What was the significance of 'looks' and iconography in Pistol?

Hulu's latest mini-series Pistol delved deep into the music of the late 1970s, focusing on the towering figure of The Sex Pistols, the pioneering punk rock act in the United Kingdom. Though the band's run was only three years long, it established a deep-rooted movement that lasted for generations.

Although this Danny Boyle project did not live up to the expectations of punk music fans, the show put significant emphasis on symbolism and iconography that would come to define punk music as we know it in the present day. This had a lot to do with the band's look under the watchful and often overbearing eye of Malcolm McLaren (played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster), a renowned boutique owner, designer, and visual artist.

As McLaren was in charge of the band's rise, there was an increased focus on fashion and looks in the punk movement. Moreover, this boosted and established Sex Pistols' identity in the punk rock scene.

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What role did clothes and looks have in initiating the punk rock movement of the Pistols?

Since the beginning of rock music, there was always an image that defined the so-called 'rockstars.' The show did not waste any time depicting this after Malcolm took up the managerial position in the band. It started with the sacking of Wally Nightingale (played by Dylan Llewellyn) for simply wearing glasses.

After Malcolm made Steve pick up the guitar in place of Wally, an established guitarist, it was clear that he, and the punk fan base, cared more about the look of the band than the music they made. This was emphasized with ease as Steve's novice guitar skills were made a focal point in the show's second episode.

Time and again, Malcolm and Vivienne were seen putting extensive emphasis on the clothes and make-up of the Sex Pistols as they slowly rose to prominence in the punk world. Of course, the band's attitude and anti-establishment stance played a big part in the process, but their iconography was more significant in making them popular.

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Looks over talent: A bonafide approach

The emphasis on looks and stage presence was seen yet again when John Lydon (Anson Boon) made Steve Jones (Toby Wallace) fire their bassist Glen Matlock (Christian Lees) only because Sid Viscious (Louis Partridge) had a better stage presence.

This case is different from Wally's, as Wally could play guitar but was not a prodigy or a genius. On the other hand, Glen was perhaps the only proper musician in the band. He was also helping the others figure out music theory and song ideas. Meanwhile, Sid was a completely new bassist and perhaps only took up the position because it was available.

Though this approach seems wrong, it did help in establishing the punk image that lasted for decades following the Sex Pistols.

Malcolm was so concerned with the band's image that he sabotaged the band because they were becoming like other rock bands. He also went on to design a t-shirt based on Nancy's death.

This showed how iconography and symbolism were such a big part of the Sex Pistols.