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Meek youth died afterleading vicious lifeNEW YORK (AP) — For most of his 21 years, he was John Simon Ritchie, a meek, razor-thin youth who was often beaten by gangs in his London neighborhood.But when he died of a heroin overdose, he was Sid Vicious, a punk rock musician accused of knifing his girlfriend to death.And the bizarre music that had brought him brief fortune and infamv also was dying.The nude body of thespikehaired rock star, wholiked to hurl insults and vomit at his audiences,was found Fridav with a*needle nearbv and too*much heroin in his veinsIt was the denouncement of a drama that really began just over a year ago when Johnny Rotten, the lead singer for the Sex Pistols, announced that he was quitting punk rock’s most infamous group.Vicious, who joined the Sex Pistols as a replacement at bass guitar, had met Rotten at school before he dropped out at 15. Rotten gave him his nickname, supposedly as a joke. Vicious, he said, was not at all vicious.The Sex Pistols developed a following, and they and other “punkrock” groups became thetalk, but not necessarilythe music, of England. The Sex Pistols, with such songs as Tm a Lazy Sod” and “I’m Pretty Vacant,” were not calculated to please a mass audience.The Sex Pistols, and other groups such as the Vibrators and the Damned, retched, insulted and clawed. They and their fans wore tom clothing, pushed safety pins through their cheeks, and colored their hair purple or orange.rhe group’s biggest?ord in the Unitedites, “God Save theeen,” was banned fromglish radio during Queen izabeth IPs Jubilee year :ause of its anti-royalist ies. The group appeared a radio talk show, and ?ir obscene language suited in the cancel-ion of their first national/hen the Sex Pistols illy reached the United tes, after working out a problems, the toura flophey drew small crowds bad reviews. At theof the tour. Rotten an-nced that group wasmgh. Vicious collapsed he plane the next day at medy International Air-the victim of booze pills.icious was accom-ied by his girlfriend, icv Spungen, 20. who grown up in theladelphia suburb of itington Valley. In 1975. joined the New York t scene, and in 1977 she ;ed to London, whereshe met Sid Vicious.Friends said both of them became hooked on heroin or methadone, an artificial heroin substitute.Miss Spungen took over as Vicious’ manager when the Sex Pistols disbanded. He appeared at local clubs and recorded a punk version of Frank Sinatra’s“Mv Wav.”• »The two moved into a $35-anight room in Manhattan’s Chelsea Hotel, which has catered for generations to art and entertainment folk. They lived quietly in Room 100 of the hotel, registered under the name “Mr. and Mrs. John Ritchie.” until Oct 12 of last vear.At 9:45 a m. on that date, Sid Vicious called the emergency 911 number and told the operator, “Someone is hurt.”Police found the body of Miss Spungen. unclad except for black undergarments. under the bathroom sink. She had been stabbed once in the abdomen.Vicious was charged with second-degreemurder, though he disavowed anv memorv of* »what had happened that night. Weak and shaking from the effects of drug withdrawal, he was held on $50,000 bail.Malcolm McClaren. the former mentor of the Sex Pistols, and others raisedthe bail money.*•A week and a half later, on Oct. 23. Vicious jabbed his arms and wrists with a broken lightbulb in an unsuccessful attempt at suicide He was treated for superficial cuts and was placed in the psychiatric ward of Bellevue Hospitalbetween Vicious andmembers of the band that was performing.His bail revoked, Vicious went back to jail.In the year that Vicious had been in New York, the rock scene had changed, perhaps passing him by. Punk rock had given way to a more sedate “New Wave.” and artists like Elvis Costello and groups like Blondie gained popularity and respectability.And by the end of 1978, Johnny Rotten was performing under his given name, Johnny Lydon.Vicious was released on $50,000 bail again on Thursday.*That night, he attended a party at a Greenwich Village apartment in celebration of his release. He drank beer throughout the evening, but then he injected himself with heroin. Detective RichardHouseman said Vicious suffered a seizure 45 minutes later.He seemed to recover, and when the party broke up. at 2 a.m.. Vicious went to bed. Houseman said.At 12:30 p.m. Friday, Vicious’ mother, Anne Beverly, attempted to rouse her son to check in at the Third Homicide Zone, a requirement of his bail. When she went to the bedroom, she found her son, with a spoon and a syringe nearbv.No smokingfor several weeks.Vicious went back to jail for the last time after he was arrested on a charge of striking Todd Smith — brother of rock singer Patti Smith - at a nightclub with a beer mug following an argumentHAVERFORD, Pa. (AP) — A Haverford townshipcommissioner hasresigned, saying he can’t stand smoke-filled rooms.W Stuart Emmons, 59, a Republican and also president of the Hulbert Oil and Grease Co. in Philadelphia, said Friday he’s had difficulty breathing at the commissioners’ meetingssince losing part of his right lung in a canceroperation.TAG SALEALWAYS MORE FOR YOUR^ Your choice of many iRED TAGBLUE TAGGREEN TAG...Chose from PANTS, SKIRTS, JAIBLOUSES, SHELLSMARTIN3134 Andrews Hwy. One Energy Square OdessaLADIES SP0RTSWE
Newspaper Details
Odessa American
Odessa, Texas, US
Sun, Feb 04, 1979
Page 75
Full Page
Clipped by
San A.
Texas, USA 02 Jun 2021
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Odessa American
