Nancy Spungen
Encyclopedia
Nancy Laura Spungen was the American
girlfriend of Sex Pistols
bassist Sid Vicious
. Spungen has been the subject of controversy among music historians and fans of the Sex Pistols.
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, to Frank and Deborah Spungen
. She was born with severe cyanosis
and nearly died of oxygen deprivation after being choked by her umbilical cord
during delivery. She was spared from brain damage and released from the hospital eight days after birth. The Spungen family was a middle class
Jewish family that resided in Lower Moreland Township
, a suburb of Philadelphia. Her father was a traveling salesman; her mother later owned an organic food store called The Earth Shop in nearby Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
.
She was a difficult baby, throwing crying fits and temper tantrums late into childhood. At three months old, she was administered a liquid barbiturate
by a pediatrician, but her violent behavior persisted. In an interview, Deborah Spungen stated, "I know it's normal for babies to scream, but Nancy did nothing but scream."
She scored "superior" on an intelligence quotient
test at five years of age, and was allowed to skip the third grade
. Though she excelled academically, she had few friends during her elementary school years.
She was a temperamental child who exhibited violent behavior toward her younger sister, Susan, and brother, David. She allegedly threatened to kill a babysitter with scissors, and attempted to assault
her psychiatrist, who accused her of "acting out" for attention. At age 11, she was expelled from public schooling when she was absent from class more than two weeks. Her parents, weary of her erratic behavior, enrolled her at the Devereux Glenholme School
and Devereux Manor High School. In January 1972, she ran away from Devereux Manor and attempted suicide
by slitting her wrists with scissors. When Spungen was 15, her psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizophrenia
.
was accepted two weeks earlier. She began attending the university at the age of 16; however, five months into her freshman year, she was arrested for purchasing marijuana from an undercover police officer. She was expelled from CU, and permanently banished from the state of Colorado
.
After being fired from her first job on the first day, she began financing herself by stealing from her family and dealing drugs.
. She worked as a stripper
around Times Square
(and allegedly at a brothel as well). She followed bands such as Aerosmith
, The New York Dolls and The Ramones. In 1977, she moved to London
, allegedly to win over Jerry Nolan
of the Dolls and The Heartbreakers
, but met The Sex Pistols instead. When lead singer Johnny Rotten did not show interest in her, she pursued bassist
Sid Vicious
and they soon moved in together.
During a tumultuous 23-month relationship, Spungen and Vicious became addicted to heroin and other drugs. Vicious was already abusing
multiple drugs before he met Spungen. Sources claim that he had begun to use speed
with his mother at an early age.
The tabloids dubbed Spungen "Nauseating Nancy" for her frequent public displays of verbal abuse and violence. After the Sex Pistols broke up in January 1978, Spungen and Vicious moved to the Hotel Chelsea
in New York City
. They stayed in room 100 and were registered under Mr. and Mrs. John Simon Ritchie, Vicious's real name. There, Vicious tried, with limited success, to continue his musical career.
, punctuated by domestic violence
within which Vicious brutally attacked Spungen. Their relationship ended violently on October 12, 1978, when Spungen was found sprawled on the bathroom floor of their hotel room, dead from a single stab wound to the abdomen, later traced to a knife owned by Vicious. This was reportedly a "007" hunting knife he had obtained after seeing Dee Dee Ramone
give one to The Dead Boys
' Stiv Bators
, although conflicting reports claim the knife to be a Jaguar K-11 with a five-inch blade. Vicious was immediately arrested and charged with second degree murder
. Vicious pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. Four months after Nancy's death, prison and drug rehabilitation, he overdosed taking a lethal amount of heroin, and died before the trial could take place. After Vicious died the police closed the case. Nancy was buried in her hometown in Philadelphia.
There are several theories that Spungen was murdered by someone else, usually said to be one of the two drug dealers who visited the apartment that night, and involving a possible robbery, as certain items (including a substantial bankroll) were claimed to be missing from the room. In his book, Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk, Phil Strongman accuses actor and stand-up comic Rockets Redglare
of killing Spungen. Redglare had delivered 40 capsules of hydromorphone
to the couple's room at the Chelsea Hotel the night of Spungen's death.
