The Sex Pistols were then called on as last-minute replacements. Queen had initially been booked to appear on Grundy's show but then pulled out when Freddie Mercury got toothache. The interviewer's career was effectively ended by the saga. Today was later cancelled and Grundy was dropped from prime-time TV. The interview led to hundreds of complaints. The exchange then continued with Grundy being branded a 'dirty b*****d', a 'dirty f****r' and a 'f*****g rotter', with the presenter encouraging the band members after each insult.
You've got another five seconds to say something outrageous.' When Lydon did so, he added: 'Keep going. Grundy also asked Lydon to repeat the word 's***t' that he had uttered off camera. Pistols guitarist Steve Jones said: 'You dirty b******! You dirty f*****! What a f****** rotter!' The interviewer sparked fury when he said to singer Siouxsie Sioux: 'We'll meet afterwards, shall we?' Punk pioneers: (L-R) Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), Sid Vicious, Steve Jones and Paul Cook of The Sex Pistols during their final tour The discussion infamously descended into chaos when Grundy appeared to provoke the band members, and many of them ended up swearing.
The Pistols were also banned from television and many councils stopped them from playing concerts.īefore their TV ban, the Sex Pistols and several other singers were invited onto the hugely popular ITV show Today, which was presented by Bill Grundy. Many retailers, including WH Smith and Boots, refused to stock the single and one shop even blanked out the title in its chart countdown to avoid offending the Queen. The song was banned by the BBC and commercial radio stations, with the then controller of Radio 2, Charles McLelland, saying it was 'in gross bad taste'. When it docked, several members of the band were arrested.Īt the time, the group were dropped by their record label A&M and the band released the single through Virgin after signing a new deal. It was a gesture that mocked the Royal river procession that followed a few days later.
However, while the Silver Jubilee celebrations were in full flow in London on June 7, 1977, the band hired a boat called the Queen Elizabeth to perform on as it sailed down the Thames. Wow: When it was first released, the song, which featured a defaced image of the Queen on its cover, reached number two in the UK singles chart despite the broadcasting ban and was only denied top spot by Rod Stewart's I Don't Want to Talk About Itĭespite the timing of its release, Cook later insisted that it was not 'written specifically for the Queen's Jubilee' and claimed that the band were not even aware of the celebration. It was released amid a backdrop of economic crisis and industrial decline in the late 1970s. The song was co-written by all four of the band's original members and was intended to create resentment towards the monarchy, whilst generating sympathy for the English working class. Released in May 1977, God Save the Queen was given the same name as the UK's national anthem, a fact that was deemed in itself to be offensive. It's a statement of self rule, of ultimate independence.' The song immediately received criticism for endorsing anarchy, a point that was taken up by the band's manager when he said the track was a 'call to arms to the kids who believe that rock and roll was taken away from them. The Sex Pistols first burst onto the British music scene with their 1976 single Anarchy in the UK. Rumours have persisted ever since that the charts were manipulated to keep the song from number one.ĭespite the avowed anarchist aims of the punk rocker band - members John, Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock, who was later replaced by Sid Vicious, the surviving stars re-released the track last month to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Above: Her Majesty with Prince Philip and earl Mountbatten of Burma on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 1977
Oh dear: The Sex Pistols 1977 hit God Save The Queen included lyrics that branded the Queen 'not a human being' and saying the monarchy was a 'fascist regime'.