Nancy Spungen
Nancy Spungen | |
---|---|
Born | Nancy Laura Spungen February 27, 1958 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Died | October 12, 1978 New York City, U.S. | (aged 20)
Cause of death | Stab wound |
Partner | Sid Vicious |
Nancy Laura Spungen (/ˈspʌŋɡən/; February 27, 1958 – October 12, 1978) was the American girlfriend of English musician Sid Vicious and a figure of the 1970s punk rock scene.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Spungen was an emotionally disturbed child who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 15. After being expelled from college, she flew to London in December 1976 at the height of the punk rock movement, where she became involved with Vicious, the bassist for the Sex Pistols. Their relationship was tumultuous, characterized by domestic violence, substance abuse and heroin addiction.
Media labeled Spungen "Nauseating Nancy" for her outrageous and frequently
In October 1978, Spungen was found dead in the bathroom of the couple's room at the Hotel Chelsea from a single stab wound to her abdomen. Vicious was charged with her
Early life and education
Nancy Spungen was born on February 27, 1958, at the
At the time of her birth, a newborn Spungen nearly died of
Spungen proved to be a difficult baby, throwing crying fits and temper tantrums late into childhood.[6] At three months old, she was prescribed a liquid barbiturate by a pediatrician, something typically given to patients experiencing seizures. The medication was ineffective, and her violent behavior persisted.[7] In 1983, Spungen's mother said, "I know it's normal for babies to cry, but Nancy did nothing but scream." Though she excelled academically, she had few friends during her elementary school years.[8]
As a child, Spungen exhibited violent behavior toward her younger sister
Spungen graduated from Lakeside High School in 1974,
Relationship with Sid Vicious
Spungen left home at age 17 and moved to New York City,[10] where she supported herself for a time with sex work,[12] amateur music journalism[13] and odd jobs at clothing stores.[14] In her free time, she became a groupie and followed rock bands, including Aerosmith, Bad Company, the New York Dolls, and the Ramones.
In December 1976, Spungen flew to London with The Heartbreakers and met the Sex Pistols, which later included bassist Sid Vicious. Vicious and Spungen first met the night she arrived in London. They started a relationship, and moved in together in March 1977.
Over their 19-month relationship from March 1977 to October 1978, Spungen and Vicious developed heroin addictions; Vicious was already abusing multiple drugs prior to meeting Spungen.[citation needed] Tabloids dubbed Spungen "Nauseating Nancy" for her frequent public outbursts.
In January 1978, following the breakup of the Sex Pistols, Spungen and Vicious relocated to New York City, where they lived in Room 100 at the Hotel Chelsea,[2][page needed] where they were registered as "Mr. and Mrs. John Simon Ritchie", Vicious' real name.[2][page needed]
Death
On October 12, 1978, Spungen's body was found under the wash basin in the bathroom of their room at the
The police report, however, noted that the knife was a Jaguar Wilderness K-11 with a five-inch (13 cm) blade.
Four months after Spungen's death, Vicious died of a heroin overdose prior to his trial taking place.[17][18] The New York City Police Department closed the case after Vicious' death.[19]
Internment
Spungen is buried in the King David Memorial Park, a traditional
Aftermath
There are various theories about the cause of Spungen's death. Some of them do not implicate Vicious in her murder. One such theory is that two drug dealers visited their room that night and conducted a robbery. Certain items, including a substantial amount of money, were claimed to be missing from the room.[10]
In his book Pretty Vacant: A History of Punk, Phil Strongman accuses actor and stand-up comic Rockets Redglare of killing Spungen;[10] Redglare delivered drugs to the couple's room the night of Spungen's death.[21]
Throughout his life, Redglare, who died in 2001, steadfastly denied any involvement in the murder to the press but often reportedly confessed to the murder within his circle of friends.[22] Friends, including Zoe Hansen, took Redglare at his word. Others, however, including Howie Pyro, cast doubt on his claims, saying that he was inclined to brag. Redglare told media that he believed that a drug dealer who he saw in the lobby of the Hotel Chelsea the morning of Spungen's murder had committed the crime.
