Sex Pistols-Frank Carter alliance goes global
Frank Carter’s alliance with the Sex Pistols is going from strength to strength as the group gears up to go international, Solo Agency head Charly Beedell-Tuck tells IQ.
The Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and former Gallows frontman initially joined forces with Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols in August 2024 for three fundraising shows at Bush Hall to help secure the future of the West London venue.
Beedell-Tuck explains the punk-rock union first came to pass through Matlock’s son, Louis.
“He’s in a band and is friends with Frank,” she says. “It was super-organic and lovely. They decided to have a jam – for no other reason other than they were fans of each other – and got along well. Steve [Jones] is from Hammersmith and so is Paul Cook, so Bush Hall is one of their local venues. Paul knew the owners and there was a conversation about them closing down.
“They really wanted to try and do something to help, and that’s when they thought that would be a really cool thing to do. Everyone had history with the venue and wanted to do something, collectively, to try and save Bush Hall.”
“The reviews were incredible, and everyone felt like it was such a special moment”
The well-received stint, which features 40-year-old Carter on vocals in the absence of John Lydon, who is estranged from the band, led to a short UK tour last autumn where the collective performed the Pistols’ iconic 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks… in its entirety.
“The Bush Hall shows sold out within seconds, but there were no plans to extend beyond that,” says Beedell-Tuck. “But the reviews were incredible, and everyone felt like it was such a special moment. Only then, did a conversation happen about whether it was something that would maybe continue.
“Off the back of that success, it felt like there was a lot more demand. Everyone had such a good time and that sparked conversations.”
Tour stops included venues such as Nottingham’s Rock City, Birmingham’s O2 Academy and O2 Forum Kentish Town in London.
“They all flew out pretty much in a few hours, which shows you how strong this package is,” adds Beedell-Tuck. “The guest list for some of the shows is pretty incredible too. You had the likes of Duff McKagan wanting to go to the shows, so you could tell [the Pistols] had played a big part in other musicians’ lives and journeys, as well as for the fans who attended the shows, too.”
Beedell-Tuck praises Carter for stepping up to the plate.
“Frank’s character is quite ‘no fucks given’, and I think he’s the perfect person to have made it his own,” she says. “He’s confident enough not to be trying to be anyone else – he’s doing it in the Frank Carter way and I think that’s why it’s special, because they complement each other so well without it being forced in any way. That’s where the magic has come from.”
“We’d definitely like to make sure we service as many markets as we can”
She continues: “You can tell that it’s just four guys who get on and are having a really good time, and that authenticity is felt throughout the crowd.”
The British unit, who play Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall on 24 March, also headline Punkspring in Japan later this month, prior to a tour of Australia and New Zealand booked for April. A summer festival run will then follow including Download (UK), Hellfest (France), EXIT (Serbia), Interlaken (Switzerland), Jera On Air (Netherlands), Tsunami Xixón (Spain), Tons of Rock (Norway), Rock for People (Czech Republic) and The Town (Brazil).
North American dates could also be in the pipeline, while they will headline punk all-dayers in the UK at Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park (21 June) and Dreamland Margate (23 August), with special guests including the Stranglers and Buzzcocks.
“There’s a huge appetite,” reports Beedell-Tuck. “For the most part, festival lineups tend to be pretty consistent, especially at that level – there aren’t many artists that haven’t done that circuit – so I think this brings something quite fresh and exciting, where it’s just different.”
She concludes: “As we go into 2026, it’s the 50th anniversary of punk and, with your Amyl and the Sniffers and Lambrini Girls, the appetite for punk seems to be coming back, so I think all the stars are aligning to make this a special moment.
“Who knows what the future will hold? But given the success of this project, we’d definitely like to make sure we service as many markets as we can.”
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