this burden for many years, Isidora, and believe me - there is no heavier burden in the world! But this is our fate, unfortunately, and it is impossible to change it until the real day of “awakening” comes on Earth... When we no longer need to hide, when the Earth finally becomes truly pure and wise, it becomes brighter. .. Then we will be able to think separately, think about each gifted person, without fear that the Earth will destroy us. Without fear that after us there will be no Faith and Knowledge left, there will be no KNOWING people left...
Sever drooped, as if inside he did not agree with what he himself had just told me... I felt with all my heart, with all my soul, that he believed much more in what I believed so confidently. But I also knew that he would not open up to me without betraying Meteora and his beloved great Teachers. So I decided to leave him alone and not torment him any more...
- Tell me, Sever, what happened to Mary Magdalene? Do her descendants still live somewhere on Earth?
“Of course, Isidora!..” Sever immediately answered, and it seemed to me that he was sincerely pleased by the change of topic...
Wonderful painting by Rubens “The Crucifixion”. Next to the body of Christ (below) are Magdalene and his brother, Radan (in
red), and behind Magdalena is Radomir’s mother, Sage Maria. At the very top is John, and to the right and left of
him - two Knights Templar. The remaining two figures are unknown. Perhaps they were Jews who
lived Radomir's family?..
– After the death of Christ, Magdalene left that cruel, evil land, which took away from her the most dear person in the world. She left, taking with her her baby daughter, who was only four years old at the time. And her eight-year-old son was secretly taken to Spain by the Knights of the Temple so that, no matter what, he would survive and be able to continue the great Family of his father. If you wish, I will tell you the true story of their lives, for what is presented to people today is simply a story for the ignorant and blind...
Magdalena with her children - daughter Radomir with her children - son Svetodar and daughter Vesta
and son. Stained glass from the Church of St. Nazar,
Lemoux, Languedoc, France
(St. Nazare, Lemoux, Langedoc)
On these wonderful stained glass windows Radomir and Magdalena with their children - their son
Svetodar and daughter Vesta. Also, here you can see another very interesting
detail - the clergyman standing next to Radomir is dressed in a Catholic uniform
church, which two thousand years ago in no way could have been
maybe. It appeared among priests only in the 11th-12th centuries. Which, again,
proves the birth of Jesus-Radomir only in the 11th century.
I nodded in agreement to North.
– Please tell me the truth... Tell me about them, Sever...
Radomir, anticipating his ambulance
death, sends a nine-year-old
Svetodar to live in Spain... Chu-
there is deep sadness and general
despair.
His thoughts flew far, far away, plunging into ancient, hidden memories covered with the ashes of centuries. And an amazing story began...
– As I already told you earlier, Isidora, after the death of Jesus and Magdalene, their entire bright and sad life was entwined with shameless lies, transferring this lie also to the descendants of this amazing, courageous family... They were “dressed” with ANOTHER FAITH. Their pure images were surrounded by the lives of ALIEN PEOPLE who had not lived for a long time... WORDS that they NEVER SPEAKED were put into their mouths... They were made RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIMES that ANOTHER FAITH, the most deceitful and criminal that existed, had committed and is committing ever on earth...
* * *
From the author: Many, many years have passed since my meeting with Isidora... And now, remembering and living through the former distant years, I managed to find (while in France) the most interesting materials, largely confirming the veracity of Sever's story about the life of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Radomir, which, I think, will be of interest to everyone reading Isidora’s story, and perhaps even help shed at least some light on the lies of “the rulers of this world.” Please read about the materials I found in the “Supplement” after the chapters of Isidora.
* * *
I felt that this whole story was very difficult for the North. Apparently, his broad soul still did not agree to accept such a loss and was still very sick of it. But he honestly continued to talk further, apparently realizing that later, perhaps, I would no longer be able to ask him anything more.
This stained glass window depicts Magdalene
wife in the form of a Teacher standing over

Year	Name	Notes
1979	Sid Sings	A collection of amateur recordings from concerts of Vicious and his friends in September 1978.
1998	Sid Vicious & Friends	Collection
2000	Too Fast To Live	Collection