1247 - Sex Pistols Pretty Vacant 1977

Since the spring of 1977, the three senior Sex Pistols, Paul Cook, Johnny Rotten, and Steve Jones, had been returning to the studio periodically with Chris Thomas to lay down the tracks for the band's debut album. Initially to be called God Save Sex Pistols, it became known during the summer as "Never Mind the Bollocks". According to Jones, "Sid wanted to come down and play on the album, and we tried as hard as possible not to let him anywhere near the studio. Luckily he had hepatitis at the time.
Given Vicious's incompetence, Matlock had been invited to record as a session musician. In his autobiography, Matlock says he agreed to "help out", but then suggests that he cut all ties after McLaren issued the 28 February NME telegram announcing Matlock had been fired for liking the Beatles.
"Pretty Vacant" marked the band's (then) only appearance on the British music show Top of the Pops, until 1996 when the original line-up performed the song (after the live version was released that year) as well as "New York" on the same showing. The song is infamous for vocalist John Lydon's phrasing of the word "vacant", emphasising the last syllable making it sound like the vulgar word "cunt".