Pistol (2022) s01e06 Episode Script

1 I'm going to blow up the Pistols.
This is about John, isn't it? It's about art.
I have to destroy them.
So that out of the chaos something new and more powerful may emerge.
It's always been my philosophy.
Actually, it's mine.
You appropriated it.
- Don't be ridiculous.
- It's all right.
It's a habit of yours.
I'm used to it.
What about Steve? He may rise or he may fall.
Chaos shall decide.
'An English rock band 'which has somehow developed a following 'by spitting into the audience 'has come to this country 'saying it is here to rip some dollars off the Yanks.
' 'The Sex Pistols 'are Britain's most successful punk rock group, 'and they go out of their way to shock and outrage people.
'At Heathrow Airport in London today' They spat at news photographers and cursed them.
'Our government refused to let the four musicians 'into our country at first because' They're all criminals.
You can check the records if you don't believe me.
'They refused to talk 'and went directly to their connecting plane to Atlanta 'where they have a concert tomorrow night.
' - Is this where we're staying? - Oh, the glamour! - OK, OK, OK Hey! - Hey! You're on my turf now.
And what boring turf it is! Why aren't we downtown? Atlanta's kind of edgy.
In London, we get stabbed daily.
I think we can handle little old Atlanta.
In America, people have guns.
There have been death threats.
- Ooh! - What's new? Hey, this is no joke.
From now on, you don't go anywhere without E.
K.
or Allison.
Why has he got a girl's name? Do you fight like a girl, too, Allison? Maybe you'll get to find out.
- Oh-ho-ho-ho! - Well, I hope so.
Hey, where is Malcolm? Still in England for all I know.
- That would be typical.
- Right Where's the drugstore, cowboy? - I need a fix.
- No! - No hard drugs on my tour.
- Huh! Right.
Fuck that.
Hey, Warner's have put up a $300,000 bond which they will lose if you commit a felony.
"Lose"? No felonies.
My job to not let that happen.
And it's my job to tell you that I'm Sid Vicious, and I do whatever the fuck I want.
He's right, that is his actual job.
OK, so we both just do our job.
- Fucking jobs! - Stick with him.
Don't let him score.
I'm warning you, mate, stay out of my face.
What are you looking at? Oh, well I'm looking at you.
- Oh, here we go.
- Shit! Keep going, Sidney.
Oh! Keep going, Sid! Oh! - Easy, easy, easy! - Fucking hell! - How do you think I fight now? - Don't kill him.
- Fucking hell! - Good, good! You fight good.
You kidding me? Allison OK.
Never let your guard down.
Jesus! Good! Cheers, man.
You're all right.
Good! This is gonna be great.
Do you mind? Any ketchup? I washed my hands In muddy water I washed my hands In a muddy stream I do what my daddy told me My daddy told me Cos I washed my hands in a bloody stream ♪ There's a Johnny Rotten inside us all.
And he doesn't need to be saved, he needs to be crucified.
Hallelujah! You're in suspension You're a liar ♪ I need heroin! Is that so hard to get through your thick fucking skull? - Sidney! - Sut up, John! Please! Please, Mr American Man.
All right.
Here.
Take some of my Valium.
It should help.
- No more than two at a time! - OK.
Can you open it? It's not a bad job, is it? Come on, man! - The Sex Pistols - We got a bus! Right, then, who's gonna fuck her first? Go on, Jonesy! One at a time! - Anyone got any bog roll? - Oh, shut that door! We ran out in Memphis.
Smells like something died up your arse.
- There's no bog roll left.
- Oh, that's worse! Get away! I was going like this, "Come on, buddy.
" He kept going like this.
And I would've been glad to take him on or his buddy Johnny, but he came out and hit us over the head with a bass.
'Faggots!' It was great.
That's what, you know, music's meant to be.
You know, I think that's where rock is going - and where it's gonna stay.
- They were great.
If I could only make out the words, they'd be greater.
It was worth all the money we paid and all the trouble we went through to get out here.
Fuck, no! They're garbage, man! They're garbage! I like it for me, but I don't think I'd recommend it to anybody.
