Sid Vicious

Michael Ochs Archives

Charismatic Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious was embroiled in controversy following the death of his longtime girlfriend Nancy Spungen, who died at the Chelsea Hotel in 1978 under suspicious circumstances. Vicious claims to have found her in their bathroom with a single stab wound in her abdomen after waking up from a heroin-induced slumber. His explanations varied from saying he had no idea what happened to alleging that Spungen fell on his knife during an argument. Vicious attempted suicide 10 days later, and was jailed at Riker's Island not long after for assaulting Patti Smith's brother. He died the day after he made bail from a heroin overdose.