the phrase 'generation terrorists' (also the previous title of stay beautiful [lyric]) and richey edwards' tattoo 'useless generation' (which was airbrushed out for the cover of generation terrorists and replaced with the words 'Generation Terrorists') may be inspired by the following quote by malcolm mclaren, the 'creator' and manager of british nihilist punk band sex pistols (see be a man. be someone. kill someone. be a man. kill...):

Forget about music and concentrate on creating generation gaps. Call all hippies boring old farts and set light to them. Terrorize, threaten, and insult your own useless generation. Suddenly you've become a novel idea and you've got people wanting to join in. You've gained credibility from nothing, you're the talk of the town.

these lines are spoken by mclaren as voice-over in the 1980 video the great rock 'n' roll swindle during the clip of a live-performance of 'anarchy in the u.k.' by the sex pistols.

Malcolm McLaren directed The Great Rock and Roll Swindle after the sex Pistols broke up at the conclusion of their disastrous North American tour. Throughout the film, McLaren brags about his rules for swindling the record companies, and these rules alternate with footage of the sex Pistols in action. although the film is loaded with clips of the sex Pistols (interviews and in performance), it is McLaren's Ode to Himself: The film attempts to show that McLaren was the mastermind behind the Sex Pistols, and that he set out with the intention to swindle the record companies.however, The Great Rock and Roll Swindle is very interesting. It is full of nonsense from McLaren (he for example states that he invented punk rock), but also full of scenes from the Sex Pistols' performances. Songs include: 'Anarchy in the UK', 'God Save the Queen', 'No Feelings' and 'Holidays in the Sun'. Sid Vicious performs 'My Way' and 'Something Else'.