Well, I thought when I saw Johnny Rotten's face, I thought I'd vomit, he's so beautiful.
It's about time we got some street-fighting men here in America.
It's about time we got someone to rile people up.
The Pistols are just out of sight! I think I heard one time that they urinate on the audience, one time.
Why, I don't know.
It just sounds goofy.
Hey, Nancy.
I miss you, baby.
- 'I miss you, too.
' - Yeah, they won't give me - 'What's going on?' - They won't give me heroin.
'But you're the star!' You need to find me a connection.
- Please! - What did we agree, Sidney? I didn't agree to nothing! Right! Fine! Fuck off, you stupid cunt! Personally, I'd like to see the music press blown up in the morning cos they don't actually comment on me records anymore, it's more about me clothes.
Right? The colour of me poxy hair.
And that's cos no one really understands rock and roll.
Right? Except I'm big-headed enough to say I do.
And that's why we're the most honest band to have ever existed.
I mean, I don't know about those idiots, but I'm gonna make a lot of money.
'It's a house.
'Yeah? I can't see it very well.
' 'Oh!' 'Sally, I hear something.
Stop! Stop!' Oh, shit! Yeah, here we go now! Longhorn, gentlemen.
Sensurround sound in a two-inch wall Well, I was waiting for the communist call I dared to ask for sunshine, and I got World War Three I'm looking over the wall, and they're looking at me! Now I got a reason, now I got a reason Now I got a reason, and I'm still waiting Now I got a reason Now I got a reason to be waiting The Berlin Wall I kinda like it This is the Berlin Wall Do you wanna come over the Berlin Wall? They're staring all night, and they're staring all day I had no reason to be here at all But now I gotta reason it's no real reason And I'm waiting At the Berlin Wall I'm gonna go over the Berlin Wall I don't understand this thing at all The Berlin Wall Claustrophobia, there's too much paranoia There's too many closets, oh, when will we fall? And now I gotta reason It's no real reason to be waiting The Berlin Wall I gotta go over the Wall I don't understand this thing at all This third rate B-Movie show Cheap dialogue, cheap essential scenery I gotta go over the wall I wanna go over the Berlin Wall Before me, come over the Berlin Wall I don't understand this bit at all I gotta go over the wall, I gotta go over the Berlin I gotta go over the Berlin wall Before me Please don't be waiting for me ♪ You weren't giving it much up there tonight, Jonesy! - Are you fucking joking? - This is punk! You gotta give it! Every single night! Did you fucking see me up there? Sorry, I was too busy trying to play your bass part as well as my leads to get the chance to cut meself with a broken bottle.
- I'll try harder next time.
- Yeah, do! Soft cock! Out of the fucking toilet, mate! I've been banging on that door.
Warner's 300 grand is looking a bit shaky.
Where'd he get heroin from? The guy walks around with "Give me a fix" carved into his chest.
Some fan probably slipped it to him.
Genius idea - putting him in the band.
- I'll take care of it.
Like you took care of Glen? I don't recall asking the backing band for comment.
Oh backing band? I thought you could do better than that.
Nothing? You can put that away as well.
I ain't impressed by your fake fucking stare.
How can two weeks in Texas feel like two years in hell? I suppose we're all just having a "Rotten" old time.
Right, I'm not going to San Francisco on that fucking bus with John.
'Of course not, my boy! 'I can't comprehend how you can stand him.
'You know he goes round telling journalists 'that you and Cookie are no more than the backing band.
' Well, I guessed as much! 'Well, how about the backing band fly out to San Francisco?' What about John and Sid? 'Oh, up to them.
Whatever they want.
' That's That's the stuff! Jesus loves me, this I know For the Bible tells me so Little ones to him belong They are weak, but he is strong Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me Yes ♪ Come on, Sid.
Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Steve! Hello! Oh! This is far too fucking fast.
Malcolm! Well, all hail, my slinky southern six-shooters! Nice of you to finally turn up.
Not nice, actually.
