The Sex Pistols reform to ‘Anarchy’ Jubilee

John Lydon, also known as ‘Johnny Rotten’ in his Sex Pistols finery, has been an icon for quarter-of-a-century, but hasn’t lost any of that acerbic wit, the acid tongue and an aura of a confrontational star like no other. He was a member of a quartet-of-misfits who still hold the ‘crown’ of the most dangerous band in the rock history. And they made some music that’s aged more than well.

The Godfather-of-punk (UK) has reassembled the Sex Pistols for a tour to mark the 25th Anniversary of ‘scandalising’ Britain (coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of the Queen Elizabeth II), their most ‘notorious’ hit, ‘God Save The Queen’ has been remixed by Neil Barnes (ex-Leftfield maestro) and re-released as well as a ‘Jubilee’ compilation album and ‘The Box Set’ following in June. And a live date in London’s Crystal Palace on 27th of July.

“I’m in The Sex Pistols when it suits me… And, I want to celebrate my Anniversary, so I’m doing it. I don’t want to do a full tour, just a few selected dates. This is our ‘Jubilee’, this is our trip and the idea of punk is lost nowadays. We were PUNK, the rest were punk-rock! I invented what you are now listening to as the third-rate copies!”

Pretty in platinum

The Sex Pistols reformed in 1996, called it ‘Filthy Lucre Tour’ while claiming some “unfinished business.” It’s good to have them around again, to remind us of the original values…

“You are being sarcastic and if you think ‘nostalgia’, you are wrong; it is business common sense. Our contract with the label was running out and they were going to release the records anyway and rather than let them run the show I decided to do it. It’s my career and I want to take control and cash in on the crops.”

It boils down to money, then?

“Why not? Everybody expects to be paid, why not? Don’t preach communism to me! Or, if you think that ‘anarchists’ are not into money, you are wrong… Assuming I was an ‘anarchist’. I don’t do nothing for nothing, but the real financial reality is, that if I were into money, I’d be constantly touring like Bob Dylan. I’m not but when I do it, I expect to be paid. I’m a good bloke but not that good… Johnny’s come back to get you all out of the dustbins you find yourselves in!”

“And have some fun… We never had time for fun in those days… We had a year and a bit, that was too intense a time to be able to understand and enjoy what was going on. Nobody in the pop world has gone true such disaster, calamities and pressure. But guess what, because I knew what I was doing and because I knew I meant it, I knew what would happen and I bloody enjoy that. The world is predictable and that’s why my songs mean so much, I’ve got you all sussed.”

Public Image vacancy

Lydon, after leaving the band that had a prolonged ‘dying’ period (it dragged for another couple of years), formed Public Image Ltd that were so ahead of its time it was actually anticipating the dance-rock crossover of the Happy Mondays by about a decade.

“When I was working with Public Image Ltd, it was way ahead of its time and now people are only catching up and stealing my ideas. PIL is the dance-band and everything goes back to it. People can pretend listening to Kraftwerk but I was doing that when I was 15. That’s the difference… You can’t buy a record 20 years old and pretend to understand the historic significance of music back then. Don’t fake it…”

“I’ve never imitated NO-ONE but people pick on me, as if I was guilty for this sad state of music.”

Your autobiography, ‘No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs’, came out in 1993; have you written more for the next instalment of your memoirs…

“Noooo… I’m waiting for others to write some lies and then I’ll correct them. You know, when I published my book people accused me of it not being factual… C’mon, I was there, wasn’t I?”

Well, reality is only an individual perception and experience...

“True; I’ve not worked out who will be supporting us but I hear Madonna wants to be on the guestlist! She might have to buy tickets, I’m not sure…”

Johnny’s back, still as opinionated as vaffanculo and in demand.