On This Day in 1977, Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols Nearly Lost His Life Over a Subversive Song Banned From Airwaves

Most musicians of both the past and present seem to try and steer clear of controversy. After all, why would they not? If they didn’t, they run the risk of losing fans, record deals, and possibly even something worse. However, there have been some musicians who seemingly did not care about any of this. Rather, what they cared about was speaking the truth. One band that did just that was the Sex Pistols.

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People have always viewed the Pistols in a very divisive light, and that is not an unfair analysis in the slightest. Between their music, on-stage antics, and general demeanor, they are arguably one of the most controversial and socially taboo bands of all time. Seemingly, that was one of their missions as a band.

Controversy comes with a price, and the Pistols were no stranger to paying that price. However, there would be one time when one of their members nearly paid that price with his life. On this day, June 18, 1977, Johnny Rotten was beaten and stabbed outside of a pub in London for the song “God Save The Queen”.

How the Sex Pistols’ Politically Subversive Single Motivated the Attack

Roughly a month before the attack, Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols released their politically divisive single, “God Save The Queen”. In short, the single targeted Queen Elizabeth and compared the British monarchy to a fascist regime. As one might imagine, people loyal to the crown were not too thrilled with this single. Consequently, it was banned from the airwaves, though, more significantly, it is reportedly why Johnny Rotten was attacked.

On the day of the attack, a gang armed with razor blades attacked Johnny Rotten, as well as the song’s producers, Chris Thomas and Bill Price, outside of a bar in Highbury, London. It is unclear who the attackers were, though, clearly, they were not fans of the Pistols’ message. The three members were all slashed with blades and then subsequently taken to the hospital for treatment. This was not the only attack against the Sex Pistols. The following day, a gang of six men also wielding knives attacked drummer Paul Cook outside a subway train.

The Sex Pistols’ initial career only lasted for about three years. However, during those three years, the band created one of the most poignant political songs in not only the history of the UK, but also in the greater history of rock ‘n’ roll. Concerning the impact of the Sex Pistols and “God Save The Queen”, the BBC shared, “The Sex Pistols’ impact reverberated far beyond their brief career, and ‘God Save The Queen’ has lost none of its potency.

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