Apologies, my Texan "Terribles", but I have been very busy attending to some important Sex Pistol business down in Los Angeles.
Well, oh, fearless fuck-up, I've been attending to some very important near-death business involving thousands of redneck cowboys baying for my blood.
We were all attending to that, all of us.
Stop saying "me".
But I cop it the most because I'm the star.
You hear that, Cookie? Me and you may as well piss off and finally go have some fun.
Oh, yeah, sounds good.
When are we leaving? Go! Won't be hard finding another backing band.
"Backing band".
It's only me and John anyone actually looks at.
Thank fucking Christ they're not listening to you.
Doesn't matter what you sound like, it's what you look like what counts.
Yeah, fuck off, you little junkie.
- Who you telling to fuck off? - You! Brilliant! Ha-ha! Exactly as I planned! You were turning into a rock band, and how can any poor, disenfranchised kid relate to a rock band? Inaccessible.
Famous.
John was acting like Rod Stewart! To be fair, he's got the hair for it now.
Fuck off! I needed to bring you back down to street-level where you belong, to throw you into the furnace and see what remains of you.
You are completely insane! That is why I insisted that we only play the southern states.
It is a shame about this place, though.
Why? This is the first proper venue we've had.
Warner wanted you to play all the big cities, but I told them, "They're not a rock band.
" Then what the fuck are we? Well You are very soon to be - sexy Latin assassins.
- Dom Perignon.
You what? I have been in L.
A.
gathering funding for our new movie.
"The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle".
I've already recorded a track for it, and after this, we're gonna fly down to Rio.
The Great Train Robber, Ronnie Biggs, is gonna be a guest vocalist on a Pistols track.
The fuck he is! Ugh! It'll be fun.
Come on, that whole outlaw spirit! And plus, girls don't wear many clothes down Rio way.
- Sounds good.
- Yeah, I'm game.
- You fucking cunt! - Oi! Ah-ah-ah! Ah-ah! Hey! You calm down, Shirley Temple.
Come on, Sidney.
Sid! Don't go running off with that miserable ponce! Come on, let's have some fun, ey? I fucking hate you for what you did to Nancy.
Never forget that.
Oi, what What about soundcheck? Oh, just fuck off! Who wants a drink? If he thinks I'm getting on a plane to Brazil, he can think the fuck again! Hang on.
Look, just Things have gotten out of hand, but we're just We're just We're worn out.
I mean, it was just It was three weeks ago in Huddersfield, you was putting your face in a cream pie for a bunch of kids.
You were brilliant.
We were brilliant.
I mean, we've got the I'll call you back.
We've got the number one album in the UK.
Who would've thought that? Who would've thought a bunch a working class yobs would ever fucking pull that off? Exactly! But Malcolm's insane! It's one thing after another.
And now he wants us to go to Rio? Yeah, it'll be fun.
Why can't we just have a bit of fucking fun every now and then? Ronnie Biggs bashed a train driver, a decent, working man, and left him brain-damaged for life.
There's nothing fun about it! Malcolm's gonna make us into fools.
And where's the money? If Warner's are putting up 300 grand in the vain hope that one of us won't commit a crime, we must be worth a lot of money to someone.
We don't even have bank accounts, Steve.
And Christ only knows what was in those contracts we signed.
Look at this rancid hotel Malcolm's put me in while you and Cookie are in five-star luxury.
There was no rooms left at the Miyako cos you and Sid chose to stay on the bus! "Chose to stay on the bus"? We didn't have a choice.
That's another Malcolm swindle.
Can't you see? He's trying to turn us against each other.
- Why would he do that? - Control! Divide and conquer.
The Pistols have so much more to do, Steve.
But it has to be without Malcolm.
You need to choose.
He goes or I go.
- I need to think about it.
- Think fast.
If Malcolm's not gone by tomorrow, tonight will be our last show.
Ever.
Some other And I I want to be Anarchy And I I want to be Anarchy Yeah, let's destroy ♪ Another tuneless racket.
If you can put up with that, you can put up with anything.
What a lovely fucking group of people.
