Glen Matlock's Sex Pistols documentary "I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol" arrives on Apple TV on May 26, available for digital rental or purchase across the United States.
The film centers on Matlock's tenure as the punk band's original bassist, a role he held from 1975 until his departure in 1976. Matlock's account of the Sex Pistols' formation and early years offers a foundational perspective on one of rock's most explosive and influential acts. His documentary provides direct testimony from someone embedded in the band during its most volatile creative period.
The digital release expands the film's accessibility beyond theatrical and festival screenings, bringing Matlock's firsthand narrative to mainstream streaming audiences. Apple TV's distribution model allows viewers to engage with punk history on their own schedules rather than waiting for broadcast television windows.
Matlock left the Sex Pistols before the group imploded spectacularly during their final American tour in January 1978. His exit predates the iconic chaos associated with the band's later period, positioning him as a chronicler of their formation rather than their dissolution. The documentary serves as a corrective voice in a legacy often dominated by frontman Johnny Rotten's account and the sensationalism of manager Malcolm McLaren's version of events.
The band's mythology has proven endlessly revisitable across decades. Danny Boyle's 2022 FX/Hulu series "Pistol" dramatized similar territory with fictional elaboration, while Rotten's own autobiography and public statements have shaped popular understanding of the group's origin story. Matlock's documentary adds another layer to this contested historical record.
The May 26 date places the film's expansion during a period of renewed interest in punk's cultural influence and rock music documentaries' continued commercial viability. Streaming platforms have become primary destinations for music documentaries seeking broad audiences beyond dedicated fan communities.
WHY IT MATTERS: The Sex Pistols remain foundational to punk history, and competing narratives about the band's formation matter to how audiences understand 1970s cultural rebellion and rock music