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John Joseph Lydon (; born 31 January 1956), also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the late-1970s
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
band the Sex Pistols, which lasted from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s. He is also the lead singer of
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad music genre, genre of Punk Music, punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde s ...
band
Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (and incorporated limited company) formed by singer John Lydon (previously known as the singer of Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and d ...
(PiL), which he founded and fronted from 1978 until 1993, and again since 2009. Lydon's outspoken personality, rebellious image and fashion style led to his being asked to become the singer of the Sex Pistols by their manager, Malcolm McLaren. With the Sex Pistols, he penned singles including " Anarchy in the U.K.", "
God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...
" and "
Holidays in the Sun Holiday(s) in the Sun may refer to: * ''Holidays in the Sun'' (album), by Yui * ''Holidays in the Sun'' (EP), by Cornelius * ''Holiday in the Sun'' (film), starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen * "Holidays in the Sun" (song), by the Sex Pistols * ...
", the content of which precipitated what one commentator described as the 'last and greatest outbreak of pop-based moral pandemonium' in Britain. The band scandalised much of the media, and Lydon was seen as a figurehead of the burgeoning punk movement. Because of their controversial lyrics and disrepute at the time, they are regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of popular music. After the Sex Pistols disbanded in 1978, Lydon founded his own band, Public Image Ltd, which was far more experimental in nature and described in a 2005 review by ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' as 'arguably the first post-rock group'. The band produced eight albums and a string of singles, including " Public Image", "
Death Disco "Death Disco" is a song by Public Image Ltd. The record was released in both 7" and 12" single formats with a "½ Mix" of the song and "Megga mix" (an instrumental version of "Fodderstompf" from '' Public Image: First Issue'') on the 12" version ...
", and "
Rise Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...
", before they went on hiatus in 1993, reforming in 2009. In subsequent years, Lydon has hosted television series in the UK, US, and Belgium, 2004 appeared on '' I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!'' in the UK, appeared in advertisements on UK television promoting Country Life, a brand of British butter, written two autobiographies, and produced solo musical work, such as the album '' Psycho's Path'' (1997). In 2005, he released a compilation album, '' The Best of British £1 Notes''. In 2015, there was a revival of a 1980s movement to have Lydon knighted for his achievements with the Sex Pistols, although he has declined efforts to award him an
MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...
for his services to music. '' Q'' magazine remarked that 'somehow he's assumed the status of
national treasure The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the funda ...
'. In 2002, he was named among the
100 Greatest Britons ''100 Greatest Britons'' is a television series that was broadcast by the BBC in 2002. It was based on a television poll conducted to determine who the British people at that time considered the greatest Britons in history. The series included in ...
following a UK-wide vote.


