The Sex Pistols consists of Sid Vicious (bassist), Steve Jones (lead guitar), Johnny Rotten (vocals), Paul Cook (drummer).
Sex Pistols are, despite their short existence, one of the most influential English punk bands. While of the original set of UK punks The Clash were perhaps more articulate and politically motivated, The Damned more versatile, and Buzzcocks had more astute pop sensibilities, the Pistols achieved more recognition through their iconic punk rock passion and flamboyancy, and no other band of the era made such a lasting impression on British popular culture.
Originally called The Strand (in reference to a song by Roxy Music), the band was formed during 1972 by Paul Cook (drums), Steve Jones (vocals) and Wally Nightingale (guitar). During 1973 the band members began to frequent a 1950s-themed clothes shop which sold Teddy Boy clothes called 'Let It Rock' in the Kings Road, Chelsea area of London. Here they met the shop's manager, Malcolm McLaren. Jones, being aware that McLaren had some connections within the music business, asked if he would be interested in becoming the group's manager, although at the time McLaren declined. Del Noone, who they met at the shop, was recruited to play bass. By 1974, the group called themselves The Swankers and played their first gig at a birthday party of a friend of Cook's at Tom Salter's Café in London. They also began rehearsing in a studio called the 'Crunchy Frog', near London's docklands. Noone left the band shortly afterwards because he was becoming unreliable and not turning up at rehearsals.
The remaining members recruited bass player Glen Matlock. By early 1975, Jones and Nightingale had begun arguing about what direction the band should take. Nightingale then left the group. Jones replaced him on guitar. Johnny Rotten, who was another of the clientele of the by now renamed and restyled ' SEX' boutique, showed up at the shop in August 1975 wearing a homemade 'I Hate Pink Floyd' t-shirt. He was asked to audition by singing along to Alice Cooper's Eighteen. He passed.