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Sid Vicious: No One is Innocent
Never mind the other Sid Vicious is the definitive guide to the life and times of the Sex Pistols front man. As a veteran punk-rocker who lived briefly with Sid’s mother, author Alan Parker is intimately acquainted with the musical and cultural scene that Sid Vicious dominated during his short life. This account fills in the gaps of John Simon Ritchie’s life, from his art-school days to the death of girlfriend Nancy Spungeon to his drug overdose at 21. New and previously-unheard voices—including the headmistress of his parish school and his mother—help paint a fuller picture of this punk luminary. Those interviews, along with in-depth research in the New York City Police Department’s archives, lead to dramatic conclusions about who killed Nancy Spungeon and how Sid himself died.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 8, 2019
I didn’t expect this to be a barrel of laughs and so of course it proved. It can’t be anything other than depressing – dead at 21. An interesting and likeable kid, outgoing and bright, friend to the desperately shy John Lydon, who would eventually become Johnnie Rotten. It was J.R. who would give the moniker ‘Sid’ to Simon/ John, to use his real name, because the latter hated it. Desperate to get into the band with Rotten, who he was in awe of to begin with, he became the bass player in place of Glen Matlock. He lacked the skills, but hey, so what, it’s punk man! He was always a show man and he had style. His moniker was designed to fit someone with schizoid tendencies, whether real, imagined or assumed. The role of the drugs ensured that the ‘real’ Sid remains a bit of a fuzz ball for all time.
It’s hard not to speculate what might have been; if this ‘Artful Dodger’ with the cheeky grin, a bright, intelligent kid had been surrounded by different people. He might have had a different mother who wasn’t a heroin addict. Another hand of Fate might have seen him avoiding the clutches of the manipulators who surrounded him. Thus he might never have met the rather odious Malcolm McLaren and his erstwhile partner, Vivienne Westwood. The latter, according to Parker, was always seeking to bed the good looking waif. He might have stayed longer at art school where he showed some aptitude. Then, he might never have set eyes on Nancy Spungen. Glimpses of the ‘real’ Sid are sparse. An abiding one for me is of a gangly big kid surrounded by little kids. Only with them could he be himself and at ease.
But the cards dealt out were different. I found the latter part of the book very interesting and it engaged, as a good detective story might: did he or didn’t he kill Nancy? Was his death suicide? Lots of unanswered questions.
Man will always flirt with his self destruct button as a moth is attracted to the flame. In Sid’s case his hand was pressed down hard against it throughout his ‘adult’ life.
I was relieved to finish it. Whilst it interested me it was profoundly depressing. It was also littered with typos and the sort of mistakes which a good editor or proof reader should have weeded out. 3*
It’s hard not to speculate what might have been; if this ‘Artful Dodger’ with the cheeky grin, a bright, intelligent kid had been surrounded by different people. He might have had a different mother who wasn’t a heroin addict. Another hand of Fate might have seen him avoiding the clutches of the manipulators who surrounded him. Thus he might never have met the rather odious Malcolm McLaren and his erstwhile partner, Vivienne Westwood. The latter, according to Parker, was always seeking to bed the good looking waif. He might have stayed longer at art school where he showed some aptitude. Then, he might never have set eyes on Nancy Spungen. Glimpses of the ‘real’ Sid are sparse. An abiding one for me is of a gangly big kid surrounded by little kids. Only with them could he be himself and at ease.
But the cards dealt out were different. I found the latter part of the book very interesting and it engaged, as a good detective story might: did he or didn’t he kill Nancy? Was his death suicide? Lots of unanswered questions.
Man will always flirt with his self destruct button as a moth is attracted to the flame. In Sid’s case his hand was pressed down hard against it throughout his ‘adult’ life.
I was relieved to finish it. Whilst it interested me it was profoundly depressing. It was also littered with typos and the sort of mistakes which a good editor or proof reader should have weeded out. 3*
January 10, 2019
I did enjoy this book but there was some parts that really annoyed me. It seems like the author has some kind of issue with John Lydon and I don't like how he gets put in a bad light all the time. I'd prefer if the author could keep the biography neutral and factual. Speaking of facts, there's a lot of things that's just wrong; quotes, dates and mixed up stories. Even the picture with Marky Ramone is photoshopped because there's missing one person from the photo. Why not use the original photo?