Early life

John Joseph Lydon was born in London on 31 January 1956. His parents, Eileen Lydia, and John Christopher Lydon (died 2008), were working-class emigrants from Ireland who moved into a two-room Victorian flat in Benwell Road, in the Holloway area of
north London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The term ''nor ...
. The flat is adjacent to the
Highbury Stadium Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, London, which was the home of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006. It was popularly known as "Highbury" due to its location and was given the affectionate nickname ...
, the former home of
Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
football club Arsenal F.C. of whom Lydon has been an avid fan since the age of four. At the time, the area was largely impoverished, with a high crime rate and a population consisting predominantly of working-class
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
and Jamaican people. Lydon spent summer holidays in his mother's native
County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...
, where he suffered name-calling for having an English accent, a prejudice he claims he still receives today even though he travels under an Irish passport. In his autobiography, ''Rotten – No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs'', Lydon wrote of being from an Irish background in London in the 1960s: "Londoners had no choice but to accept the Irish because there were so many of us, and we do blend in better than the Jamaicans. When I was very young and going to school, I remember bricks thrown at me by English parents... We were the Irish scum. But it's fun being scum, too." Lydon, the eldest of four brothers, had to look after his siblings due to his mother's regular illnesses. As a child, he lived on the edge of an industrial estate and would often play with friends in the factories when they were closed. He belonged to a local gang of neighbourhood children and would often end up in fights with other groups, something he would later look back on with fond memories: "Hilarious fiascoes, not at all like the knives and guns of today. The meanness wasn't there. It was more like yelling, shouting, throwing stones, and running away giggling. Maybe the reality was coloured by my youth." Describing himself as a "very shy" and "very retiring" kid who was "nervous as hell", he hated going to school, where he would get caned as punishment and where he "had several embarrassing incidents ... I would shit my pants and be too scared to ask the teacher to leave the class. I'd sit there in a pants load of poo all day long." At the age of seven, Lydon contracted
spinal meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion o ...
and spent a year in St Ann's Hospital in Haringey, London. Throughout the entire experience, he suffered from hallucinations, nausea, headaches, periods of coma, and a severe memory loss that lasted for four years, whilst the treatments administered by the nurses involved drawing fluid out of his spine with a surgical needle, leaving him with a permanent spinal curvature. The meningitis was responsible for giving him what he would later describe as the "Lydon stare"; this experience was "the first step that put me on the road to Rotten". With his father often away, employed variously on building sites or oil rigs, Lydon got his first job aged ten as a minicab despatcher, something he kept up for a year while the family was in financial difficulty. He disliked his secondary school, the St. William of York Roman Catholic School in Islington, where initially, he was bullied, but at fourteen or fifteen he "broke out of the mould" and began to fight back at what he saw as the oppressive nature of the school teachers, who he felt instigated and encouraged the children to all be the same and be "anti-anyone-who-doesn't-quite-fit-the-mould." Following the completion of his
O-levels The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...
at school, he got into a row with his father, who disliked Lydon's long hair, and so, agreeing to get it cut, the teenager not only had it cut, but in an act of rebellion, he dyed it bright green.Lydon, p. 63. As a teenager, he listened to rock bands like
Hawkwind Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...
, Captain Beefheart,
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
, and
the Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Da ...
– bands his mother also used to like, which somewhat embarrassed him – as well as more mainstream acts such as
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, T. Rex and Gary Glitter. Lydon was kicked out of school at age fifteen after a run-in with a teacher, and went on to attend
Hackney College New City College (NCC) is a large college of further education with campuses in East London and Essex. The college was formed in 2016 with the amalgamation of separate colleges, beginning with the merger between Tower Hamlets College and Hackney C ...
, where he befriended John Simon Ritchie, before attending Kingsway College. Lydon gave Ritchie the nickname "Sid Vicious", after his parents' pet hamster. Lydon and Vicious began squatting in a house in the Hampstead area with a group of ageing hippies and stopped bothering to go to college, which was often far away from where they were living. Meanwhile, he began working on building sites during the summer, assisted by his father. Friends recommended him for a job at a children's play centre in Finsbury Park, teaching woodwork to some of the older children, but he was sacked when parents complained that somebody "weird" with bright-green hair was teaching their children. Lydon and his friends, including Vicious, John Gray,
Jah Wobble John Joseph Wardle (born 11 August 1958), known by the stage name Jah Wobble, is an English bass guitarist and singer. He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL) in the late 1970s and early 1980s; ...
, Dave Crowe and Tony Purcell, began going to many of the London clubs, such as the Lacy Lady in
Seven Kings Seven Kings is a district of Ilford in London, England, part of the borough of Redbridge. Situated approximately two miles from Ilford town centre, Seven Kings forms part of the Ilford post town. Historically part of Essex, it was part of the ...
, and frequented both reggae and
gay club A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) clientele; the term ''gay'' is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT communities. Gay bars once served ...
s, enjoying the latter because "you could be yourself, nobody bothered you" there. Lydon during this stage of his life was described by Vicious as "the vilest geezer I ever met – all misshapen, no 'air, 'unchback, flat feet." He later left England and moved to America because "It's become such a police state in England. So 1984-like. It's very grim. . . That's why I left. Also I don't get any support over there."


