taking seriously McLaren's onscreen proclamations in the film, whether lending them credence or not. As music journalist Dave Thompson noted in 2000, "[T]oday, Swindle is viewed by many as the truth" (despite the fact that the movie purveys, among other things, a completely illiterate Steve Jones, a talking dog, and Sid Vicious shooting audience members, including his mother, at the conclusion of "My Way"). Temple points out that McLaren's characterisation was intended as "a big fucking joke—that he was the puppetmeister who created these pieces of clay from plasticine boxes that he modeled away and made Johnny Rotten, made Sid Vicious. It was a joke that they were completely manufactured." (In his final onscreen scene in the film, McLaren declares that he was planning the Sex Pistols affair, "Ever since I was ten years old! Ever since Elvis Presley joined the army!" [1956 and 1958, respectively].) Temple acknowledges that McLaren ultimately "perhaps took this too much to heart." According to Pistols tour manager Noel Monk and journalist Jimmy Guterman, Lydon was much more than "the band's mouthpiece. He's its raging brain. McLaren or his friend Jamie Reid might drop a word like 'anarchy' or 'vacant' that Rotten seizes upon and turns into a manifesto, but McLaren is not the Svengali to Rotten he'd like to be perceived as. McLaren thought he was working with a tabula rasa, but he soon found out that Rotten has ideas of his own". On the other hand, there is little disagreement about McLaren's marketing talent and his crucial role in making the band a subcultural phenomenon soon after its debut. Temple adds that "he catalyzed so many people's heads. He had so many just extraordinary ideas". Though, as Jon Savage emphasises, "In fact, it was Steve Jones who first had the idea of putting the group, or any group, together with McLaren. He chose McLaren, not vice versa." Band members Official members Johnny Rotten – lead vocals (1975–1978, 1996–2001, 2002–2003, 2007–2008) Steve Jones – guitar, backing vocals (1975–1978, 1996–2001, 2002–2003, 2007–2008), bass , lead vocals Paul Cook – drums, backing vocals (1975–1978, 1996–2001, 2002–2003, 2007–2008) Glen Matlock – bass, backing vocals (1975–1977, 1996–2001, 2002–2003, 2007–2008) Sid Vicious – bass, backing vocals (1977–1978; died 1979) Early members Wally Nightingale – guitar (1975) Nick Kent – lead guitar (1975) Steve New – lead guitar (1975) Guest musicians Musicians other than the band members who recorded songs