According to an interview with Roadent there's claims that the author never checks any of his sources. Maybe that's the reason why there's so many errors? I will admit that there was a couple of good parts in the book, but as I said, there's too many sloppy errors. I'm hoping someone will write a better and more proper biography. But unfortunately most people who has a connection to Sid Vicious seems to just want to make money off of him.
According to an interview with Roadent there's claims that the author never checks any of his sources. Maybe that's the reason why there's so many errors? I will admit that there was a couple of good parts in the book, but as I said, there's too many sloppy errors. I'm hoping someone will write a better and more proper biography. But unfortunately most people who has a connection to Sid Vicious seems to just want to make money off of him.
January 7, 2019
This was a good read. The author took me back through the old familiar story and added more pieces I haven't read about elsewhere. I feel more sure than ever of what happened in Room 100 at the Chelsea Hotel, but less sure of what happened in the apartment where Sid died. I feel sure, though, that some of his informants had a great deal to hide, so probably there is far more out there to learn...
July 11, 2015
I am ever so slightly biased because I really enjoyed reading about anything and everything Sid Vicious at one stage of my life (not that I'm not still fascinated by the man but..) When I first found this novel and bought it home with me I was so excited to finally read the life story of Sid Vicious and some might say that Alan Parker put Sid upon a pedestal but don't we all do that to our idols? Regardless, this is the best, and sadly, the only paperback available to read about Sid Vicious (Simon John Richie).
April 25, 2022
One star removed for the unnecessary blows against John Lydon - but I wasn't expecting anything else from a manipulative band manager and a mother who killed her own son.
Other than that: nice to finally read that Sid indeed is innocent, as I thought.
Other than that: nice to finally read that Sid indeed is innocent, as I thought.
December 10, 2015
The info was great, but there could have been a bit more. I felt the writing was a bit jumpy for topics and long winded in paragraphs. It was also a bit dry and lacked something that I can't quite put my finger on.
September 20, 2024
I do know young people, and some posh oldies, think punk was Narnia for lefties. Nah. It was yobs and posh wannabe yobs screaming, with a few good acts who sneaked through, like Elvis Costello and XTC.
The Sex Pistols were as manufactured as the Osmonds. The outrage was a gimmick. The 70s were full of novelty music - like "The Winker's Song (misprint)" by Ivor Biggun and "There's No One Quite Like Grandma" by St Winifred's School Choir. BBC ban meant an instant number one - like Jasper Carrot's smutty version on The Magic Roundabout. And of course "Anarchy In The UK". "Pretty Vacant" - cos the cockney sang to make it sound like a dirty word oh hahahaha my aching sides.
The best I can say about the Pistols is that they were right about the royals. God, we had a gutful of Her Majesty in the Jubilee in 1977. Again, there's someone you are told to mindlessly worship. Of course mindless worship is very punk.
Vicious was a talentless man who became a drug addict and probably killed his girlfriend. So rock and roll. His favourite acts, btw, were Abba and Elvis.
It was a con. As a kid in Liverpool I knew that. We all did. London self obsession and mediocrity. "Lahndan Cawling." Yeah, Liverpool putting the phone down on them. The Clash were so "cred," with the diplomat's son on guitar. Yeah - STREET!
And the Sex Pistols were so inclusive, so left wing - all swastika armbands and horror songs about Belson. No empathy, no compassion in their songs. Anything, however witless, to shock. Last I heard of Johnny Rotten he was wearing a Maga cap. Tragically funny.
If you think punk was inclusive of women, go ask Nancy Spungeon. Except you can't. She was most likely stabbed to death by the punk icon everyone adores. And before that she got the Yoko treatment. There is a great book to be written about rock misogyny.
The punks were the generation you younguns call "boomers" now. And the people they wanted to offend were the ones you now call "the greatest generation."
It was meaningless noise. Stop being naive.
The is a a good book about absolutely horrible people. The sort of people you wouldn't just cross the street to avoid - you'd move house if they were (god forbid) your neighbours.