Career


1975–1978: Sex Pistols and the punk movement

In 1975, Lydon was among a group of youths who regularly hung around Malcolm McLaren and
Vivienne Westwood Dame Vivienne Isabel Westwood (née Swire; born 8 April 1941) is an English fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. Westwood came to public notice when she m ...
's fetish clothing shop
SEX Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...
. McLaren had returned from a brief stint travelling with American
protopunk Proto-punk (or protopunk) is rock music played mostly by garage bands from the 1960s to mid-1970s that foreshadowed the punk rock movement. The phrase is a retrospective label; the musicians involved were generally not originally associated wi ...
band the New York Dolls, and he was working on promoting a new band formed by Steve Jones,
Glen Matlock Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956) is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only albu ...
and
Paul Cook Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene. Early life and career Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...
called the Sex Pistols. McLaren was impressed with Lydon's ragged look and unique sense of style, particularly his orange hair and modified Pink Floyd T-shirt (with the band members' eyes scratched out and the words ''I Hate'' scrawled in felt-tip pen above the band's logo). After tunelessly singing
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
's "
I'm Eighteen "I'm Eighteen" is a song by rock band Alice Cooper, first released as a single in November 1970 backed with "Is It My Body". It was the band's first top-forty success—peaking at number 21—and convinced Warner Bros. that Alice Cooper had the ...
" to the accompaniment of the shop's jukebox, Lydon was chosen as the band's frontman. In 1977, the band released "
God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...
" during the week of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. At the time, August 1977, Lydon commented: "Turn the other cheek too often and you get a razor through it." During the media furore over the single, Lydon and producers Bill Price and Chris Thomas were subject to a razor attack outside a pub in Highbury, London. Lydon was interested in dub music. McLaren was said to have been upset when Lydon revealed during a radio interview that his influences included progressive experimentalists like
Magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
, Can, Captain Beefheart and
Van der Graaf Generator Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Chris Judge Smith and the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much commercial success i ...
. Tensions between Lydon and bassist
Glen Matlock Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956) is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only albu ...
arose. The reasons for this are disputed, but Lydon claimed in his autobiography that he believed Matlock to be too white-collar and middle-class and that Matlock was "always going on about nice things like
the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
". Matlock stated in his own autobiography that most of the tension in the band, and between himself and Lydon, was orchestrated by McLaren. Matlock quit and as a replacement, Lydon recommended his school friend John Simon Ritchie, who used the stage name
Sid Vicious John Simon Ritchie (10 May 1957 – 2 February 1979), better known by his stage name Sid Vicious, was an English musician, best known as the bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. Despite dying in 1979 at age 21, he remains an icon of the ...
. Although Ritchie was an incompetent bassist, McLaren agreed that he had the look the band wanted: pale, emaciated, spike-haired, with ripped clothes and a perpetual sneer. In 1977, the Sex Pistols released their only and highly influential studio album '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols''. Vicious' chaotic relationship with girlfriend
