Ongoing History of New Music – Introducing "Uncharted": Sid Vicious and Questions About the Murder of Nancy Spungen

Host: Alan Cross (Curiouscast)
Date: January 7, 2026
Episode: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry – The Wild Story of the Death of Nancy Spungen

Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, legendary music journalist Alan Cross delves into one of the most infamous unsolved cases in rock history: the death of Nancy Spungen and the swirling rumors around whether Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious was her killer. Broadcasting from his true-crime-music crossover podcast "Uncharted," Cross meticulously reconstructs the chaos, tragedy, and enduring mysteries that haunted punk’s most tragic couple. Listeners are guided through a sinister odyssey that tangles punk rock’s gutter glamour with an unresolved murder, shady New York nightlife, and the perpetual question: Did Sid do it?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Chelsea Hotel: Iconic and Infamous [03:54]

• Alan recounts the colorful, often scandalous history of New York's Chelsea Hotel (room 100, the "junkie floor"), home to eccentric artists, musicians, and tragedies.
• Notable residents: Arthur C. Clarke, Jack Kerouac, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol, and more.
• “The most notorious floor was the first one. It was designated the junkie floor. The place where guests with drug problems were placed so that the staff could keep an eye on things. This is where ex Sex Pistol Sid Vicious and his American girlfriend Nancy Spungen checked in. They were given room 100. It was in that room that Nancy died.” [06:45 – Alan Cross]

Sid Vicious: The Making of a Punk Tragedy [07:18]

• Sid's background: Born John Simon Ritchie, raised in poverty, exposed to drugs early, mother was a heroin addict.
• Early associations: The “Four Johns” (Sid, John Lydon, John Gray, John Wardle).
• Nickname story: Bitten by a hamster named Sid (“Who knew that a hamster could be vicious?” [09:04 – Alan Cross]); “Vicious” added later after the Lou Reed song.
• Entry to punk: Sid hangs around SEX boutique, eventually joins the Sex Pistols after Glenn Matlock’s departure for “liking the Beatles.”

Nancy Spungen: Brilliant, Troubled, and Drawn to Chaos [13:35]

• Born with serious medical complications; childhood marked by emotional disturbance, early psychiatric care, and violence.
• “By age 4, she was getting psychiatric treatment. But the older she got, the more she tipped into violent behavior.” [13:59 – Alan Cross]
• Moved to NYC’s punk scene, became a notorious groupie, then went to London targeting the Sex Pistols, ultimately pairing with Sid.

Sex Pistols, U.S. Tour, and Spiraling Addiction [16:34]

• The Pistols’ 1978 Southern U.S. tour is marked by violence, Sid’s extreme self-destruction, and open drug abuse.

• “Sid was often so strung out the roadies didn’t even bother plugging in his bass.” [17:44 – Alan Cross]

• McLaren recounts Sid’s disturbing behavior at a Texas diner, alienating locals with violent, nihilistic antics:

  • Quote: “He went round to the back of the gentleman that was eating his steak and chips and pulled his sleeve back and threw his arm over and above the man's head and... slashed his arm. And all the blood blew out like ketchup over the man's steak.” [17:56 – Malcolm McLaren]

• The band collapses after a climactic, infamous final show at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom:

  • Quote: “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? Good night.” [20:47 – Johnny Rotten]

Sid and Nancy in New York: Descent Into the Abyss [23:21]

• After the Pistols break up, Sid and Nancy move to New York’s Chelsea Hotel to launch Sid’s solo career amid escalating addiction and violence.
• Financial struggles and increasing health issues dominate their lives.
• Nancy asks her mom for detox help; Sid's health spirals.

The Night of Nancy's Death: Timeline and Suspects [27:00]

• Multiple people come and go from room 100 on October 11/12, 1978; a landscape of drugs, paranoia, confusion, and unreliable memories.

• Key characters:

  • Rockets Red Glare (drug dealer/actor)
  • Neon Leon Webster (musician, possible witness)
  • Sid, deeply sedated after downing 30 Tuinal tablets.

