5. Anarchy on the Thames

1977, and as Britain prepared to celebrate the Queen’s Silver
Jubilee, the Sex Pistols were plotting something else entirely.
Fresh from being dropped by two major labels, they signed with
Virgin Records and unleashed God Save the Queen… a blistering
punk anthem that tore into the monarchy and shattered British
tradition.


It was banned by the BBC, blacklisted from shops, and allegedly
kept from reaching Number 1. And then, on Jubilee Day, the
Pistols took to the Thames in a now-legendary riverboat stunt
that ended with police raids and arrests.


Episode 5 is the story of how the Pistols hijacked Britain’s
biggest party, declared war on the establishment, and created the
most controversial single in UK history.


Featuring archive interviews from: Richard Branson, Johnny
Rotten, Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Malcolm McLaren and Sid Vicious
alongside new interviews with the legendary Sex Pistols official
photographer Dennis Morris and groundbreaking bass player Jah
Wobble.


Presented by Gina Birch and Steve Lamacq


A BBC Audio Production