Summary

Memoir by the guitarist of the legendary, groundbreaking punk pioneers the Sex Pistols

Steve Jones's modern Dickensian tale began in the streets of West London, where as a lonely, neglected boy living off his wits and petty thievery he was given purpose by the glam art rock of David Bowie and Roxy Music. He became one of the first generation of ragamuffin punks taken under the wings of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood.

In Lonely Boy, Steve describes the sadness of never having known his real dad, the abuse he suffered at the hands of his stepfather, and how his interest in music and fashion saved him from a potential life of crime. He takes readers on his journey from the Kings Road of the early '70s through the years of the Sex Pistols, punk rock, and the recording of "Anarchy in the UK" and Never Mind the Bollocks. He recounts his infamous confrontation on Bill Grundy's Today program--the interview that ushered in the "Filth and the Fury" headlines that catapulted punk into the national consciousness--and he delves into the details of his self-imposed exile in New York and Los Angeles, where he battled alcohol, heroin, and sex addiction but eventually emerged to gain fresh acclaim as an actor and radio host.

Lonely Boy is the story of an unlikely guitar hero who, with the Sex Pistols, transformed twentieth-century culture and kick-started a social revolution.

About the Author

Steve Jones was born in West London in 1955. He formed the Sex Pistols in 1975 with Paul Cook, Glen Matlock, and John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon (adding John Simon Ritchie, aka Sid Vicious, in 1977 after Matlock's departure) and was their guitarist until the band broke up in 1978. He is a musician, record producer, and actor. Jones lives in Los Angeles where he hosts the radio show Jonesy's Jukebox.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Music / Genres & Styles