I actually was a working class kid and then and we thought punk was as radical as The Wombles' "Wombling Merry Christmas" or Keith Harris and Orville singing about whether the bird dummy could fly.
Stop pretending"working class" means "violent". Stop deifying these people. It's been nearly 50 years. Grow up.
The Sex Pistols were as manufactured as the Osmonds. The outrage was a gimmick. The 70s were full of novelty music - like "The Winker's Song (misprint)" by Ivor Biggun and "There's No One Quite Like Grandma" by St Winifred's School Choir. BBC ban meant an instant number one - like Jasper Carrot's smutty version on The Magic Roundabout. And of course "Anarchy In The UK". "Pretty Vacant" - cos the cockney sang to make it sound like a dirty word oh hahahaha my aching sides.
The best I can say about the Pistols is that they were right about the royals. God, we had a gutful of Her Majesty in the Jubilee in 1977. Again, there's someone you are told to mindlessly worship. Of course mindless worship is very punk.
Vicious was a talentless man who became a drug addict and probably killed his girlfriend. So rock and roll. His favourite acts, btw, were Abba and Elvis.
It was a con. As a kid in Liverpool I knew that. We all did. London self obsession and mediocrity. "Lahndan Cawling." Yeah, Liverpool putting the phone down on them. The Clash were so "cred," with the diplomat's son on guitar. Yeah - STREET!
And the Sex Pistols were so inclusive, so left wing - all swastika armbands and horror songs about Belson. No empathy, no compassion in their songs. Anything, however witless, to shock. Last I heard of Johnny Rotten he was wearing a Maga cap. Tragically funny.
If you think punk was inclusive of women, go ask Nancy Spungeon. Except you can't. She was most likely stabbed to death by the punk icon everyone adores. And before that she got the Yoko treatment. There is a great book to be written about rock misogyny.
The punks were the generation you younguns call "boomers" now. And the people they wanted to offend were the ones you now call "the greatest generation."
It was meaningless noise. Stop being naive.
The is a a good book about absolutely horrible people. The sort of people you wouldn't just cross the street to avoid - you'd move house if they were (god forbid) your neighbours.
I actually was a working class kid and then and we thought punk was as radical as The Wombles' "Wombling Merry Christmas" or Keith Harris and Orville singing about whether the bird dummy could fly.
Stop pretending"working class" means "violent". Stop deifying these people. It's been nearly 50 years. Grow up.
August 15, 2025
Maybe I am a little biased because I read this book during a phase were I was absolutely fascinated with Sid Vicious, and I still am. It was definitely very interesting to read, and showed me lots of insights and new Information. Although very depressing too, as we get more insight into all of the factors that lead up to his young death at only 21. I am not so happy with the author and his writing however, as most others who read this are too. He had personal contact with Anne Beverly, Sid‘s mum, during the writing of this book which seemed to have influenced him in some way as he repeatedly talks bad about Johnny Rotten (John Lydon). He criticizes Johnny Rotten for his lack of help for Sid during his drug addiction, when he was just a kid too, so I wonder what exactly he expected of him. At the same time he refuses to negatively acknowledge the adults in this, the ones who really negatively influenced Sid. Most of all his mother (which is why I believe the author was a bit biased since he worked together with her on this book), who was quite literally a horrible, neglectful mother who encouraged Sid’s heroin addiction and most likely is the root for a lot of his problems later in life, yet Alan Parker seems to portray her in a mostly positive light, then proceeds to negatively talk about Rotten, which I just cannot understand.
April 28, 2021
I read this book for the first time about 10 years ago and back then I still saw Sid through rose tinted glasses. Now I have more of an education on Punk as a whole, and as much as I can look back at Sid in a nostalgic way, I don’t look at him the way I used to; without flaws. If I took these things into account when reading the book I would’ve given it a lesser rating, however I wanted to just rate the book on the way it’s written, and Parker does an absolutely wonderful job with this book. It’s so in-depth and really let’s you get to know the people in the background of Sid’s life. FFO Punk.