In popular culture
- In 1979, "Horror Business", a 1979 song by the American punk rock band the Misfits, was inspired by Spungen's murder. The song's lyrics include lines, such as: "You don't go in the bathroom with me" and "I'll put a knife right in you."[23][24] Prior to Vicious's death, the Misfits were rumored to back Vicious on his proposed debut solo album.[23] Misfits bassist Jerry Only attended a dinner gathering at the apartment of Vicious's girlfriend Michelle Robinson the night Vicious died.[23]
- In 1983, Spungen's mother Deborah wrote a memoir, And I Don't Want to Live This Life. Its title is taken from a poem Vicious wrote.[25]
- In 1986, the film Sid and Nancy, directed by Alex Cox, was released, portraying the life of Vicious, played by Gary Oldman, and his relationship with Spungen, played by Chloe Webb. Critics praised Webb's performance as Spungen.[26][27] In the film, Cox also put forth the theory that Spungen and Vicious had a suicide pact.
- In 2007, Veronica Schanoes's story "Rats" appeared at the 2007 Interstitial Arts Foundation anthology, Interfictions. The story is a punk rock fairytale inspired by Spungen's life. Schanoes 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."[28]
- In 2010, a documentary film Who Killed Nancy?, directed by Alan G. Parker, was released, and includes interviews with Vicious and Spungen's associates, including John Holmstrom, Don Letts, Glen Matlock, and Howie Pyro.[29][30]
- In 2022, Pistol, a miniseries, was released, with Vicious portrayed by Louis Partridge. The miniseries depicts Vicious as waking up in a confused state the morning after Spungen's death with apparently vague recollections of an altercation the previous night. He is then horrified to find Spungen, played by Emma Appleton, dead in the bathroom. This version appears to accept Vicious's account that he had no memory of how Spungen had been injured.
References
- ^ Spungen (1983), p. 32.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Spungen (1983).
- ^ Spungen (1983), p. 139.
- ^ "Food Stylist Susan Spungen Could Always Find Her Grandmother in the Kitchen". Jewish Food Society. December 14, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ Spungen (1983), pp. 33–34.
- ^ Orr, Deborah (October 12, 2003). "Nancy and Sid: A punk mystery story". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 18, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
- ^ Spungen (1983), p. 45.
- ^ Spungen (1983), p. 68.
- ^ McMahon, Barbara (July 25, 2013). "Susan Spungen: the woman who taught Meryl Streep how to flip omelettes". The Times. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Wakeman, Jessica (October 12, 2017). "Flashback: Nancy Spungen Found Dead at Chelsea Hotel". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
- ^ a b Spungen (1983), p. 193.
- ^ Spungen (1983), p. 200.
- ^ Spungen (1983), p. 192.
- ^ Spungen (1983), p. 194.
- ^ Bardach, Ann (October 28, 1978). "The Not So Lonesome Death of Nancy Spungen". The SoHo Weekly News.
- ^ Bruno, Anthony (July 2006). "Punk Rock Romeo and Juliet: Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen". Crime Library. Archived from the original on July 1, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ^ a b "Sex Pistols Vicious on Murder Charge". BBC. October 12, 1978.
- ^ "Sid Vicious dies from drugs overdose". BBC. February 2, 1979.
- ^ Allen, Liam (February 2, 2009). "Did Sid Kill Nancy?". BBC News.
- ^ Hershkovits, David; Vinson, Lesley (October 19–25, 1978). "He Said He Was Going to Kill". Soho News Weekly.
- ^ Simpson, Aislinn (January 20, 2009). "Documentary claims Sex Pistols singer Sid Vicious did not kill girlfriend Nancy Spungen". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
- ^ "Sid and Nancy: a Punk Rock Murder Mystery". Crime + Investigation. October 10, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
- ^ a b c Greene 2013, p. 30.
- ^ Lariviere, Aaron (October 31, 2012). "The 10 Best Misfits Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ISSN 0886-3032.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (October 25, 1986). "Review: Sid and Nancy". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ^ Hayes, Britt (April 21, 2016). "Requiem For A Blonde: A Tribute To The Most Hated Half Of Sid and Nancy". Birth, Movies, Death. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ^ Mondor, Colleen (July 2007). "Interfictions: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing". Bookslut. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
- ^ Scheck, Frank (October 14, 2010). "Who Killed Nancy -- Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
- ^ "Who Killed Nancy?". IMDB. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
Sources
- Spungen, Deborah (1983). And I Don't Want to Live This Life. New York City: Random House Inc. ISBN 978-0394533728.
- Greene, James Jr. (2013). This Music Leaves Stains: The Complete Story of the Misfits. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. OCLC 859433639.
External links
- Nancy Spungen at IMDb
- Nancy Spungen at Find a Grave