Sid Vicious: Rock 'n' Roll Star

by Malcolm Butt

No one embodied the Sex Pistols raw, anarchic excesses like bassist Sid Vicious. Told from an insider’s perspective, Sid Rock 'n' Roll Star covers the brief life of punk’s original poster boy including everything from Vicious’s lowly beginning as the only child of a drug-addicted parent to his obsession with violence and the notorious death of girlfriend Nancy Spungen. New material and numerous photographs capture the extremes of this charismatic rebel who crashed and burned at 21.

Genres: Biography, Music, Nonfiction, Rock N Roll

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Lynx · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I found the book somewhat informative I also found it incredibly bias and off-putting. The never-ending name calling of Nancy Spungen was absolutely unnecessary and I'm kinda sick of women being blamed for mens decisions. Nancy herself was just a teenager/early twenties, she had mental health and addiction issues and TOGETHER, their self-destructive behaviour led to their downfall. She didn't have the man tied up for 2 years sticking needles into his arms. He made his own decisions and unfortunately they both went down that hole together.

I discuss Sid and Nancy, and my thoughts on the book on my podcast Muses, check it out here, iTunes or whichever platform you listen on!

[George Huxley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good info. Nothing overtly special about it. Man, I first heard about Sid a long while back. I was in 5th grade and me and my mom watched Sid and Nancy, the next day at school I immediately declared it my favorite movie ever. Still a pretty kick-ass movie by the way, Alex Cox is pretty badass. Fuck, this guy was amazingly fucked and fuckingly amazing. Despite him pretty much doing absolutely nothing but fucking, shooting up, mutilating himself, and occasionally strumming along on his bass; I still love this guy. He's no Jim Morrison, but still, goddam what an amazing guy. The book though, that's what this is about. Haha. Mr. Butt seems to have most of his information there, generally well written, and near the end he even got my eyes a bit misty with his cataloguing of Sid's death wish after Nancy died. Overall good shit, maybe it's just because of the subject matter, but I enjoyed it most definitely. R.I.P. Sid & Nancy, Vive Le Rock!

[Lady Makaveli · Rating 5 out of 5]

After I read this I wrote a long 'essay' on Sid Vicious. I think he is a brilliant and tragic soul taken all too soon by the hands of a very greedy, abusive mother. His story is one that the world needs to hear in my opinion. He was extreme; but he had a good heart. He was a good soul born into a hopeless situation, with the very person who brought him into it being the very one to take him out of it. If I knew where the "essay" I wrote was I'd post it here, but for now all I'll say is if you want to know what suffering even while fighting for hope and healing, this man is the one to listen to. He should still be with us. May your next journey be dark and beautiful, Mister Sid Vicious <3 .... You've earned it.

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traces the decline and fall of the Sex Pistols' hapless bassist, Sid Vicious, as he followed his girlfriend Nancy Spungen over the cliff's edge. I wonder what he'd say if he knew how much he did to promote the "straightedge" movement. It's not a fun or smiley read, but it sure brings back those dim, dead days.

[Amanda Manak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't to excited with this book. I had read the book written by his girlfriends mom and really enjoyed that book, so i wanted to hear about Sid Vicious from someone other than the girl he murdered Mom. It was nothing like her book. To tell you the truth, i didn't even finish it!

[dhani Machfud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Menceritakan sisi lain dari seorang pemabuk di dunia rock n roll yang berbahaya: Sid Vicious,..mengenai ketergantungannya kepada speed dan heroin serta jalinan asmara yang aneh dengan Nancy Spungen yang berakhir dengan kematian wanita tersebut.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Sex Pstols fan and this was an awesome book

[Aaron Reinwald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, sad but hey that's at least as true of a story as we can get. Born around the needle - died with the needle.

[Em Mirra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pending.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Could've done without the last several pages of Summing Up though.)