Epitomising what 70s punk rock was all about – anarchy, on-stage violence and dying young – Sid Vicious, who died on 2 February, 1979 aged just 21, was more in the public eye for his off-stage antics than his music.

Despite being credited with playing a major part in the birth of punk, he was described as “musically talentless”, instead being responsible for the controversial lyrics and attitude that built the Sex Pistol’s reputation

His stage name perfectly reflected his reputation for regular heroin-fuelled violent outbursts in nightclubs and on stage.

The punk-rock star was born in London on 10 May, 1957 under the full name of John Simon Ritchie. His father, John Ritchie, left soon after the birth, leaving his drug-dealing mother, Anne, to bring him up.

At a young age, he moved abroad to Ibiza , where his mother allegedly made a living selling drugs. On return to England in the mid-60s, he spent time in Tumbridge Wells, Hackney and Somerset , where he began to go off the rails. He was a high-school dropout and was said to have been selling LSD as young as 14.

He got to know John Lydon, Sex Pistols vocalist known as “Johnny Rotten”, and began squatting with him and several other friends in London . It was Mr Lydon that came up with Mr Ritchie’s infamous nickname, which originated from his “cute” pet hamster that had once bitten a chunk of flesh out of Mr Lydon’s father's hand.

He began his musical career with The Flowers of Romance , before being offered a place in the Sex Pistols in 1977. He played his first live show with the group on April 4, 1977.

During a tour of the UK by Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, he met the love of his life, groupie Nancy Spugen. It was then that his heroin addiction began in earnest.

Their rocky and sometimes violent relationship had a detrimental effect on the Pistols. The quality of their performances went downhill during their tour of the USA in 1978, causing the group to split.

After briefly going solo, his short life took a turn for the worst when Nancy was found dead in the Chelsea Hotel, New York. Vicious was arrested and charged with her murder.

Virgin Records bailed him for $50,000, pending the murder trial. But Vicious became depressed with the loss of his beloved Nancy and went on a fatal bender which ended in an apparently accidental heroin overdose. He was found dead in his hotel bed.

During his short musical career, he let himself down, despite sincere attempts to learn bass guitar. He showed up at recording sessions for Never Mind the Bollocks too drunk to contribute, forcing the Pistols to rehire Glen Matlock as a session musician.

Vicious, a name he was said to dislike, did have some composing ability, however. He wrote Belsen Was a Gas, a controversial number about the Nazi concentration camps, accused of being anti-Semitic.

But it was his punk character as opposed to his musical abilities which made him a celebrity. Stories about him assaulting journalists and fellow nightclub revellers were prominent.

According to Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren: “When Sid joined he couldn't play guitar but his craziness fit into the structure of the band. He was the knight in shining armour with a giant fist.”