Sid Vicious lived the quintessential punk life – fast, furious, out of control and over far too quickly. Twenty-five years after his death, Vicious, perhaps more than any other rock icon, remains a figure of heated debate, a man both loved and loathed, sometimes simultaneously. What is it that continues to fascinate us about this Sex Pistol from south London?

In Vicious - The Art Of Dying Young Mark Paytress offers fresh insight into the life and legend that was Sid. Through in-depth interviews with many of Sid’s contemporaries and close friends, as well as extensive research into the London punk era, Paytress paints a stark but humane portrait of a young man at once cursed and blessed, amazing and pathetic. From his early years in art school in Hackney to his last drug-soaked days in New York, readers get the whole Sid story. And it’s one you won’t soon forget.

Mark Paytress is a rock journalist and author of several books, including the definitive biographies on Siouxsie And The Banshees and Marc Bolan. He contributes regularly to MOJO magazine and pop culture-related radio shows. He lives in London.