Redglare steadfastly denied any involvement in the murder of Nancy Spungen throughout his life. He stated that the other dealer known to have been there that evening had left before him to obtain more heroin, and was due back after he had left the building. He said he believed that the other dealer returned, found Vicious out cold, and attempted to steal the remaining drugs, leading to a confrontation with Spungen.
, by Deborah Spungen
(Nancy's mother), was published in 1983. The title of the memoir is taken from a poem written by Vicious after Spungen's death.
Rats by Veronica Schanoes, appeared in the 2007 Interstitial Arts Foundation anthology Interfictions. The story is a punk rock fairytale inspired by Spungen's life. About her work, the author said "I wrote Rats because I was angry with the way the recent coffee-table histories of punk seem to have no problem demonizing a dead, mentally ill, teenage girl."
Sid and Nancy
, a biopic directed by Alex Cox
, was released in 1986. The film portrays the life of Vicious and his relationship with Spungen. It stars Gary Oldman
as Vicious and Chloe Webb
as Spungen.
Who Killed Nancy?
is a 2010 British documentary film directed by Alan G. Parker that includes interviews from those associated with Vicious and Spungen, including Glen Matlock
, Don Letts
, John Holmstrom
, and Howie Pyro
, among others.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
girlfriend of Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
bassist Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
. Spungen has been the subject of controversy among music historians and fans of the Sex Pistols.
Early life
Spungen was born at the University of Pennsylvania HospitalHospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is a hospital affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Health System located in the University City section of West Philadelphia. The hospital was founded at its current location in 1874 by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, to Frank and Deborah Spungen
Deborah Spungen
Deborah Spungen is the mother of Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend of punk rocker Sid Vicious, who became known for her autobiography And I Don't Want to Live This Life which details the life with her late daughter....
. She was born with severe cyanosis
Cyanosis
Cyanosis is the appearance of a blue or purple coloration of the skin or mucous membranes due to the tissues near the skin surface being low on oxygen. The onset of cyanosis is 2.5 g/dL of deoxyhemoglobin. The bluish color is more readily apparent in those with high hemoglobin counts than it is...
and nearly died of oxygen deprivation after being choked by her umbilical cord
Umbilical cord
In placental mammals, the umbilical cord is the connecting cord from the developing embryo or fetus to the placenta...
during delivery. She was spared from brain damage and released from the hospital eight days after birth. The Spungen family was a middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
Jewish family that resided in Lower Moreland Township
Lower Moreland Township, Pennsylvania
Lower Moreland Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 12,982 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, a suburb of Philadelphia. Her father was a traveling salesman; her mother later owned an organic food store called The Earth Shop in nearby Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
Jenkintown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles north of downtown Philadelphia. "Jenkintown" is also used to describe a number of neighborhoods surrounding the borough, which also are known by names such as Rydal, Jenkintown Manor and Noble...
.
She was a difficult baby, throwing crying fits and temper tantrums late into childhood. At three months old, she was administered a liquid barbiturate
Barbiturate
Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. They are also effective as anxiolytics, as hypnotics, and as anticonvulsants...
by a pediatrician, but her violent behavior persisted. In an interview, Deborah Spungen stated, "I know it's normal for babies to scream, but Nancy did nothing but scream."
She scored "superior" on an intelligence quotient
Intelligence quotient
An intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a score derived from one of several different standardized tests designed to assess intelligence. When modern IQ tests are constructed, the mean score within an age group is set to 100 and the standard deviation to 15...
test at five years of age, and was allowed to skip the third grade
Third grade
In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
. Though she excelled academically, she had few friends during her elementary school years.
She was a temperamental child who exhibited violent behavior toward her younger sister, Susan, and brother, David. She allegedly threatened to kill a babysitter with scissors, and attempted to assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
her psychiatrist, who accused her of "acting out" for attention. At age 11, she was expelled from public schooling when she was absent from class more than two weeks. Her parents, weary of her erratic behavior, enrolled her at the Devereux Glenholme School
The Devereux Glenholme School
The Glenholme School, also known as Devereux Glenholme School, is a coeducational therapeutic boarding school for children situated on over in Washington, Connecticut...
and Devereux Manor High School. In January 1972, she ran away from Devereux Manor and attempted suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by slitting her wrists with scissors. When Spungen was 15, her psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
.