Nancy Spungen Nancy Laura Spungen (; February 27, 1958 – October 12, 1978) was the American girlfriend of English musician Sid Vicious, and a figure of the 1970s punk rock scene. Raised Jewish in Philadelphia, Spungen was an emotionally disturbed child who ...
, and his worsening heroin addiction, caused a great deal of friction among the band members, particularly with Lydon, whose sarcastic remarks often exacerbated the situation. Lydon closed the final Sid Vicious-era Sex Pistols concert in San Francisco's
Winterland Winterland Ballroom (more commonly known as Winterland Arena or simply Winterland) was an ice skating rink and music venue in San Francisco, California. The arena was located at the corner of Post Street and Steiner Street. It was converted for ...
in January 1978 with a rhetorical question to the audience: "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" Shortly thereafter, McLaren, Jones, and Cook went to Brazil to meet and record with former train robber
Ronnie Biggs Ronald Arthur Biggs (8 August 1929 – 18 December 2013) was an English criminal who helped plan and carry out the Great Train Robbery of 1963. He subsequently became notorious for his escape from prison in 1965, living as a fugitive for 36 ye ...
. Lydon declined to go, deriding the concept as a whole and feeling that they were attempting to make a hero out of a criminal who attacked a train driver and stole "working-class money". The Sex Pistols' disintegration was documented in
Julian Temple Julien Temple (born 26 November 1953) is a British film, documentary and music video director. He began his career with short films featuring the Sex Pistols, and has continued with various off-beat projects, including ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll ...
's satirical pseudo-biographical film, ''
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'' is a 1980 British mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas. It centres on the British punk rock band Sex Pistols and, most prominently, their manager Malcolm Mc ...
'', in which Jones, Cook and Vicious each played a character. Matlock only appeared in previously recorded live footage and as an animation and did not participate personally. Lydon refused to have anything to do with it, feeling that McLaren had far too much control over the project. Although Lydon was highly critical of the film, many years later he agreed to let Temple direct the Sex Pistols documentary ''
The Filth and the Fury ''The Filth and the Fury'' is a 2000 British rockumentary film directed by Julien Temple. It follows the story of punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols from their humble beginnings in London's Shepherd's Bush to their fall at the Winterland Ballr ...
'', a film that included new interviews with the band members' faces hidden in silhouette, and also featured an uncharacteristically emotional Lydon choking up as he discussed Vicious' decline and death. Lydon had previously denounced previous journalistic works regarding the Sex Pistols in the introduction to his autobiography, ''Rotten – No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs'', which he described as "as close to the truth as one can get". Lydon is portrayed by Anson Boon in the 2022
Craig Pearce Craig Pearce is an Australian screenwriter and actor. Pearce's acting credits include a regular role in soap opera '' The Restless Years'' in 1981, guest roles in '' Bellamy'', '' E Street'' and ''G.P.'', and film roles in ''I Can't Get Started ...
-
Danny Boyle Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer. He is known for his work on films including '' Shallow Grave'', '' Trainspotting'' and its sequel '' T2 Trainspotting'', '' The Beach'', ''28 Days Later'', '' S ...
FX biographical drama miniseries Pistol.


