PROBLEM
When people think of Sid Vicious, they think about a rebellious punk star. A man who always caused problems and was somewhat of a nuisance and a wreck. With this in mind, not many people understand what factors have caused his behaviour and life choices and tend not to look beneath the Sid Vicious surface. Simply to look at the person under the punk.
INSIGHT
Everyone sees the chaos of Sid’s life, however, not many people actually spoke about the occurrences and issues that made Sid, vicious.
SOLUTION/NARRATIVE
We will unravel Sid’s life in a reverse chronological order in which the audience will initially see Sid and many others saw him; an aggressive public menace with a rampant drug issue. However, by the end our aim is to guide the audience through the complications he faced in life and battles he fought against himself. Doing so will open the viewers eyes to the reasons behind his actions.
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Front
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Chapter One: Vicious
Chapter Two: The Lies Subside
Chapter Three: Problem Child
John Simon Richie (AKA Sid vicious) lived a short and rather bleak life. This exhibition is set to visually immerse you through some of Sid’s darkest hours yet also peel back at the surface of who Sid really was and why he ended up the way he did.
Vicious
:LWKLQ WKH ƓUVW SDUW RI WKLV installation you will be exposed to Sid’s most vicious and vulgar attributes. This is how, typically the public saw him, the bad boy punk rocker with habits that would shake even the closet to him to their very core.
The Lies Subside. Following his darkest hours, the installation turns perspective towards the lighter side of Sid. Towards the side of him that some of his friends said was actually the truest version of himself, the version without the mental turmoil and rampant drug abuse.
Problem Child.
,Q WKH ƓQDO FKDSWHU RI WKLV journey you are introduced to John Simon Richie, Aka Sid Vicious. This segment unravels his life down to his youngest years and exposes a childhood that should be endured by no one. Yet XSRQ UHŴHFWLRQ JLYHV possible reasoning for the life in which he lived.
Sid’s ability to consume copious amounts of narcotics was scandalous, even in the eyes of the punk community. However, at a party with Dee Dee Ramone in London, Vicious pushed the boundaries of the rock and roll lifestyle. At this said party Sid asked Dee if he had any spare drugs, to which Dee replied yes and they headed to a bathroom in search of water to mix the speed with however the bathroom was covered in the “puke and piss” of the other party goers.
Puke and Piss
Sid and Dee Dee Ramone pictured attending a party together.
Dee Dee was no stranger to some of the appalling acts that went on behind closed doors in the punk community however witnessing Sid inject the urine and vomit of others into his bloodstream was a memory to forget.
“He puts a whole bunch of speed in the syringe—and then stuck the needle and the works in the toilet, with all the puke and piss in there and loaded it.” “And he just looked at me kinda dazed and said, “Man where did you get this stuff?” - Dee Dee Ramone, Base player for the Ramones -
The Murder Weapon As the story goes, Nancy Spungen the girlfriend of Vicious was murdered (allegedly by him) with this exact knife. At 7:30am, in the Hotel Chelsea NYC, the groans of a female could be heard coming from room 100; Sid and Nancy’s room. A short while after at 10am Sid was seen in a dazes and confused state and requested assistance from front desk. As they arrived at the room, they found Nancy on the EDWKURRP ŴRRU ZLWK D VWDE ZRXQG WR WKH VWRPDFK DQG DOUHDG\ dead, due to the heavy blood loss. Months later, while awaiting trial for her murder, Vicious died from an overdose...
Infamous shot taken of Sid during his performance with the Sex Pistols at the Longhorn Ballroom, Dallas on the 10th of Jan, 1978 shortly after getting punched in the face.
Not only was Sid’s Violence aimed towards himself, but it was also projected to those around him.
Sid was involved in a rather heinous incident on the second day of Club 100s punk rock festival, which ultimately ended up in the partial blinding of a young girl. The incident in question was where Sid, LQ D GUXJ DQG DOFRKRO IXHOOHG ƓW RI retaliation towards Dan Vanian (member of the Damned) due to a personal dispute threw a glass towards stage as the Damned performed. Rather than the glass hitting Dan it shattered on a pillar near the stage tearing the poor girls face to pieces and partially blinding her.
Shouting the phrase “cowboys and queers!” Sid began to gain a less than welcoming reception from the Dallas audience, to at which point a crowd member approached vicious and punched him in the in the face causing him to bleed.
“He spent the next 23 minutes trying to conjure as much blood as he could.”
Self-mutilation was something Vicious was never shy about. The Sex Pistols embarked on a woeful tour of the USA in 1978 which they performed in Dallas at the Longhorn Ballroom. Appearing shirtless, ZLWK WKH ZRUGV ŏ*LPPH D Ɠ[Ő engraved via a piece of broken glass on his chest he began to get the crowd riled up.
