The Sex Pistols formed in London in 1975 and comprised fiery frontman Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Glen Matlock and drummer Paul Cook.

They stormed on to the

The Sex Pistols formed in London in 1975 and comprised fiery frontman Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Glen Matlock and drummer Paul Cook.

They stormed on to the international stage with their blend of coarse lyrics and rebellious attitude.

The band revelled in causing controversy, and shocked viewers with a memorable foul-mouthed TV appearance.

Queen were due to be interviewed by Bill Grundy on the Today show in 1976, but Freddie Mercury developed toothache and had to pull out, so The Sex Pistols were drafted in as a last-minute replacement.

In one of their first appearances to the wider public, the band came on the live show, with their full entourage in tow, and left teatime viewers stunned with their behaviour and language.

When Grundy urged them to 'say something outrageous', Jones responded by calling him a 'dirty b*****d, a 'dirty f****r', before adding: 'What a f*****g rotter.' 

The Daily Mirror ran the headline 'The Filth and the Fury' the next day - a documentary film under the same title would later be released - and the band were the subject of intense media scrutiny.

The following year, the BBC banned the group's song 'God Save the Queen', released just before the monarch's Silver Jubilee, from the airwaves for 'gross bad taste.'  

Despite the ban, the song reached No. 1 on the NME charts in the UK, and made it to No. 2 on the official UK Singles Chart as used by the BBC - leading to accusations of a 'fix' to prevent it from reaching the top spot. 

Earlier in the year, Matlock fell out of favour with the rest of the band and was replaced by Sid Vicious.  

The Sex Pistols grew in popularity with their raw, nihilistic tracks and violent performances, and are credited with revolutionising the industry and inspiring huge numbers of punk and alternative rock musicians.

However, during recording of their only studio album, Never Mind the B******s, Here's the Sex Pistols, Vicious was hospitalised with hepatitis contracted through intravenous drug use.

In 1978, after a turbulent tour of the United States, Rotten announced the band's break-up, though the three remaining members recorded songs for McLaren's film version of the Sex Pistols' story, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. 

The following year, Vicious died of a heroin overdose aged just 21, following his arrest for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.

Rotten, Jones, Cook and Matlock briefly reunited for a concert tour in 1996 and a decade later, The Sex Pistols, comprising of the four original members and Vicious as well - were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

However, in typical fashion, the band refused to attend the ceremony and blasted the museum a 'p**s stain'.