Former Sex Pistol and Public Image Limited singer John Lydon takes a break from selling butter to reveal that when Sid Vicious was charged with murdering his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, Mick Jagger paid the accused’s legal fees.
Mick Jagger in the Police van on the way to Lewes Prison. ‘Mick Jagger Lead Singer With The Rolling Stones Pop Group Went To Court In A Blue Continental Bentley Yesterday. Three And Half Hours Later After Being Found Guilty On A Drugs Charge – He Was Driven Off To Lewes Prison In An Austere Grey Police Van.’ June 28, 1967
“Nancy Spungen was a hideous, awful person who killed herself because of the lifestyle and led to the destruction and subsequent death of Sid and the whole fiasco. I tried to help Sid through all of that and feel a certain responsibility because I brought him into the Pistols thinking he could handle the pressure. He couldn’t. The reason people take heroin is because they can’t handle pressure. Poor old Sid.
Vicious’ mugshot from 9 December 1978
“Her death is all entangled in mystery. It’s no real mystery, though. If you are going to get yourself involved in drugs and narcotics in that way accidents are going to happen. Sid was a lost case. He was wrapped firmly in Malcolm’s shenanigans. It became ludicrous trying to talk to him through the drug haze because all you would hear was, ‘I’m the real star around here’. Great. Carry on. We all know how that’s going to end. Unfortunately, that is where it ended. I miss him very much. He was a great friend but when you are messing with heroin you’re not a human being. You change and you lose respect for yourself and everybody else.
Mick Jagger mugshot. 1967
“The only good news is that I heard Mick Jagger got in there and brought lawyers into it on Sid’s behalf because I don’t think Malcolm lifted a finger. He just didn’t know what to do. For that, I have a good liking of Mick Jagger. There was activity behind the scenes from Mick Jagger so I applaud him. He never used it to advance himself publicity-wise.”
‘SEX Pistol Sid Vicious was trying last night to raise £25,000 – the price of freedom. That was the amount of bail set for Vicious, who is in jail accused of murdering his blonde girl friend Nancy Spungen. The 21-year-old punk rock star was shaky and pale-faced yesterday when he was brought to the New York court-room.’ – Daily Mirror, Saturday 14 October 1978 Via
Sid Vicious holds a knife to Nancy Spungen’s throat at John Lydon’s London home
Via Daily Record
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