• Quote: “Sid became groggy... went back to the bed and passed out. That happened several times. Red Glare says he stayed in the room for a couple of hours. This would bring our timeline to around 5am.” [32:30 – Alan Cross]

Timeline (approximate):

• 9:45pm: Sid & Nancy visit friends in room 119.
• About midnight: Return to room 100.
• 2:30am: Nancy calls Rockets Red Glare for drugs.
• 3:05am: Neighbor hears loud knocks and shouting.
• ~5:00am: Rockets claims to leave.
• 5:00–5:15am: Sid is found wandering and gets into altercations; returns to room.
• 7:30am: Neighbor wakes to moaning.
• 10:45am: Nancy found dead by staff after Sid calls for help.

Aftermath: Forensics, Confession, and Doubts [35:00]

• Sid initially confesses, then recants, claiming amnesia.

• Forensic investigation is sloppy—potential evidence missed, significant cash apparently stolen.

• Medical examiner: Nancy died from a stab wound and massive hemorrhage; evidence of prior abuse noted.

• Quote: "Sid was in shock. Initially in a panic, he confessed, 'I stabbed her, but I never meant to kill her.' ...Then Sid recanted, saying that he didn't remember anything from the last 12 hours." [36:14 – Alan Cross]

Legal Struggles and Sid’s Final Days [37:00]

• F. Lee Bailey is hired for Sid’s defense.
• Theories of a robbery-murder surface: McLaren claims a $20k royalty payment was stolen; others suggest Rockets Red Glare was the killer.
• Sid attempts suicide, is admitted to a psychiatric facility, cycles through detox and new relationships, but continues to spiral.
• Sid dies of heroin overdose on Feb 2, 1979, at 21—possibly in a suicide pact with Nancy.

Competing Theories: Who Killed Nancy? [38:00]

• Alternative theory: Rockets Red Glare killed Nancy while robbing the couple. He allegedly flaunted unexplained cash and new clothes days after being broke.

• Underground theorists claim even darker possibilities, including rumors of a snuff film.

• Red Glare denied involvement but allegedly boasted about the murder among friends.

  • Quote: “I know that Sid did not kill Nancy. Nancy's murder was videotaped while Sid sits there on the couch, completely out of it, practically in a coma.” [38:25 – Rockets Red Glare, as quoted by Alan Cross]

• Rockets Red Glare died in 2001, taking any secrets with him.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Who knew that a hamster could be vicious?" [09:00 – Alan Cross, on Sid’s infamous nickname origin]
• "Nancy always seemed to be attached to Sid, causing tensions with everybody else. And of course, again, there were all the drugs." [16:09 – Alan Cross]
• "By age 4, she was getting psychiatric treatment. But the older she got, the more she tipped into violent behavior." [13:59 – Alan Cross]
• "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good night." [20:47 – Johnny Rotten, Sex Pistols’ last show]
• "Sid became groggy... went back to the bed and passed out. That happened several times." [32:30 – Alan Cross]
• "Sadly, we're never going to know what actually happened. Punk's most notorious murder will forever have questions attached to it." [39:02 – Alan Cross]

Key Segment Timestamps

• Chelsea Hotel history & setup: [03:54 – 07:18]
• Sid’s early life & path to punk: [07:18 – 13:35]
• Nancy’s troubled early years: [13:35 – 16:34]
• Sex Pistols’ volatile U.S. tour: [16:34 – 21:33]
  • McLaren’s truck stop story: [17:56 – 20:30]
  • Rotten’s “cheated” sign-off: [20:44 – 21:33]
• Sid and Nancy in NY, buildup to tragedy: [23:21 – 27:00]
• Night of October 11-12, 1978 (murder timeline): [27:00 – 35:00]
• Forensic aftermath & legal battles: [35:00 – 37:00]
• Sid’s decline and death: [37:00 – 38:00]
• Who killed Nancy? Competing theories: [38:00 – 39:02]

Conclusion

Alan Cross’s telling of the Sid and Nancy tragedy is a meticulously-researched, unsparing look at one of rock’s greatest scandals—unpacking the myth, mayhem, and endless ambiguity. Decades later, the question lingers: who really killed Nancy Spungen? Alan concludes that, despite decades of rumor, we’re never likely to know.

Final word:

"Sadly, we're never going to know what actually happened. Punk's most notorious murder will forever have questions attached to it." [39:02 – Alan Cross]