An iconic 1970s punk rock band is gearing up to hit the stage once again, announcing an epic 50th anniversary tour that’s guaranteed to bring longtime fans racing for tickets.
The Sex Pistols will be bringing their chaotic and rebellious spirit on stage, but one familiar face won’t be joining. Johnny Rotten has chosen to sit this tour out, but while it may be disappointing for fans, it ultimately comes as no surprise given the group’s long-standing tension with the former lead singer.
Sex Pistols Announce 50th Anniversary Tour Without Johnny Rotten
GettyThe Sex Pistols are getting ready to bring their high-energy sound next summer after announcing a new tour to honor the 50th anniversary of their first-ever single, “Anarchy in the U.K.” According to Syracuse.com, original band members, guitarist Steve Jones, bass guitarist Glen Matlock, and drummer Paul Cook, will take the stage once again to celebrate their career-defining song.
Joining the three original members on stage is Frank Carter, frontman of the English punk band The Rattlesnakes, who replaces former lead vocalist John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten.
As the outlet reports, Johnny Rotten last performed with the Sex Pistols in 2008. He’s frequently clashed with his former bandmates for years, including a legal battle over the use of Sex Pistols songs in film and television. Most notably, he went to court with them in 2021 to oppose the use of the band’s music in the FX limited series “Pistol.”
The band’s anniversary tour will take place in the U.K. with four tour dates spanning from July 11 to August 2.
Frank Carter Promised ‘Absolute Chaos’ Singing Alongside the Sex Pistols
Frank Carter is no stranger to performing alongside the iconic members of the Sex Pistols. He first performed with the group in 2024, starting with fundraising shows at Bush Hall in London, and has continued to tour with them.
In an interview with NME last year, Carter opened up about how deeply it moved him to perform the Sex Pistols’ most iconic songs alongside the original band members. In fact, he shared how he felt when Matlock told him they were going to play “Never Mind the Bollocks” in its entirety.
“So Glen [Matlock] called me and said, ‘Look, we want to do this charity gig for Bush Hall, how would you feel about coming down and singing some songs?’ I didn’t really think anything of it, so I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s see. We’ll give it a burn, do some Sham 69, maybe some Faces songs…’ and he was like ‘No, we’re doing ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’. I thought: ‘Oh [expletive]!’”
When describing what he’ll bring on stage, Carter shared, “You can expect it to be pure unbridled punk rock. Absolute [expletive] chaos.”
“I promise you one thing, there will be nothing left of me after that. I’m going to leave every single ounce of me on that stage because that’s what the record deserves. I’m nervous because they’re big, big shoes to fill, but I’m just going to do my best and try and make them all proud,” he added.
Fans can expect nothing less for this upcoming tour.