September 3, 2022
Not well written and some passages are just confusing. Not sure what he was aiming for, it is not a scholarly text with all pertinent details allowing the reader to form an opinion, nor is it an opinion piece. I think maybe he got a little too close to the subject to write objectively. Anyway, full of punk lore and stories, believe the ones you want to. About Sid Vicious, I'd say he was perhaps as talented as Elvis but lacked the good management. Or maybe not, as he died young while Elvis died old, fat and on the can. But as long as the public eats it up who cares, right?
July 15, 2025
If you’re a fan of Sid Vicious, the Sex Pistols, or the story of Sid & Nancy I highly recommend this book. If you’ve seen the film Sid and Nancy this book provides great insight to their relationship. This book painted Sid as more than just a punk icon. He was a kid and a human being with real struggles. At times the book was a little slow but of course Vicious’s life can’t always be rock and roll. There was a lot of repeat information from different perspectives. As a huge fan of Sid and the Pistols I found this book to be very genuine.
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March 18, 2025this was disappointing if i’m honest. i liked getting to learn more about such a notorious & controversial figure in punk but i feel like it just kind of missed the mark? it seemed to set a goal but didn’t quite reach it, & the unnecessary jab at john lydon at the end?? so out of place within the context of the last page. i was left feeling unsatisfied & if anything a little confused as to its purpose.
November 13, 2018
I've had this book for a long time but didn't feel like reading this. Once I did, I enjoyed it. However, I found that the story before Nancy didn't interest me as much. Maybe it's because in my mind, it's always been Sid and Nancy. If you want to read Nancy's story, read "And I don't want to live this life" by her mother. THAT is an interesting and heartbreaking book.
May 18, 2025
This was fascinating. I’ve previously read and enjoyed And I Don’t want to live this life by Deborah Spungen. That one was focused on Nancy and written by her mother. This one, obviously, is more about Sid and all I can say is, that mother of his!! Talk about destined to grow up with issues.
February 27, 2025
There seemed to be a lot of negative comments about Nancy, as well as a lot of inaccurate information, this can especially be noticed if you’ve read Nancy’s mothers book first.
July 1, 2020
Gritty, honest and poignant. Alan Parker paints a previously uncharted picture.
November 1, 2015
This is a decent contribution to the Sex Pistols/Sid Vicious library which isn't afraid to challenge conventional accounts of the story.
The fact that the author lived with the subject's mother for a time will obviously mean he has a certain angle. But that shouldn't put you off - in fact it means he gets some proper insights and quotes.
It's interesting to have some details of Sid's short but eventful life and career that weren't widely available at the time. His childhood, including a brief pre-school period spent in Ibiza, apparently impressing the locals with his knowledge of Spanish swear words, is dealt with at length, and his musical tastes before the Sex Pistols entered the public domain in 1976, also provide surprises: was he really a Presley and Abba fan?
We're already aware of the politics behind his appointment to the Sex Pistols as bassist after the sacking of Glen Matlock, despite him being less than adept on the instrument. Thanks to the tabloids, we know enough about the mutually destructive relationship with Nancy Spungen that led to his death. Parker does a good job at presenting an alternative view: his account of Spungen's murder is well-argued and perfectly plausible, disputing the papers' simplistic claim that Sid stabbed his girlfriend to death as part of an eventually successful suicide pact.
Where the book is weaker is in the handling of the various versions of Sid Vicious that the author has been given. Clearly different witnesses will give different perspectives, and we know about the man's "mercurial" character, obviously influenced by drugs. But we don't get a clear picture: was he a weakling or a bully, was his stage name honest or ironic, was he a halfwit (the consensual view both in his lifetime and post mortem) or a budding intellectual?
The relationship with John Lydon is somewhat oversimplified. Lydon, who is not credited as a source for the book, is painted as a former best mate who abandons and then ridicules his former friend and colleague. His own post- Sex Pistols career in Public Image Limited is rather diminished - strange seeing that PiL had a longevity and musical sophistication not allowed the Pistols or their ad hoc offshoots like The Professionals and The Vicious White Kids.
Finally, some of the spelling mistakes of people's names make for an unnecessary irritation. "Debby" Harry, Eddie "Cochrane" and "Vivienne" Goldman, among others, unless they've changed their names without telling anybody, might be slightly upset by this carelessness.
