THE threat of anarchy in the UK appears to have been replaced by the certainty of capitalism. The Sex Pistols have been rebranded for business after signing a deal to use their hits as a vehicle to promote luxury brands.

Thirty years after the punk pioneers screamed defiance at the Establishment, the surviving members will cash in with a multimillion-pound deal partnering blue-chip corporations as advertisers seek an association with “rebellion”.

The group were together for little more than 18 months and recorded just one album, Never Mind the Bollocks. The dismissal of their music as nothing more than noise did not bother the group, who were intent on savaging the intellectual pretensions of 1970s rock.

A generation on, Range Rover and British Airways are among the companies to have approached John Lydon (the erstwhile Johnny Rotten) for permission to use hits such as Pretty Vacant, God Save the Queen and The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle as the soundtrack to global campaigns.

Universal Music Publishing Group has bought the rights to the band’s catalogue and been given express permission to “fully maximise the value” of compositions.

Harvey Nichols, beloved of posh ladies, has been first to sign up for a little anarchy with a Sex Pistols summer window display across international outlets featuring the band’s music, artwork and lyrics, to mark the 30th anniversary.

There will be a range of “anarchy” ringtones, and other possibilities include Sex Pistols action figures and a musical about their inflammatory history. Songs will be placed in advertisements and film and television soundtracks. Band-approved guidelines for Sex Pistols opportunities, seen by The Times, request: “Commercials with kudos and creativity — iPods, MP3 players, technology, mobile phones, luxury cars and sport brands.” Anything “with the focus on anti-Establishment/punk ideals” is sought.

Universal hopes to generate £1 million a year from deals.

While Lydon, 50, is a successful property developer in Los Angeles, the bassist Glen Matlock remains a jobbing musician. The band are considering an offer to do one final money-spinning concert in Japan.

Computer games will be a lucrative outlet for the band — who in 1996 set aside differences to re-form for the Filthy Lucre tour, which grossed £10 million. The band are seeking opportunities in “driving and street-robbery-type” games powered by aggressive rock.

The Pistols are not the only punk stars to have put youthful rebellion at the service of commerce. The Clash have also signed up with Universal and the band’s representatives have approved the use of Should I Stay or Should I Go? in US advertisements for Pontiac.

Paul Connolly, Universal’s president, said: “We are delighted to conclude this deal to represent the Sex Pistols catalogue, one of the most influential in rock. The band members must approve every opportunity put to them but we believe they will want to maximise the income we can generate.”

The Pistols flexed their anti-Establishment muscles last week when they withdrew from their induction into the US Music Hall of Fame. They objected to paying £15,000 for a table at the event. “It’s just a money-making opportunity for multimillion shysters,” Matlock complained.

The drummer Paul Cook, the guitarist Steve Jones, and the Sid Vicious estate have transferred their publishing interests to Universal from Warner Chappell, which will continue to work with Lydon.

FROM INFAMY TO FAME

John Lydon Lead vocalist
Age 50
Estimated wealth £10 million
Profile Property developer, lives in Malibu, California, with German heiress wife Nora. Presented insect series on Discovery Channel

Steve Jones Guitar
Age 50
Estimated wealth £1 million
Profile Teetotal father, campaigns to curb swearing on television. Radio presenter in Los Angeles

Glen Matlock Original bassist
Age 49
Estimated wealth £500,000
Profile Turfed out in 1977 “for liking the Beatles”. Tours as Glen Matlock and the Philistines

Paul Cook Drums
Age 49
Estimated wealth £400,000
Profile Family man, lives in West London. Plays in the band Man-Raze

Sid Vicious Bassist No 2
Estate value £100,000
Profile Charged with murder of girlfriend in New York and died of an overdose months later, in 1979, aged 21

Malcolm McLaren Svengali
Age 60
Estimated wealth £1 million
Profile Self-publicist, takes credit for creating the band

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