The Sex Pistols Sell Out. Again.

The news is out that the Sex Pistols signed the rights to their back catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group. It's now only a matter of time before their songs start appearing in commercials.

Fans are in an uproar. I really can't figure out why they're acting so surprised. While the Sex Pistols loved to preach anarchy and attack the establishment, they were always painfully obvious that they were in it for the money. The band went through three record contracts in under a year, keeping the advance on each one. They recruited Sid Vicious to the band because they liked his image, never mind he couldn't play. They have even repackaged and re-released their material repeatedly, despite the fact that their catalog is quite small.

Their 1996 reunion tour was even called the Filthy Lucre Tour! And both times the band reformed, they've publicly admitted they did it because the money was right.

Every time the Sex Pistols make a decision to release something, tour or make an appearance, their fans jump on them. They call them sell outs, and accuse them of giving up on integrity. I think that what Sex Pistols fans call selling out, the members of the band think of as smart business decisions.

As far as Lydon and company are concerned, one more way for punk rock to defy the establishment is by taking its money. Or as he so eloquently put it, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"