Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Adam Sherwin

Sex Pistols turned down Olympics performance because organisers wanted to censor songs

Getty Images

The Sex Pistols turned down an invitation to perform at the Olympics’ opening ceremony because the organisers wanted to censor one of their most famous songs, John Lydon has revealed.

The Pistols were asked to perform their 1977 single Pretty Vacant but Lydon, formerly Johnny Rotten, would not have been allowed to sing “vacant”, with his provocative emphasis on the final syllable.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.