Sid Vicious

British punk musician born in London (10 May 1957 - 2 February 1979). He was born John Simon Ritchie, but later adopted his stepfather's surname, Beverley. A pre-Sex Pistols John Lydon nicknamed him "Sid Vicious," after Lydon's pet hamster named Sid.

In 1976, he began his musical career as part London's burgeoning punk scene, playing drums for Siouxsie & The Banshees at their first gig; briefly part of the Flowers Of Romance with Keith Levene; and was considered for lead singer in The Damned, though he didn't show up for the audition. In early 1977, he replaced Glen Matlock on bass in the Sex Pistols. After the Sex Pistols disbanded, he performed gigs with a number of artists and backup musicians. In July 1978, he played his final show in the UK as part of the one-off group, The Vicious White Kids.

He moved to New York City, and in September 1978 he performed his final gigs at Max's Kansas City. On 12 October 1978, he was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Ten days later, he tried to kill himself and was sent to Bellevue Hospital. On 2 February 1979, while out on bail, Vicious officially died of "acute intravenous narcotism," also known as a drug overdose.

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