It's up to you whether you want to let this put you off. Maybe it's fitting, given the nature of punk rock?
The fact that the author lived with the subject's mother for a time will obviously mean he has a certain angle. But that shouldn't put you off - in fact it means he gets some proper insights and quotes.
It's interesting to have some details of Sid's short but eventful life and career that weren't widely available at the time. His childhood, including a brief pre-school period spent in Ibiza, apparently impressing the locals with his knowledge of Spanish swear words, is dealt with at length, and his musical tastes before the Sex Pistols entered the public domain in 1976, also provide surprises: was he really a Presley and Abba fan?
We're already aware of the politics behind his appointment to the Sex Pistols as bassist after the sacking of Glen Matlock, despite him being less than adept on the instrument. Thanks to the tabloids, we know enough about the mutually destructive relationship with Nancy Spungen that led to his death. Parker does a good job at presenting an alternative view: his account of Spungen's murder is well-argued and perfectly plausible, disputing the papers' simplistic claim that Sid stabbed his girlfriend to death as part of an eventually successful suicide pact.
Where the book is weaker is in the handling of the various versions of Sid Vicious that the author has been given. Clearly different witnesses will give different perspectives, and we know about the man's "mercurial" character, obviously influenced by drugs. But we don't get a clear picture: was he a weakling or a bully, was his stage name honest or ironic, was he a halfwit (the consensual view both in his lifetime and post mortem) or a budding intellectual?
The relationship with John Lydon is somewhat oversimplified. Lydon, who is not credited as a source for the book, is painted as a former best mate who abandons and then ridicules his former friend and colleague. His own post- Sex Pistols career in Public Image Limited is rather diminished - strange seeing that PiL had a longevity and musical sophistication not allowed the Pistols or their ad hoc offshoots like The Professionals and The Vicious White Kids.
Finally, some of the spelling mistakes of people's names make for an unnecessary irritation. "Debby" Harry, Eddie "Cochrane" and "Vivienne" Goldman, among others, unless they've changed their names without telling anybody, might be slightly upset by this carelessness.
It's up to you whether you want to let this put you off. Maybe it's fitting, given the nature of punk rock?
January 28, 2014
He had no musical ability and had never played a guitar in his life. Yet despite (or perhaps because of) that John Simon Ritchie became the face of an influential music movement. Name not familiar? If I said Sid Vicious you'll know who I'm talking about.
Sid Vicious: No One is innocent. Traces the life of Sid from his early childhood to his death at the age of just 21. Sid often said he'd be dead by 21 and he was.
The author, Alan Parker has made something of a career of writing about Sid and it's no wonder. no One Is innocent is a well reasearched, balanced look at this short , troubled life. He explores the myths and legends about Sid that have grown over the years. Parker obviously gained the respect of those closest to Sid Vicious as he was able to gain the co-operation of both family and friends . From Malcolm McClaren, the manager, various band members and friends through to Sid's late mother and his cousin. Even the mother of Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend Sid was charged with murdering agreed to talk to him.
the book also examines the most important relationship in Sid's life; his turbulent time with Nancy Spungen. Parker spoke to those who saw Sid and Nancy on those last fateful days and reveals many conflicting stories. Sid's death of an overdose also remains shrouded in mystery. Was it accidental, suicide or as some believe an assisted suicide with Sid's mum giving him the fatal dose? We will probably never know.
Parker also looks,at the roles played in the short life of The Sex pistols by Malcolm McLaren and his erstwhile partner Designer Vivienne Westwood. There is little doubt that the pair exploited both The Sex Pistols in life and Vicious in death. Just days after Spungen's death the shop owned by McLaren and Westwood were selling t-shirts with Vicious on them with the slogan "I'm Alive, She’s Dead, I’m Yours’. . I found a recent you tube video interview with Westwood in which she says punk was just a fashion that was a good marketing tool and dismissed it as meaningless. Interesting comment from someone who made their name on the back of punk
Video of Westwood's comments about punk here http://www.theguardian.com/commentisf...
