Rotten day for punks: the Sex Pistols break up – archive, 1978

In an outbreak of mystifying sensationalism the Sex Pistols succeeded in breaking the bounds of most things believable yesterday.

Johnny Rotten was reported from New York as saying that the group had broken up. And Sid Vicious was taken to hospital in the city after what was described by doctors as a “drug overdose,” having taken pills and alcohol during a flight from Los Angeles.

All this came as the group were completing their gaudy and shock-inducing American tour. A spokesman for Virgin Records, in a series of confused statements, said that two of the group, Paul Cook and Steve Jones, “are going to Rio tonight for a few days. They are going to stay with Ronald Biggs, who was going to introduce their act in South America.”

As regards the split up, he would say only: “It looks like curtains. Their tour of Europe, which was to have begun tomorrow, is off. But nothing is irretrievable.” The Sex Pistols’ wildest day, began with a report from Johnny Rotten that the group had split up. Malcolm McLaren, the Pistols’ manager, could not be located. A spokesman for Virgin Records commented coolly: “They do not get on as a band. That is not a secret – especially Sid Vicious with the others. They have these tiffs from time to time. Quite what this means we do not know.”

Later Mr McLaren issued a statement on behalf of his company, Glitterbest. It said: “The management is bored with managing the successful rock’n’roll band. The group is bored with being a successful rock’n’roll band. Burning venues and destroying record companies is more creative than making it.”

This punk or dadaist manifesto was later described as non-operative by Virgin Records. The spokesman said Mr McLaren also believed that nothing was irretrievable but the tour was cancelled, the group was scattered – whether suicidal, angry or train robber-hunting – all over America. It seemed to be the end – until the next beginning.