Sex Pistols are “probably gone for good” amid legal dispute over TV series

Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook has said that the band is "probably gone for good" amid an ongoing legal dispute with John Lydon.

Cook and guitarist Steve Jones are suing Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) after he refused to license the group’s music for inclusion in Danny Boyle’s biopic series, Pistol.

The six-part series is based on Steve Jones’ 2016 memoir Lonely Boy: Tales From a Sex Pistol, which Lydon claims "depicts him in a hostile and unflattering light".  He has referred to a passage in the book that describes him as an "annoying little brat with the great bone structure who’s always asking for more".

Both Glen Matlock, the Pistols’ original bassist, and the estate of late bassist Sid Vicious support their music being featured in Boyle’s show. Lydon, however, claims that the licensing cannot be granted without his consent.

Cook and Jones argue that the band had a “majority rules agreement” in place over the rights to the Pistols’ material.

Lydon first hit out at the project earlier this year, calling it the "most disrespectful shit I’ve ever had to endure", and said that neither his participation nor consent had been requested.

Cook has denied that the project was concealed from Lydon, saying he "had plenty of time to get on board."

During his witness statement at the High Court in London on July 20th, Cook was reportedly asked by Lydon’s representative whether Sex Pistols were "gone for good".

"Probably," he replied.

"I thought that our relationship with John would get worse when we used it," he also said. "Maybe Steve [Jones] and I have been too nice to John over the years in trying to maintain good relations and that we should have been tougher."

"I am unhappy that he would behave like this over an important personal project for Steve, particularly as we have always backed his personal projects," he added.

Directed by Boyle (Slumdog Millionnaire, Trainspotting), Game Of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams plays punk icon Jordan (AKA Pamela Rooke) in the series alongside Babyteeth‘s Toby Wallace as Jones. Anson Boon and Louis Partridge will play Lydon and the late Vicious respectively.

Iris Law will also appear as punk icon Soo Catwoman, Dylan Llewellyn (Derry Girls) as Wally Nightingale, Sydney Chandler (Don’t Worry Darling) as Chrissie Hynde and Emma Appleton (The Witcher) as Nancy Spungen, while The Queen’s Gambit star Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Westworld‘s Talulah Riley will play as Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood.

It is expected to be broadcast on FX next year.