Sid Vicious (born John Simon Ritchie in London, England in 1957) passed away on February 2, 1979 at the age of 21. He was an English musician who became famous as a member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Vicious first joined the Sex Pistols as a replacement bass player in 1977. Despite a turbulent time with the band, which included fights with the lead singer John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), Vicious’ music and punk attitude gained him a large fanbase and led to various appearances in magazines, as well as establishing a legacy in the punk rock movement. Sid Vicious ended his tenure with the Sex Pistols in early 1978 following a highly publicized tour of the United States. In the same year, he released a solo album, Sid Sings. Despite a number of controversies surrounding Sid, his musical contributions to the punk rock movement and his influence will live on.