March: After a busy February of gigs and chaotic publicity, March was a quiet month for the Pistols. Malcolm Mclaren was in discussion with Ron Watts, the manager of the 100 club on Oxford St. in London which led to a series of bookings later in the year. The band themselves were busy working on songs at the rehearsal studios in Denmark St. London WC2 which doubled as accommodation for some of the band.
Malcolm McLaren contacted some old friends of his from college, Jamie Reid and Sophie Richmond. These two had moved to the Outer Hebrides after their subversive paper, Suburban Press closed the year before but now returned to London. The inclusion of this artistic input in the band was responsible for many of the striking graphics which are associated with the Sex Pistols and punk in general.
Around this time the London SS were undergoing changes which would see them become the Clash. Tony James was replaced by Mick Jones' friend Paul Simonon an art student turned bass player. He had spent much of his youth in Brixton and developed a taste for reggae which was a key feature of the band's later sound. He also was responsible for much of the band's paint spattered and stenciled clothing citing Jackson Pollock the American action painter as an influence.
Back home in Manchester Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley were rehearsing in earnest with Garth Davies and a drummer called Dennis. They were booked to play their first gig on April the first at Bolton Institute less than a month away.