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Lydon vs McLaren: The End of the Affair

Jon Savage, Spin, April 1986

EARLY IN 1976, the Sex Pistols were a good idea trying to get started, gate-crashing other people's concerts — with instruments allegedly stolen from rich pop stars — and hustling for a living. After three years, seven U.K. Top 10 hits and the internationally publicized death of Sid Vicious, they ceased to exist as anything more than an item on an accountant's balance sheet.

Total word count of piece: 607

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