Remember When: The Sex Pistols’ Bill Grundy Show Incident

The Sex Pistols‘ 1976 appearance on the Bill Grundy show in the U.K. rubbed punk in the faces of the clean-cut English public. The rockers took the place of Queen, who was originally billed to appear on Grundy’s show but had to bow out last minute due to a dental problem with Freddie Mercury. Though the men of Queen weren’t exactly saints, they probably would’ve looked like stand-up citizens compared to the fury The Sex Pistols released.

While on the broadcast, the Pistols looked completely disinterested in the whole affair, talking over one another and ignoring Grundy at all costs. Grundy challenged their punk behavior, which was still in its infancy at the time. “You’ve received 40,000 pounds from the record companies, doesn’t that seem slightly opposed to the anti-materialistic view of life?” he asked.

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“We’ve fuckin’ spent it, ain’t we?” Steve Jones replied. It was one of many crass words that would be used throughout the night. Grundy then asked them their feelings on classical composers like “Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, and Brahms.”

“They’re all heroes of ours, ain’t they,” Johnny Rotten sarcastically replied. “Oh yes! They really turn us on.” Grundy then pushed to say that those composers might be other people’s cup of tea, to which Rotten doubled down saying, “That’s just their tough shit.”

Rotten said it a little under his breath, prompting Grundy to ask him to repeat himself. He then cleared his throat and clearly said “Shit” for all the world to hear. “Good heavens, you frighten me to death,” Grundy said.

Their “interview” was a short affair. Grundy played them off soon after realizing they had no interest in delivering anything but debauchery.

Even after they were ushered off stage, the band wreaked havoc. Somehow, the complaint phone line got redirected to the green room where the band was staying. The hordes of people calling in to complain about the band’s rude language were answered by the group themselves giving them more, you guessed it, rude language.

It was a perfect display of punkdom by one of its greatest stewards. Revisit the band’s appearance, below.

(Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)