Did Freddie Mercury’s teeth accidentally invent Punk Rock?

It was almost 50 years ago on this day in history that the course of music history changed forever during a broadcast on London’s Today show. It was the moment the Sex Pistols appeared on live TV, dropped a few well-placed curse words, and instantly terrified the entire British establishment - and none of it would have happened if it weren’t for the dental hygiene of one Freddie Mercury!

Here is the backstory: The Sex Pistols were never supposed to be on TV that night. The slot was actually booked for rock icons, Queen. They were crushing the charts and scheduled to promote their new album, A Day at the Races. At the last minute, Freddie Mercury had to cancel. He had a nasty toothache and needed to make an emergency visit to the dentist (we all know how much Freddie loved his chompers!). With their star attraction in the dentist’s chair, Queen’s record label sent their new, rowdy signing, the Sex Pistols, as a last-minute replacement.

What happened next is the stuff of legend. The show’s host Bill Grundy, clearly unimpressed by the guys and their entourage, decided to poke the bear. He goaded the band live on air, flirting with Siouxsie Sioux and challenging the boys to say something outrageous. Steve Jones took the bait, unleashing a string of curse words that had never been heard on early evening television before. No doubt that the switchboards lit up, and the headlines the next day screamed “Rotten Punks”! Enemy number one, and a cultural revolution was born.

So, when you look back at the history of punk rock, you have to give credit where credit is due. Sure, the Sex Pistols had the attitude and the songs, but without Freddie Mercury’s emergency dental appointment, they might have remained a London scene band. In a strange twist of fate, we can thank the most operatic, polished singer in rock history — and his very LARGE dental needs — for paving the way for the chaos of the punk rock explosion. Thanks Freddie!

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