Sex Pistols Just Reunited For The First Time Without Johnny Rotten

The iconic punk band, Sex Pistols, reunited for their first live performance since 2008, marking a significant moment in music history. However, this reunion was notably different as it was the band’s first performance without their original frontman, Johnny Rotten (John Lydon).

Earlier this year, the band announced two benefit shows, revealing that Frank Carter of Gallows and Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes would step in for Rotten. The first of these concerts took place on August 13 at London’s Bush Hall. It was the first time since September 5, 2008, that Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock performed together on stage as the Sex Pistols, according to Setlist.fm. During the 2007 and 2008 tours, Rotten had led the band, making this reunion a poignant shift.

The band had promised to play their legendary 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols in its entirety, and they delivered on that promise with a 15-song setlist. The night included some of their most famous tracks like “God Save the Queen” and “Anarchy in the U.K.” During the performance of “God Save the Queen,” Yungblud made a surprise appearance, joining the band onstage.

In addition to the album tracks, the band treated fans to a few extras, playing songs that weren’t on the original release but were either B-sides or bonus tracks. These included “Did You No Wrong,” “Submission,” “Satellite,” and a cover of The Stooges’ “No Fun.”

When the shows were first announced, Frank Carter took to Instagram to express his excitement, writing:

“Thanks for the invitation lads. Will be an honor to smash our way through one of the most influential records of all time together.”

Johnny Rotten and the Conflict with Sex Pistols

The absence of Johnny Rotten raises questions, especially given the tension between him and his former bandmates. In April 2022, Rotten expressed his anger over the FX biopic series Pistol, stating that his bandmates “can all fuck off” after they worked on the series without his involvement. The year before, Jones and Cook had filed a lawsuit against Rotten for opposing the use of the band’s music in the show, leading to financial strain for the vocalist. It remains unclear if this ongoing conflict is the reason for Rotten’s absence from the reunion shows.

Check out the full setlist and fan-filmed footage of their performance that night:
1. “Holidays in the Sun”
2. “Seventeen”
3. “New York”
4. “Pretty Vacant”
5. “Bodies”
6. “Did You No Wrong”
7. “Liar”
8. “God Save the Queen” (Lyrics changed to fit “God Save The King”, Yungblud came on stage for two lines)
9. “Submission”
10. “Satellite”
11. “No Feelings”
12. “E.M.I.”
13. “Problems”
Encore:
14. “No Fun” (The Stooges cover)
15. “Anarchy in the U.K.”