Rick Wakeman has addressed long-standing rumors about his role in the Sex Pistols’ departure from A&M Records. He set the record straight in an interview with Mojo.
Wakeman was asked about the rumor that he threatened to leave A&M when they signed the Sex Pistols. He firmly denied the claims and revealed what he says actually happened behind the scenes.
“Total bollocks,” Wakeman said. “Basically Derek Green, who was the [UK] head of A&M Records at the time, was told by America that they didn’t want them on the label. He’d already signed them, so he was looking for an excuse to get rid of them.”
The Yes keyboardist went on to explain how he believes he was used as a scapegoat in the situation.
“So he used me and [The Carpenters’] Richard Carpenter, saying that we sent them letters saying that we’d leave the label,” he continued. “The press officer thought that I wouldn’t find out because I was living in Switzerland. But they forgot that people flew over all the time, and they brought newspapers. I went nuts.”
Wakeman’s account provides new insight into what became one of the most notorious record label controversies in rock history.
Far Out Magazine reported that the Sex Pistols signed to A&M Records on March 9, 1977. Their contract lasted only about a week. The band’s brief tenure at the label was marked by chaos and disruption that went far beyond typical rock star behavior.
Ultimate Classic Rock documented that the Sex Pistols caused several incidents at the label’s office during their short time with A&M. These included a public drunken episode where Sid Vicious cut his foot on a toilet bowl and fights broke out with other artists on the roster. These disruptions contributed significantly to the label’s decision to quickly drop the band.
The aftermath of the A&M deal proved costly for the label. The Sex Pistols Official website noted that nearly all 25,000 pressed copies of their single “God Save the Queen” were destroyed after being dropped. This represented a substantial financial loss for A&M Records.
The Sex Pistols eventually found a home with Virgin Records following their departure from A&M. They released their infamous debut album “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” there. The album would go on to become a landmark release in punk rock history.
