sid n nanacy were called the romeo and juliet of punk rock
Sid Vicious, was born John Simon Ritchie on May 10, 1957. Sid Vicious died on February 2, 1979 making him about 21 years old when he died. Sid was an English punk rock musician who played at the bass guitar for the Sex Pistols. Sid Vicious was born in London to John and Anne Ritchie. Anne was a hippie and his father was a guard at Buckingham Palace. According to the band's photographer, Dennis Morris, Sid was "deep down, a shy person." However, Sid was known to get in fights and make threats. Sid was a poor fighter though
Nancy Spungen was born screaming on February 27, 1958 to Frank and Deborah Spungen. The Spungens were a middle class Jewish family in the Huntingdon Valley area of Lower Moreland Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Her father was a businessman and her mother owned a local health food store called The Earth Shop in Jenkintown, PA. Nancy was born a month premature, and suffered from severe cyanosis. Look cyanosis up.
Nancy Spungen left home at age 17 and moved to New York City. She followed bands such as Aerosmith, The New York Dolls and The Ramones. She was also reportedly a good friend of Debbie Harry. Later she worked as a stripper in New York City, and as a prostitute, before moving to London looking for Jerry Nolan of The Heartbreakers, who wanted nothing to do with her. Instead Nancy met The Sex Pistols.
In November 1977, Sid met Nancy Spungen. They immediately began their rocky love affair. At this time, Nancy already was a heroin addict and Sid followed suit. There is some disagreement whether Sid was already into heroin before he met Nancy or is it true that she introduced him to it. Some sources claim that Sid had begun to use speed with his mother at an early age and then got into heroin when Nancy came around. I guess we'll never know for sure but it was the beginning of the end.
Death
Over the next few months, Sid and Nancy spiraled into serious drug abuse, punctuated by reports of domestic violence. The end came on the morning of October 12, 1978 when Nancy was found dead on the bathroom floor of their room. Nancy was wearing a black bra and panties. She had suffered a single stab wound to her abdomen and apparently bled to death. Their bed was drenched with Nancy's blood. Sid claimed to have awoken from a drugged stupor to find Nancy dead on the bathroom floor. On November 22, 1978 he was arrested and charged with her murder. Sid claimed to have no memory of the event.
There are several theories that Nancy was murdered by someone else, particularly one of the 2 drug dealers who visited the room that night. It is also believed that there may have been a possible robbery as some items were missing which included a large amount of money. One of the 2 alleged drug dealers believes that the other dealer who had been there that evening had left before him to obtain more heroin, and was due back after he had left the building. He strongly believed that the other dealer returned, found Sid out cold, and attempted to steal the remaining drugs, leading to a confrontation with Nancy.
On October 22 (10 days after Nancy's death), Sid attempted suicide by cutting his arm very badly and was admitted to Bellevue Hospital for quite some time. At some point after leaving the hospital, Sid was charged with assault for smashing a beer mug in the face of someone. Sid was not a happy camper. He was arrested December 9, 1978 and sent to Riker's Island jail for 55 days. He was released on bail February 1-2, 1979.
Sid wrote the following for Nancy while at Riker's.
You were my little baby girl
And I shared all your fears
Such joy to hold you in my arms
And kiss away your tears
But now you're gone there's only pain
And nothing I can do
And I don't want to live this life
If I can't live for you
To my beautiful baby girl
Our love will never die.
sid died 21 while nancy is on her 20