- Barry kooda, guitarist for The Nervebreakers -
The board reads right to left due its positioning and placement on the actual exhibition. See ‘Exhibition 3D Layout - Chapter One’.
...we finally put the cat in a plastic bag and took it to the bin downstairs." - Mark Helfond in reference to the strangling of the cat -
As far as psychopathic acts of unsolicited violence goes, this is marks the top. Not only did he have a record of strangling innocent cats but it was known that during KLV WLPH RI LQ VTXDORUV KH ZRXOG ƓQG VWUD\ FDWV DQG carve into them with aluminium cans.
“...it didn't last long as far as ticks on the clock but it seemed like an eternity.” - Mark Helfond in reference to the strangling of the cat -
Understanding has to be applied for the reasons Sid made the choices he made, however to forgive the actions would be a big request.
“If he was sitting there and no one was taking any notice of him, he’d cut his hand or something to attract attention” - Johnny Rotten’s father talking about Sid -
“To think I killed the cat”, The lyrics to Sid’s rather vicious rendition of Elvis Presley’s “I did it my way”
“I find it all so amusing” - Sid Vicious referring to the killing of the cat -
The incident that Sid was referring to was the time he used a leather belt, tied in a noose and hung a cat in front of Mark Helfond, friend to the sex pistols. Helfond was not the only unfortunate onlooker towards some of these acts as Johnny Rotten's father had also witnessed Sid carry out similar acts.
The board reads right to left due its positioning and placement on the actual exhibition. See ‘Exhibition 3D Layout - Chapter One’.
- Jah Wobble, Musician and Friend -
- Viv Albertine, The Slits -
“I always describe him as a loveable bozo... He had this sort of humour... He was fun to be around.”
“I can remember him as a really funny funny bloke...”
“He had a really big platform espadrilles on, Oxford bags and like a tied-up kind of Haiyan shirt and loads and loads of bangles... And a David Bowie haircut.”
- Ray Stevenson, Photographer and Friend -
Non other than the people who were close to John would be able to tell you who he was.
- Marco Pirroni, Musician and Friend -
“The Ramones album has just come out... He just sat in the bedroom next door with that record over and over and over and over again and he had a fantastic ear, he did have a really good ear, he was a really bright guy... He’d never touched an instrument really before.”
“He was just startlingly beautiful.. An aesthetic beauty in his face which was really, kind of breath-taking... He burnt your eyes he was so beautiful”
- Viv Albertine, The Slits -
“He was just like a normal guy I mean, you know, very funny. People never realised he had a great sense of humour.”
- Caroline Coon, Writer and Artist -
- Alan Jones, Friend and ‘SEX’ Assistant -
Who the real man behind the punk was, the raw, un-Vicious-ised John Simon Ritchie.
The board reads right to left due its positioning and placement on the actual exhibition. See ‘Exhibition 3D Layout - Chapter Two’.
Put in true by Peter Gravell, a photographer and a friend of Sid Vicious. By no means were the atrocities commited by the late Sid Vicious acceptable or redeemable. What they are so is sad. It is sad that such a persona, one that craved destruction and devastation drowned a youthful, talented and lovable teenager who proved to have lots of potential. Glimpses of John Simon Ritchie can and forever will be seen within Sid Vicious, but they will be immediately dismissed by the trail of ruin that was left.
“I hope he leaves a fucking brilliant legacy. Sid was a style icon you know... He had plenty to say and he had the chance and he didn’t.”
“The way he died has shrouded so much about him. It’s actually quite hard to find the real Sid.”
“Sid was a fantastic singer. He had a real presence... What he didn’t have though was he didn’t have that kind of lyrical stance that John had... But he looked the part.”
- John Tiberi, Sex Pistols US Tour Manager -
- Peter Gravelle, Photographer and Friend -
- Glen Matlock, Sex Pistol -
“To watch Sid Vicious, this hopeful, exuberant, enthusiastic teenager become such a fulcrum of hatred and condemnation, and then ultimately destroy himself and other people and becoming this murderer, it’s a tragedy.” - Caroline Coon, Writer and Artist -
“Sid got dragged, pulled down into that dark vortex... Nobody was willing to play the role I noticed of the older brother let alone father figure... If anymore of those older people had stepped forward and said ‘Your going down a bit of a bad path here’ or somebody to have the bollocks to step in and stop a situation.”
“Sid came back from ‘SEX’, Vivienne Westwood’s shop, one day and gone were the peg trousers and the brothel creepers and the torn shirt and he had sort of black jeans on different shoes, and he said that Vivienne had burnt his pegs... He looked great but he looked harder.” - Viv Albertine, The Slits -
- Jah Wobble, Musician and Friend -
The board reads right to left due its positioning and placement on the actual exhibition. See ‘Exhibition 3D Layout - Chapter Two’.
