Sex Pistols announce first North American tour in 22 years

CBS News

28-03-2025

The Sex Pistols, the legendary English punk band that helped the underground subculture of the genre to reach mainstream heights, is going on its first North American tour in more than 20 years.
The Pistols last went on a North American tour in 2003, when they were joined by original vocalist
John Lyndon (formerly Rotten)
.
The 2025 iteration of the
Pistols
— original guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock joined by frontman Frank Carter (of Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes) — will hit the road on Sept. 16 at a very memorable stage: The Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Texas. It was the site of a particularly hostile show for the band when it first toured the U.S. in 1978.
Jones told The Associated Press he recalls having "pigs' hooves and bottles and whatnot slung at us by cowboys."
It is one of a few dates featured in three "Live in the U.S.A." albums, documenting the band's '78 run: Atlanta, Dallas and San Francisco. The latter will be released on April 25 and captures the show where the band originally called it quits.
"We were thinking of breaking up in San Francisco again," Jones joked.
The 2025 tour is currently scheduled to conclude Oct. 16 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The band will hit Washington; Philadelphia; Brooklyn, New York; Montreal; Toronto; Cleveland; Detroit; Minneapolis; Denver; Seattle and San Francisco. Additional tour dates will be announced later.
Pre-sale opens April 2 and 3.
Tickets go on sale
April 4 at 10 a.m. local time.
They will perform the band's sole album, 1977's "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols Album" live in its entirety as well as other material.
So, why tour the U.S. and Canada now?
"Why not?" Jones said.
"I think everybody needs this band right now. I think the world needs this band right now," Carter said. "And I think definitely America is screaming out for a band like the Sex Pistols."
"At the end of the day, we're living in a really, really difficult time. So not only do people want to come and just be entertained, they want to enjoy themselves," he continued. "Punk is an energetic music. It's one where you can go and vent and let your hair down, hopefully in a safe manner. Fingers crossed, no bottles or pigs' hooves."
Carter fronted the Sex Pistols last year for a few U.K. dates. The band said they did not reach out to Lydon to see if he wanted to participate in this reunion tour.
"The last thing he wants to do is have anything to do with us right now," Jones said, referring to a previous lawsuit between the singer and the band over music use in
their TV series "Pistol."
The judge ruled against Lydon's opposition.
"We wish him the best," Jones said.
"Good luck to him," Matlock added. "I wish he thinks, maybe, 'good luck' to us. Probably doesn't. But over the years, John (has had) all our phone numbers, and I can't see many missed calls from him."
As for the 2025 tour: Fans shouldn't expect the violence of their 1978 run, but they should anticipate a tighter performance.
"We're a bit older but we play just as well, if not better," Matlock said. "And I think that's something that's got a great deal of aplomb that we're going to bring to the public over there."
Does this mean there could be new Sex Pistols music in the future? "It's early days," Jones said. "Let's see what happens."
The band is currently on a world tour taking them to Japan later this month before stops in New Zealand, Australia and across Europe.