Melanie C recalls bottles thrown during 1999 festival performance

Melanie C is reflecting on the early days of her solo career, including a tough moment on stage.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, the former Spice Girls member shared a story from 1999, when she performed at the V99 Festival in Chelmsford, England. During the set, she sang a cover of the Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy in the U.K.” and changed the lyrics to say, “I am an antichrist, I am a Sporty Spice.”

She explained that the idea came after meeting Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols while she was in Los Angeles working on her debut album, Northern Star. At the time, Jones was playing with the band Neurotic Outsiders at the Viper Room, where guest performers would often join them on stage. Melanie C said she performed Sex Pistols songs there and later added one to her own live shows.

However, the festival performance did not go smoothly. She described it as a “baptism of fire,” saying the crowd threw bottles at her, and possibly even urine.

Melanie C also spoke about how life changed after the Spice Girls became famous in the 1990s. She said their schedules were intense and left little time for normal social activities. She also recalled constant attention from tabloids and paparazzi, which made the group cautious about going out in public.

Now 52, Melanie C is preparing to release her new album, Sweat, on May 1.