New first came to notice for his talented lead guitar playing style at the beginning of London's punk rock music and fashion scene in the mid-1970s. In September 1975 at the age of 15 he auditioned and rehearsed with the Sex Pistols before they became publicly known, as a potential replacement for Steve Jones, but was let go after a few weeks as being surplus to requirements, and got a day-job working in the London office of Warner Bros. Records as a junior postal clerk.