THE BILL GRUNDY INTERVIEW

Often misquoted, this is an accurate transcription of the interview which went out live on 1 December 1976.

The original Sex Pistols line-up are seated - from left to right as the camera sees them -

  • Johnny Rotten
  • Steve Jones
  • Glen Matlock
  • Paul Cook
  • Bill Grundy sits to their left. Standing behind the Pistols are the punk hangers-on from the Bromley Contingent, Siouxsie Sioux, Steve Severin, Simon Barker and 'Simone'.

    Grundy introduces the band to the cameras.

    GRUNDY: (To camera) They are punk rockers. The new craze, they tell me. Their heroes? Not the nice, clean Rolling Stones... you see they are as drunk as I am... they are clean by comparison. They're a group called The Sex Pistols, and I am surrounded by all of them...

    JONES: (Reading the autocue) In action!

    GRUNDY: Just let us see The Sex Pistols in action. Come on kids...

    [Film of The Sex Pistols in action is shown; then back to Grundy.]

    GRUNDY: I am told that that group (hits his knee with sheaf of papers) have received forty thousand pounds from a record company. Doesn't that seem, er, to be slightly opposed to their anti-materialistic view of life?

    MATLOCK: No, the more the merrier.

    GRUNDY: Really?

    MATLOCK: Oh yeah.

    GRUNDY: Well tell me more then.

    JONES: We've fuckin' spent it, ain't we?

    GRUNDY: I don't know, have you?

    MATLOCK: Yeah, it's all gone.

    GRUNDY: Really?

    JONES: Down the boozer.

    GRUNDY: Really? Good Lord! Now I want to know one thing...

    MATLOCK: What?

    GRUNDY: Are you serious or are you just making me, trying to make me laugh?

    MATLOCK: No, it's all gone. Gone.

    GRUNDY: Really?

    MATLOCK: Yeah.

    GRUNDY: No, but I mean about what you're doing.

    MATLOCK: Oh yeah.

    GRUNDY: You are serious?

    MATLOCK: Mmm.

    GRUNDY: Beethoven, Mozart, Bach and Brahms have all died...

    ROTTEN: They're all heroes of ours, ain't they?

    GRUNDY: Really... what? What were you saying, sir?

    ROTTEN: They're wonderful people.

    GRUNDY: Are they?

    ROTTEN: Oh yes! They really turn us on.

    JONES: But they're dead!

    GRUNDY: Well suppose they turn other people on?

    ROTTEN: (Under his breath) That's just their tough shit.

    GRUNDY: It's what?

    ROTTEN: Nothing. A rude word. Next question.

    GRUNDY: No, no, what was the rude word?

    ROTTEN: Shit.

    GRUNDY: Was it really? Good heavens, you frighten me to death.

    ROTTEN: Oh alright, Siegfried...

    GRUNDY: (Turning to those standing behind the band) What about you girls behind?

    MATLOCK: He's like yer dad, inni, this geezer?

    GRUNDY: Are you, er...

    MATLOCK: Or your granddad.

    GRUNDY: (To Sioux) Are you worried, or are you just enjoying yourself?

    SIOUX: Enjoying myself.

    GRUNDY: Are you?

    SIOUX: Yeah.

    GRUNDY: Ah, that's what I thought you were doing.

    SIOUX: I always wanted to meet you.

    GRUNDY: Did you really?

    SIOUX: Yeah.

    GRUNDY: We'll meet afterwards, shall we? (Sioux does a camp pout)

    JONES: You dirty sod. You dirty old man!

    GRUNDY: Well keep going, chief, keep going. Go on, you've got another five seconds. Say something outrageous.

    JONES: You dirty bastard!

    GRUNDY: Go on, again.

    JONES: You dirty fucker! (Laughter from the group)

    GRUNDY: What a clever boy!

    JONES: What a fucking rotter.

    GRUNDY: Well, that's it for tonight. The other rocker Eamonn, and I'm saying nothing else about him, will be back tomorrow. I'll be seeing you soon, I hope I'm not seeing you [the band] again. From me, though, goodnight.