LIVE FAST DIE YOUNG
Sex Pistols, Amy, Kurt Cobain, Lil Peep +more
The forefront of British punk is the Sex Pistols. They built its sound with robust instrumentation and vocals that defined a generation. The documentary Never Mind the Bollocks focuses on the early life of the band and introduces the group’s chemistry and music. With the loss of Glen Matlock, the bassist, The Sex Pistols recruited Sid Vicious, an uppity rock star. Vicious lived an excessive life and the press focused on his antics. It created drama and chaos for the whole group.
Never Mind the Bollocks tracks the group until they broke up in 1978 when the band couldn’t cope with Vicious and the relationships among band members dissolved. The group was corrupted by outside politics, too. Newspapers reported that the music was too subversive—a threat to democracy in the United Kingdom. Despite creative concert venues and new music, The Sex Pistols lost momentum due to internal chaos and outside pressures.
The Sex Pistols died a symbolic death, except for Sid Vicious who overdosed and was gone by age 21. Today we see many artists also dying from lifestyles and philosophies. XXXTentacion died in 2018, he had a complicated history of drug and alcohol addiction, accused of abusing his girlfriend, Ayala and faced with multiple legal issues. Nonetheless, fans bought his music and Netflix will release a documentary about his life. Another example: Nipsey Hussle, a hip-hop legend, was murdered last year, generating shock and sympathy from his followers. A documentary is expected to be released on him as well.
Similar documentaries are out about Amy (Winehouse), Soaked in Bleach (Nirvana, specifically Kurt Cobain) and Everybody’s Everything (Lil Peep). Their music lives on, but death ended each career prematurely. Drugs and alcohol are always a common thread. For more information about these talented artists and their music, we here at PROVOKR suggest you check out these rock and roll documentaries!
