Steve Jones was too busy getting high on heroin to enjoy the band he started after the Sex Pistols split.
The punk rock guitarist formed The Professionals with former bandmate Paul Cook in 1979.
Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten had quit the ‘Anarchy in the UK’ group the year before, and so the pair shared lead vocals on their later recordings ‘Silly Thing’ and ‘Lonely Boy’.
They recruited Lightning Raiders bassist Andy Allan as a session musician.
But Steve quit in 1982 and he has admitted he still feels bad for Paul.
Speaking to Goldmine magazine, he said: “Well, you know the Pistols broke up, and I unfortunately went down the road of doing heroin.
“Me and Cookie (Paul) started the band because we didn’t know what else to do.
‘Silly Thing’ and ‘Lonely Boy’ were written after we broke up
“Even though it comes under the Sex Pistols umbrella, it wast just me and Cookie that did ‘Silly Thing’.
“This was around the time we were doing the band The Professionals.
“And then ‘Lonely Boy,’ I just wrote that for the movie, ‘The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle’.”
Steve, 66, admits he associates his stint in the group with bad times and feels guilty that he “tortured” Paul, 65.
He added: “It wasn’t a good time for me.
“I feel bad for Cookie, that I tortured him in that period.
“There were some decent songs, but I don’t have good memories when I listen to that stuff.”
However, Paul started the band again in 2015 and continues to tour with a new also comprising Tom Spencer, Chris McCormack and Toshi JC Ogawa.
You can view the original article HERE.
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