Golden Chain worn by John Simon Ritchie
Book of Artwork
He wore this chain between the ages of 15-16 in the late ōV 'XULQJ KLV WLPH DW FROOHJH KLV RXWƓWV ZHUH FRPSOHWHG with this very chain.
This book consists of the artwork made by a young John Simon Ritchie during his teenage years. The book provides an insight to the man beneath the punk image. It represents the him as just a normal person, with a talent and an insight into the world of art.
The style of the chain was changed when Ritchie attached a bicycle lock to it and it was a vital element and perennial part of his look and the fashion created by the 1970s "punk" look of bohemian London. It was eventually brought to the masses by designer Vivienne Westwood and others. This trademark object was something he nearly always wore.
Golden Chain worn by John Simon Ritchie
Book of Artwork
Committing to Sid Vicious
He wore this chain between the ages of 15-16 in the late ōV 'XULQJ KLV WLPH DW FROOHJH KLV RXWƓWV ZHUH FRPSOHWHG with this very chain.
This book consists of the artwork made by a young John Simon Ritchie during his teenage years. The book provides an insight to the man beneath the punk image. It represents the him as just a normal person, with a talent and an insight into the world of art.
This is the contract signed by John Simon Ritchie which represents his commitment to fully becoming ‘Sid Vicious’. 7KH FRQWUDFW LV IRU WKH 6H[ 3LVWROV ƓQDO 86 JLJ
The style of the chain was changed when Ritchie attached a bicycle lock to it and it was a vital element and perennial part of his look and the fashion created by the 1970s "punk" look of bohemian London. It was eventually brought to the masses by designer Vivienne Westwood and others. This trademark object was something he nearly always wore.
The book itself was kept by his mother; Anne Beverley. But was later put up for auction and was estimated to reaching a ƓJXUH RI e
It also represents the end of his career as a musician as it was the time in his life where he spiralled out of control and lost himself. Some would say that this was the last time anybody had seen John Simon Ritchie before Sid Vicious completely took over.
The book itself was kept by his mother; Anne Beverley. But was later put up for auction and was estimated to reaching a ƓJXUH RI e
Buttercup “I think he was a sweeter guy underneath it all, even later in his life, but as with a lot of people you have to scratch away the veneer to find it.” The Avatar of punk did well to showcase very little vulnerability; hiding within Sid vicious, an innocent child was perhaps lost to the world. Killed by frantic drug abuse, John Simon Ritchie faded away as another man took over leaving very little behind. What perhaps remains of John was left to his mother.
John had created some beautifully delicate paintings during his time at Hackney College of Further Education in the mid 70’s. Perhaps pieces of coursework, he did what most children would, and gifted his efforts to his mother Anne Beverly.
What’s perhaps even more surprising, is how she kept them and cherished each one until the day she died in 1996. During his time at college, John Ritchie actually did very little to stand out from a crowd. He dressed very much like all the other teenagers of the 70’s with peg trousers and greased back hair. As he is remembered more and more as a vicious, blood-soaked sociopath, his true self is buried deeper and deeper amongst all the mediation.
A quote from Miss Parker from Maida Vale, West London, that puts to words precisely who John was. ‘A sweeter guy’. Some of the Paintings he made can be used for perfect example.
You may expect someone seen to be so violent create a more destructive image, perhaps expressing the rage they hold within. Painting often shows real emotion, so seeing such delicacy may lead you to believe that John was in fact more gentle and more innocent than the media would lead you to believe.
Unorthodox Head A Mosque In Shadow
The vivid red and orange tones that seam to down out all other colour. In the distance a sunset forcing the mosque in the foreground into silhouette, only recognisable by its unique and interesting shape. This painting acts as a rather sizable contrast from the hard punk star that Vicious is known for. It forshadows the creativity and talent that John Ritchie held within him
We will now never understand true meaning in any artworks John made. We can however, see the talent and potential held within them. If a different path had been destined for John Ritchie we may have understood and perhaps he would not have been lost.
Was this perhaps an early indication that the troubles had started to consume him.
A more abstract piece, containing a dominating head to dwarf all else. Standing on what could be described as legs. This rather unorthodox head stands tall over abstract and unusual ƓJXUHV VWDQGLQJ RYHU D UDWKHU Dali Esque landscape. Abstract pieces such as this often offer themselves to interoperation however, regardless of opinion this piece certainly shows us a twisted insight into John’s mind perhaps depicting the struggles that would later consume him.