Education
Spungen graduated at Devereux Manor High School in April 1974, and her application to attend the University of Colorado at BoulderUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
was accepted two weeks earlier. She began attending the university at the age of 16; however, five months into her freshman year, she was arrested for purchasing marijuana from an undercover police officer. She was expelled from CU, and permanently banished from the state of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
After being fired from her first job on the first day, she began financing herself by stealing from her family and dealing drugs.
Relationship with Sid Vicious
Spungen left home at age 17 and moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She worked as a stripper
Stripper
A stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,...
around Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
(and allegedly at a brothel as well). She followed bands such as Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, The New York Dolls and The Ramones. In 1977, she moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, allegedly to win over Jerry Nolan
Jerry Nolan
Jerry Nolan was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with The New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.-Career:...
of the Dolls and The Heartbreakers
The Heartbreakers
Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, also known as The Heartbreakers, were an American rock & roll band formed in New York in May 1975. The band was part of the first wave of punk rock.-History:...
, but met The Sex Pistols instead. When lead singer Johnny Rotten did not show interest in her, she pursued bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
and they soon moved in together.
During a tumultuous 23-month relationship, Spungen and Vicious became addicted to heroin and other drugs. Vicious was already abusing
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
multiple drugs before he met Spungen. Sources claim that he had begun to use speed
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
with his mother at an early age.
The tabloids dubbed Spungen "Nauseating Nancy" for her frequent public displays of verbal abuse and violence. After the Sex Pistols broke up in January 1978, Spungen and Vicious moved to the Hotel Chelsea
Hotel Chelsea
The Hotel Chelsea, also known as the Chelsea Hotel, or simply the Chelsea, is a historic New York City hotel and landmark, known primarily for its history of notable residents...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. They stayed in room 100 and were registered under Mr. and Mrs. John Simon Ritchie, Vicious's real name. There, Vicious tried, with limited success, to continue his musical career.
Death
Over the next few months, Vicious and Spungen spiraled into deeper drug abuseDrug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
, punctuated by domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
within which Vicious brutally attacked Spungen. Their relationship ended violently on October 12, 1978, when Spungen was found sprawled on the bathroom floor of their hotel room, dead from a single stab wound to the abdomen, later traced to a knife owned by Vicious. This was reportedly a "007" hunting knife he had obtained after seeing Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
give one to The Dead Boys
The Dead Boys
The Dead Boys were an American punk rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. Among the first wave of early punk bands, the Dead Boys were initially active from 1976 to 1979, briefly reuniting in 1987, 2004 and 2005.-Formation and 1970s punk rock era:...
' Stiv Bators
Stiv Bators
Stiv Bators , was an American punk rockvocalist and guitarist from Youngstown, Ohio. He is best remembered for his bands, The Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church.- Music and film career :...
, although conflicting reports claim the knife to be a Jaguar K-11 with a five-inch blade. Vicious was immediately arrested and charged with second degree murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. Vicious pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. Four months after Nancy's death, prison and drug rehabilitation, he overdosed taking a lethal amount of heroin, and died before the trial could take place. After Vicious died the police closed the case. Nancy was buried in her hometown in Philadelphia.
A young woman is dead. I don’t care. You probably don’t care. The police don’t care. The papers don’t care. The punks for the most part don’t care. The only people that care are (I suppose) her parents and (I’m almost certain) the boy accused of murdering her.
––Lester BangsLester BangsLeslie Conway "Lester" Bangs was an American music journalist, author and musician. He wrote for Creem and Rolling Stone magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock 'n' roll criticism....
, on Nancy Spungen's murder
There are several theories that Spungen was murdered by someone else, usually said to be one of the two drug dealers who visited the apartment that night, and involving a possible robbery, as certain items (including a substantial bankroll) were claimed to be missing from the room. In his book, Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk, Phil Strongman accuses actor and stand-up comic Rockets Redglare
Rockets Redglare
Rockets Redglare was an American character actor and stand-up comedian. He appeared in over 30 films in the 1980s and 1990s, including a number of independent films, and mainstream films such as After Hours and Desperately Seeking Susan .-Early life:Born Michael Morra in New York City to a...
of killing Spungen. Redglare had delivered 40 capsules of hydromorphone
Hydromorphone
Hydromorphone, a more common synonym for dihydromorphinone, commonly a hydrochloride is a very potent centrally-acting analgesic drug of the opioid class. It is a derivative of morphine, to be specific, a hydrogenated ketone thereof and, therefore, a semi-synthetic drug...
to the couple's room at the Chelsea Hotel the night of Spungen's death.