Where's fucking Beverley? You'll get one number and one number only because I'm a lazy bastard.
This is "No Fun".
No fun My babe You're no fun With nobody else I may be going out and maybe stay at home And maybe call somebody on the telephone, so come on Bye-bye Come on On the telephone ♪ No fun ♪ You need hands To show the world you're happy And you need hands When you have to stop the bus But the hands we love so dear Are the hands we love to hear Are the hands That you gave to us ♪ Oh, bollocks, why should I carry on? To us ♪ Helen! I don't believe it! It's fantastic.
That's so wonderful.
Ah-haha! Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good night.
I played shit tonight.
Even worse than usual.
But it doesn't matter.
You know why? Cos you're high.
No, Steve.
That's not it.
Think about it.
Was it cos the sound guy turned your amp off? Did he? Yeah.
Why? Well, cos Warner's was filming the show, and they didn't want you mucking it up.
And you didn't.
You know? You looked amazing.
- Yeah.
- And that's what counts.
Yeah, that's what really counts.
- Mate, I was wondering if I - You didn't guess.
What's that? Why it doesn't matter.
Oh.
- Why? - Nancy.
I'm gonna be seeing Nancy again soon.
Oh, really? Great.
You should get to know her better.
I really want to, Sid.
I do.
She taught me everything I know about sex.
She could teach you a few things.
I wouldn't mind.
You know I already fucked her.
She was nothing special.
What? Said she's a lucky bird.
You're something special.
Thanks.
Didn't think you liked me.
Most of the time you're just too stressful to be around.
Make me nervous.
Sorry, Steve, it's my job.
I know.
I've gotta hand it to you, you know, you got balls.
Yeah, I have.
You are.
.
You're unique.
Yeah.
I am.
So, listen, can I cop Can I cop some of that dope? I thought you didn't like heroin? - Well, you like it.
- It's great.
And I just thought, you know, if Sid likes it, then I should give it a go.
- Oh, and Steve - What? I stole Jolene's spike.
I fucking hate needles.
- I'll snort it.
- It's not as good.
Soft cock! We need to talk about Malcolm.
You need to choose.
It is your band.
He goes or I go.
Hello? 'We're doing it.
'At the Miyako, in an hour.
' 'Sid's not here.
' It's all right, he's with me.
Do you want to start, Steve? W Well I couldn't have Wh What do you want to say, Steve? I know I know that Steve, just - Malcolm - It's all right.
I understand, my boy.
It's OK.
I'm glad there's no hard feelings.
No, not at all.
Steve told me about your concerns, and I completely understand.
I think you've made the right decision.
Leaving will be the best thing for all of us.
"Leaving"? Who's leaving? You are.
You gave Steve an ultimatum, and he wisely chose to keep the present management structure in place.
Oh, Steve! The Sex Pistols will continue.
Without you.
You fucking coward! My deepest sympathies! Come on, Sidney.
I'm staying.
What? You don't like Nancy.
Steve kidnapped her.
Only cos Malcolm told him to.
So, why are you staying with Malcolm? He's gonna put us all in a movie.
And I'm gonna be the lead singer.
I'm the star now, John.
Just like Nancy says.
You disgusting man! Please! You know, you really have turned into Rod Stewart.
Why don't you go downtown and find some cocaine? Look at you! Couldn't even make it back to London without OD-ing.
You don't tell me what to do, Johnny.
No.
Only one person does that, doesn't she? You pussy-whipped fool! You're just jealous.
Jealous because no one can write even one thing they love about you.
Goodbye, Sidney.
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice, and Got motion, restrained emotion Been driving Detroit leaning No reason Just seems so pleasing Gonna make you, make you, make you notice, and Gonna use my arms Gonna use my legs Gonna use my style Gonna use my sidestep, come on Gonna use my fingers Gonna use my, my, my imagination - Cos I ♪ - Keep going.
Rolling! "Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle", take three.
Mark it! And action! Find yourself a lawyer who has no interest in music.
He's your main asset in developing the highest price for a band that can't play.
Now begins the test to Now begins the task of Now begins the interest in the record companies.
- Cut! - On - Malcolm.
- Mm? Could you try looking at Helen occasionally? Don't be silly, I won't be able to read my lines.
Couldn't you learn your lines? That just seems a bit ordinary.
Well, sometimes ordinary can be a means to get to a larger creative statement.
Julian, just direct.
Leave the creativity to me.
Give us a sec.
- We need you on set.
- Give us a sec! "Jay ne, ne, ra, fuckin' rah'.
" What's with all this froggy shit? The finale of the film is set in Paris, and, um well, for financing reasons it has to be a French song.
Another Malcolm swindle? No, no, no, no, you can sing it in English.
It means "no regrets".
Well, maybe I've had a few fucking regrets, like thinking that John was my mate or that Malcolm was an actual manager.
J.
F.
, um do you have any songs with regrets? Uh Attends.
Oui.
Yes.
What about "Comme d'habitude" by Claude Francois and Jacques Revaux? - More frogs' legs.
- No, no, no.
No.
In English, it is, uh "Regrets, I've had a few, "but the again too few to mention.
" That's not bad.
Frank Sinatra had a big hit with this one.
Ugh! Grandpa Sinatra! Thank you! - "My Way".
- Fuck me! - "My Way" is a classic.
- Oui.
Sid, that's a good song for you.
- It's old! - Yeah, but if you make it your own.
People will remember you forever.
How do I make it my own? The way that you sing it.
And the backing.
We'll put that Pistols' wall of sound behind you.
Still not really me.
What is you, Sid? - What he said.
- When? That night you scored smack off me.
- And you are - Unique! You said I was unique! Now, how do I make this fucking song unique? - Change the lyrics.
- What? Like Rotten used to when we did covers.
Something, whatever the fuck ♪ What do I change them to? I don't know, words ain't really my department.
Nancy! She can help me.
She's a genius.
Thank you, Mr Froggy! Nancy! Ugh! "And now "the end is near, "and so I face "the final curtain.
Ha-ha-ha.
" Nancy says I should laugh there, like, "Ha-ha-ha-ha.
" This is what a real manager looks like.
Quiet, Sid! "You cunt! "I'm not a queer.
"I'll state my case of which I'm certain.
"To think I killed a cat, "and may I say not in a gay way, "oh, no, oh, no, not me.
" I did it my way For what is a brat What has he got When he wears hats And he cannot Say the things That he truly feels But only the words Of one who kneels The record shows I fucked a bloke And did it my way ♪ That's for you, Nancy, yeah! You've nailed it, baby! Sid Sidney? Wake up, Sid.
Nancy, I'm gonna get my methadone.
And I'll bring you back something.
Sid, fucking just get it, get it! Do I have to do everything myself? I'm sorry about last night.
I'll do it soon, I promise.
That's what you always say.
Don't be angry.
Number one "beautiful".
Number two "sexy".
Number three "beautiful figure".
What are you doing? You got blood everywhere.
Number four "great sense of humour".
Five "makes extremely interesting conversation".
Six "witty".
It's Seven "has the most beautiful eyes".
Eight "has fab taste in clothes".
Go on, Nancy.
Come on.
'Sid Vicious looked very subdued 'when the police led him away to jail.
'The spike-haired 21-year-old London punk rock star 'said nothing 'as he was taken out of the 17th precinct New York 'after being arrested for the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend 'Nancy Laura Spungen.
'He was just as subdued this afternoon 'when he was arraigned in the criminal court for her murder - 'and held on $50,000 bail.
' - Don't worry.
I'll hire a lawyer, get Sid out on bail, and we'll continue the Pistols as planned.
It gives me a very good idea for a shirt.
'with a hunting knife.
The Chelsea Hotel' All right, London? Get ready to meet The Pretenders.
I'm gonna puke.
- You OK? - Yeah, yeah, just give me a minute.
See you on stage.
Not if I see you first.
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on Sorry to hear about Sid.
What? He's out on bail, isn't he? Oh, uh He OD'd.
Sid's dead.
Sorry.
Fucking Sid! Now what are we gonna do with these shirts? Shirts? "She's dead, I'm alive, I'm yours.
" They're useless now he's dead.
Unless we change them.
"We're dead.
" And then just cross out "I'm alive", and change "I'm yours" to "Up yours!" Then we got, "We're dead! "Up yours!" That'll have the moralists screaming.
You fucker! These weren't cheap, you know? John was right, wasn't he? Wasn't he? It's one great big swindle.
Don't complain.
You're a far greater thief than I am, my little Artful Dodger.
You should've protected us.
"Protected you"? "Protected you"? No, I had to come up with all the ideas.
I had to take all the risks.
I had to deal with the fucking suits.
I had to hide my light under a bushel.
And while you got famous, I got hated.
So, who was protecting me? That fucking film makes us look like fools.
You are fools! We're family.
Do you really think that anyone would give a shit about Steve Jones, about Paul Cook, John Lydon, or Sid fucking Vicious if it wasn't for me? No! I made you matter.
We were supposed to matter to you.
I was supposed to matter to you.
I'm only 30 years old.
I'm not your father, Steve.
It's not personal, pet.
He's like you.
Just a lost little boy.
Malcolm thinks he needs to burn down the forest to find his way home.
So, he's burning you.
Isn't that right, Malc? What would you know? You're just the woman who does the sewing.
'I hate needles, Sid.
'I'll just snort it.
' 'It's not as good.
'Soft cock.
' And now The end is near So I face The final curtain You cunt I'm not well I'll state my case Of which I'm certain I've lived a life that's full Each and every highway And now More than this I did it my way ♪ You're next, Jonesy.
Look at you! Things didn't work out exactly as planned, did they? You were right.
I should never have chosen Malcolm over you.
It was all my fault.
All right? Now, you got what you came here for, so now you fuck off.
You shouldn't have chosen Malcolm over me.
But that's not why I came.
You're gonna go the way Sid went.
Sid was quite special.
But the drugs turned him into a third-rate B-movie.
"Carry On Up The Sex Pistols, "To A Place Of Dark And Violent Hilarity".
Even without Malcolm the band never would've survived.
You knew Sid weren't ready to be a Sex Pistol.
But I needed my mate.
And it killed him.
I feel very guilty about that.
And guilt weighs heavy on good Catholic boys like me.
Sid was gonna go the way he did whether he was a Sex Pistol or not.
It's not your fault.
It ain't always about you, mate.
Fuck off! Johnny.
Johnny fucking Rotten.
Goodbye, Steve.
We did some things you and me.
They remember us.
Yeah.
We'll always have Huddersfield.
"Merry Christmas, kiddies!" 'Sex Pistols is the name of the game.
'They put on this party for you today, 'and it's all free!' I've seen you in the mirror when the story began And I fell in love with you I love your mortal sin Your brains are locked away, but I love your company I only ever leave you when you got no money I got no emotions for anybody else You better understand I'm in love with myself, myself My beautiful self I've no feeling No feeling I've no feeling For anybody else ♪ Hello, sir, what's your name? - Alan.
- Merry Christmas, Alan.
I'm Sid fucking Vicious, and I'll show these northern cunts what they're dealing with.
Sid, these are the children of working class heroes, and we are here to bring cheer to their otherwise dismal Christmas.
- No potty mouth! - OK.
But only cos it's Christmas.
There ain't no moonlight after midnight I see you selling people out looking for delight Well I'm so happy, I'm feeling so fine I'm watching all the rubbish, you're wasting my time I look around your house, you got nothing I'd steal I kick you in the brains when you get down to kneel And pray You pray to your God I've no feeling I've no feeling I've no feeling For anybody else I've no feeling I've no feeling ♪ It remains for me to thank you all for your kind support during this Jubilee year.
On Christmas Eve, I lit one small candle at Sandringham, and a golden thread of these flames spread throughout Great Britain and the Commonwealth.
Let us all strive to spread our Christian spirit of generosity throughout the coming year.
God bless you all, and a very happy Christmas.