“John says he's going to kill himself ”
"He didn't have any boundaries and he didn't have any role models.” - Jah Wobble, 1988 -
Born on 10 May 1957 as Simon John Ritchie but also known as John Beverley, Sid was the only child of mother Anne. It was a peripatetic, poor childhood, as they moved from Tunbridge Wells to Bristol DQG ƓQDOO\ 6WRNH 1HZLQJWRQ LQ QRUWK London. Shortly after his birth, he and his mother moved to Ibiza, where they expected to be joined by his father who, it was SODQQHG ZRXOG VXSSRUW WKHP ƓQDQFLDOO\ in the meantime.
He had a counsellor at Kingsway College: WKH\ KDG LGHQWLƓHG KLP DV D NLG ZLWK problems. He'd already said that he was going to kill himself. The counsellor had told him to bring a friend along so we both went one day, for a laugh. "The counsellor said: 'John says he's going to kill himself,' and I said: 'He might as well end it all.' Sid nodded his head, very gravely.
Picture of a drawing done by John Simon Ritchie at age of 4.
Wobble recalls John Simon Ritchie
"Made me feel cautious.”
An hour or two of his company was enough.
A table of heroin found at the family home of John Simon Ritchie and his mother, Anne Beverley on Hastings Road, Swadlincote.
Sid Vicious’ mother, Anne Beverly, was heavily involved in illicit drugs as both a user and a WUDIƓFNHU ,W LV SHUKDSV XQVXUSULVLQJ WKDW 9LFLRXV ended up an addict, given that his mother exposed him to drugs as a young child.
He was exposed to all sorts of illegal drugs, but the most common being heroin. With all the exposure to the drugs his mother took, it became normalised.
Sid had "a weird, brooding quality. He would loon about, he was very bright, but he had another side. He was very hurt”.
Johnny Rotten, the lead singer of the Sex Pistols used to hang out with Vicious at his home that he shared with his mother. They would drink beers and listen to music together. On one of these nights, which was also Vicious’ birthday, his mother came over and, in front of Lydon, gave Vicious a baggie of heroin and several syringes.
Lydon stated she remarked
“Happy Birthday, Sidney” upon giving her son drugs.
The Outfit of John Simon Ritchie 7KLV ZDV WKH RXWƓW WKH \RXQJ -RKQ 6LPRQ 5LWFKLH ZRUH IRU KLV school photograph day. It was taken at Sandrock Road, Secondary Mod, Tunbridge Wells in 1968. +H ZDV HOHYHQ DW WKH WLPH 7KH RXWƓW IHDWXUHG D JUHHQ DQG blue checked shirt with a black and white striped tie. His mother Anne would say, a smile that “seemed to light up the world.”
His mother used the young John Simon Ritchie as a mule for hashish during his childhood in Spain. She would stuff his toddler clothing with packages of drugs to smuggle them back into England. Beverley had been supplying him with drugs and paraphernalia since he was young, and assisted him in procuring heroin late that night.
The young John Ritchie was no stranger to drugs, so much so that it didn’t phase him. Through his innocent eyes, it became his normal.
The drugs held a recurring role in John Simon Ritchie’s life... As a teenager he was incarcerated at Riker Island in New York, Beverly smuggled drugs into the prison in her vagina so her son could have KLV Ɠ[
A Mother’s Love.
It’s Normal, Sidney.
His mother had no interest in his life. She didn't even know he was attending Kingsway. She was into the hardcore drug thing - heroin and opiates - which was all-embracing, that was her life...
Ritchie lived in some very depressing places. The zeitgeist was nihilistic. There were hard drugs around. It didn’t help that his mother loved drugs more than she did him. According to Albertine, her actions broke the boy who was "softer, sheepish and shy”.
When Sid turned 16, his mother threw him out on the streets. Upon being interviewed Anne Beverley in 1988, she remembered her son with pride, but her anger came through.
“It's either you or me, and it's not going to be me. I have got to try to preserve myself and you just fuck off.” - Anne Beverley, 1988 -
Love and Hate
Bye, Dear.
Sid's family life was, according to Wobble, "a big black hole.” When I met his mother at that time, she had no interest in his life. She didn't even know he was attending Kingsway.
Beverley was no stranger to enabling her son. She provided John Ritchie with heroin as a teenager, even giving him a baggie with the drug and syringes in front of his friends.
He was a young boy who was around an emotionally void parent which led to his inability to attach and let others into his struggles and pain aswell as recieve and/or demonstrate love.
Her love was unlike any other mothers. She disregarded her son, abondaning him during the pivotal stages of his childhood. A time where he needed his mother the most.
John Simon Ritchie said:
“I've not got anywhere to go” and his mother said:
“I don't care.”