Redglare steadfastly denied any involvement in the murder of Nancy Spungen throughout his life. He stated that the other dealer known to have been there that evening had left before him to obtain more heroin, and was due back after he had left the building. He said he believed that the other dealer returned, found Vicious out cold, and attempted to steal the remaining drugs, leading to a confrontation with Spungen.
Related works
And I Don't Want to Live This LifeAnd I Don't Want to Live This Life
And I Don't Want To Live This Life is a non-fiction book written by Deborah Spungen. Published by Random House in 1983, it is about her daughter, Nancy Spungen, who died from a stab wound to the abdomen at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City in 1978...
, by Deborah Spungen
Deborah Spungen
Deborah Spungen is the mother of Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend of punk rocker Sid Vicious, who became known for her autobiography And I Don't Want to Live This Life which details the life with her late daughter....
(Nancy's mother), was published in 1983. The title of the memoir is taken from a poem written by Vicious after Spungen's death.
Rats by Veronica Schanoes, appeared in the 2007 Interstitial Arts Foundation anthology Interfictions. The story is a punk rock fairytale inspired by Spungen's life. About her work, the author said "I wrote Rats because I was angry with the way the recent coffee-table histories of punk seem to have no problem demonizing a dead, mentally ill, teenage girl."
Sid and Nancy
Sid and Nancy
Sid and Nancy is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious , bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen .-Plot:The film opens with several police officers dragging Sid Vicious out of the Hotel...
, a biopic directed by Alex Cox
Alex Cox
Alexander Cox is a British film director, screenwriter, nonfiction author and sometime actor, notable for his idiosyncratic style and approach to scripts...
, was released in 1986. The film portrays the life of Vicious and his relationship with Spungen. It stars Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, voice actor, filmmaker and musician.A member of the 1980s Brit Pack, Oldman came to prominence via starring roles in British films Meantime , Sid and Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears , with his performance in the latter bringing him his first BAFTA Award...
as Vicious and Chloe Webb
Chloe Webb
Chloe Webb is an American actress.Webb was born in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York. Her New York theater debut was in the original cast of the long-running musical satire Forbidden Broadway...
as Spungen.
Who Killed Nancy?
Who Killed Nancy?
Who Killed Nancy? is a British documentary film directed by Alan G. Parker with interviews including Glen Matlock, Don Letts, Alan Jones, Peter Kodick, Steve 'Roadent' Connolly, John 'Boogie' Tiberi, Simone Stenfors, Alan Parker, Steve Walsh, Steve Dior, George X, John Holmstrom, Eileen Polk and...
is a 2010 British documentary film directed by Alan G. Parker that includes interviews from those associated with Vicious and Spungen, including Glen Matlock
Glen Matlock
Glen Matlock is an English bass guitarist most famous for being in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Drummer Paul Cook has said that Matlock came up with much of the music for the band's songs and most of the lyrics, while lead singer Johnny Rotten made some adjustments...
, Don Letts
Don Letts
Don Letts is a British film director and musician. He is credited as the man who through his DJing at clubs like The Roxy brought together punk and reggae music.-Biography:...
, John Holmstrom
John Holmstrom
John Holmstrom is an American underground cartoonist and writer. He is best known for illustrating the covers of the Ramones albums Rocket to Russia and Road to Ruin, as well as his characters Bosko and Joe .As the founding editor of Punk Magazine at the age of 21 in late 1975, Holmstrom's work...
, and Howie Pyro
Howie Pyro
Howie Pyro on 28 June 1960 is a Queens, New York City based rock musician and bass player. He is a founding member of D Generation.-With D Generation:*No Way Out - Single - **Re-released in 1994 and 1996....
, among others.