Sid Vicious: No One is innocent. Traces the life of Sid from his early childhood to his death at the age of just 21. Sid often said he'd be dead by 21 and he was.
The author, Alan Parker has made something of a career of writing about Sid and it's no wonder. no One Is innocent is a well reasearched, balanced look at this short , troubled life. He explores the myths and legends about Sid that have grown over the years. Parker obviously gained the respect of those closest to Sid Vicious as he was able to gain the co-operation of both family and friends . From Malcolm McClaren, the manager, various band members and friends through to Sid's late mother and his cousin. Even the mother of Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend Sid was charged with murdering agreed to talk to him.
the book also examines the most important relationship in Sid's life; his turbulent time with Nancy Spungen. Parker spoke to those who saw Sid and Nancy on those last fateful days and reveals many conflicting stories. Sid's death of an overdose also remains shrouded in mystery. Was it accidental, suicide or as some believe an assisted suicide with Sid's mum giving him the fatal dose? We will probably never know.
Parker also looks,at the roles played in the short life of The Sex pistols by Malcolm McLaren and his erstwhile partner Designer Vivienne Westwood. There is little doubt that the pair exploited both The Sex Pistols in life and Vicious in death. Just days after Spungen's death the shop owned by McLaren and Westwood were selling t-shirts with Vicious on them with the slogan "I'm Alive, She’s Dead, I’m Yours’. . I found a recent you tube video interview with Westwood in which she says punk was just a fashion that was a good marketing tool and dismissed it as meaningless. Interesting comment from someone who made their name on the back of punk
Video of Westwood's comments about punk here http://www.theguardian.com/commentisf...
March 31, 2013
I've been interested in Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen ever since I was 14 and read the book by Nancy's mother Deborah, "And I Don't Want to Live This Life". I didn't really think I'd learn anything new from this book but was pleasantly surprised. The book explores Sid's childhood and teen years and his short time in college as an art student. I did find it boring at times when the author went into paragraphs about the business end of things. However, I liked that they went into detail about what happened after Nancy was murdered, theories about who could have murdered her besides Sid, Sid's incarceration at Riker's Island and subsequent stay at Bellevue's infamous mental ward and his short, sad romance with Michelle Robison before he died. A tragic story, even when you know how it will end. I would recommend it to any punk, Sex Pistols, or Sid and Nancy fan.
February 13, 2009
Sid Vicious. Punk Icon. Legend.
As the author Alan Parker states, "Sid will never grow old like the rest of us. He is frozen in time at the age of 21"
I have always been interested and faciated by punk. And the I find it impossibel not to know about the Sex Pistols and their most famous member...John Simon Ritchie, mostly known as Sid Vicious.
It was a pretty intetesring read and I learned some things that I did not know.
As the author Alan Parker states, "Sid will never grow old like the rest of us. He is frozen in time at the age of 21"
I have always been interested and faciated by punk. And the I find it impossibel not to know about the Sex Pistols and their most famous member...John Simon Ritchie, mostly known as Sid Vicious.
It was a pretty intetesring read and I learned some things that I did not know.
November 17, 2016
Parker writes from a unique angle, in that he lived with Sid's mother for some time and shares with us her memories of Sid's troubled early years which are heartbreaking. There has been so much written about his downfall and death that it was refreshing to read more about his childhood and family dynamics.
January 12, 2009
Looked really good ....blurb read well .....
Promised a bit of a conspiracy theory angle....
Alan Parker The Sid Vicious expert ........
Gonna tell me summat I didn't know.....
Sorry didn't happen.....
Promised a bit of a conspiracy theory angle....
Alan Parker The Sid Vicious expert ........
Gonna tell me summat I didn't know.....
Sorry didn't happen.....
September 26, 2009
Might not be the most original of approach, but I can't help it. I loved it, from the first page to the last. And in the end, it is a complete and interesting tale of punk's most notorious and tragic icon.
November 2, 2012
this was a great read into the life and work of sid.
his memory will always live on
his memory will always live on
August 11, 2013
An interesting read, but kind of slow at times.
March 31, 2015
Amazing, simply a-m-a-z-i-n-g
December 15, 2014
Like watching a slow motion train wreck.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews