Andre Relis, Nick Mead

I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol

Punk’s not dead – it just changed its riff

What made the Sex Pistols a legend? While their loud, chaotic rebellion shook the world, parts of their story were quietly left out of the history books. I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol is a raw and honest portrayal of the band’s history, based on founding member Glen Matlock’s memoirs. Born in the turmoil of 1970s Thatcher-era Britain, the Pistols became the soundtrack of disillusioned youth, channeling unemployment, frustration and rebellion into an explosive new sound.

The film follows Matlock, the main songwriter behind Never Mind the Bollocks, through the chaos surrounding Malcolm McLaren, Vivienne Westwood and the band’s fractured unity. Featuring interviews with Matlock, Steve Jones, Paul Cook and other voices of the time, the documentary explores what happens when rebellion meets commerce, idealism collides with ego, and punk is packaged for the mainstream.

I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol reminds us that rebellion doesn’t always make headlines but its echoes never fade.