1978–1993: Public Image Ltd (PiL)

In 1978, Lydon formed the
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad music genre, genre of Punk Music, punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde s ...
outfit Public Image Ltd (PiL). The first lineup of the band included bassist
Jah Wobble John Joseph Wardle (born 11 August 1958), known by the stage name Jah Wobble, is an English bass guitarist and singer. He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL) in the late 1970s and early 1980s; ...
and former Clash guitarist
Keith Levene Julian Keith Levene (18 July 1957 – 11 November 2022) was an English musician who was a founding member of both the Clash and Public Image Ltd (PiL). While Levene was in PiL, their 1978 debut album '' Public Image: First Issue'' reached No 2 ...
. They released the albums '' Public Image: First Issue'' (1978), ''
Metal Box ''Metal Box'' is the second studio album by Public Image Ltd, released by Virgin Records on 23 November 1979. The album takes its name from the round metal canister which contained the initial pressings of the record. It was later reissued in ...
'' (1979) and the live album '' Paris au Printemps'' (1980). Wobble left and Lydon and Levene made '' The Flowers of Romance'' (1981). This was followed by '' This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get'' (1984) featuring Martin Atkins on drums (he had also appeared on ''Metal Box'' and ''The Flowers of Romance''); it featured their biggest hit, "
This Is Not a Love Song "This Is Not a Love Song" is a single released by English post-punk band Public Image Ltd in 1983. It is the band's biggest commercial hit, peaking at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and at No. 3 on the Irish Singles Chart. The 12" remixed versi ...
", which hit No. 5 in the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in 1983. In 1983, Lydon co-starred with
Harvey Keitel Harvey Keitel ( ; born May 13, 1939) is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of morally ambiguous and "tough guy" characters. He first rose to prominence during the New Hollywood movement, and has held a long-running association with ...
in the film ''
Copkiller ''Copkiller'' ( Italian: ''Copkiller (l'assassino dei poliziotti)''), also released as ''Corrupt'', ''Corrupt Lieutenant'', and ''The Order of Death'', is a 1983 Italian crime thriller film directed by Roberto Faenza and starring Harvey Keitel a ...
'', also released as ''Corrupt'' and ''The Order of Death''. He later had a small role in the 2000 film ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
''. In 1984, Lydon worked with
Time Zone A time zone is an area which observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial and social purposes. Time zones tend to follow the boundaries between countries and their subdivisions instead of strictly following longitude, because it ...
on their single "World Destruction". A collaboration between Lydon, Afrika Bambaataa and producer/bassist
Bill Laswell William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, ...
, this was an early example of " rap rock", along with Run-DMC. The song appears on Bambaataa's 1997 compilation album ''Zulu Groove'', and was arranged by Laswell after Lydon and Bambaataa had acknowledged respect for each other's work, as described in an interview from 1984: The single featured
Bernie Worrell George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) was an American keyboardist and record producer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Rol ...
,
Nicky Skopelitis Nicky Skopelitis (born January 19, 1960) is an American guitarist and composer of Greek descent. He also has performed on banjo, oud, lute, keyboards and other instruments. Although Skopelitis has recorded few albums as a bandleader, he has ap ...
and
Aïyb Dieng Aïyb Dieng is a Senegalese drummer and percussionist specializing in hand drums. He has recorded two solo album, including '' Rhythmagick'' (1995), and has worked with a wide range of musicians, including as a regular collaborator of bassist/pr ...
, all of whom would later play on PiL's ''Album''; Laswell played bass and produced. In 1986, Public Image Ltd released ''
Album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
'' (also known as ''Compact Disc'' and ''Cassette'' depending on the format). Most of the tracks were written by Lydon and
Bill Laswell William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, ...
, and the musicians were session musicians including bassist
Jonas Hellborg Jonas Hellborg (born 7 June 1958) is a Swedish bass guitarist. He has collaborated with John McLaughlin, Ustad Sultan Khan, Fazal Qureshi, Bill Laswell, Shawn Lane, Jens Johansson, Anders Johansson, Ginger Baker, Michael Shrieve, V. Selvaga ...
, guitarist
Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai (; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist f ...
and Cream drummer
Ginger Baker Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", for a style that melded jazz and African rhythms and pi ...
. In 1987, a new line-up was formed consisting of Lydon, former Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist
John McGeoch John Alexander McGeoch (25 August 1955 – 4 March 2004) was a Scottish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Magazine (1977-1980) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1980-1982). He has been described as one ...
, Allan Dias on bass guitar in addition to drummer
Bruce Smith Bruce Bernard Smith (born June 18, 1963) is an American former football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Virginia Tech, where he was ...
and Lu Edmunds. This line-up released ''Happy?'' and all except Lu Edmunds released the album ''9'' in 1989. In 1992, Lydon, Dias and McGeoch were joined by
Curt Bisquera Curt "Kirkee B." Bisquera is an American drummer known for his extensive work as a touring and session musician. Biography Bisquera has worked with Johnny Cash, Josh Groban, Mick Jagger, Seal, Sarah McLachlan, Elton John, Johnny Hallyday an ...
on drums and Gregg Arreguin on rhythm guitar for the album ''That What Is Not'', which featured the
Tower of Power Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted th ...
horns on two songs and Jimmie Wood on harmonica. Lydon, McGeoch and Dias wrote the song "Criminal" for the film ''
Point Break ''Point Break'' is a 1991 American action crime film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by W. Peter Iliff. It stars Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Lori Petty and Gary Busey. The film's title refers to the surfing term " point break", wher ...
''. After this album, in 1993, Lydon put PiL on indefinite hiatus.


1993–2006: Solo album, autobiography and celebrity status

In 1993, Lydon's first autobiography, ''Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs'', was published. Aided by Keith and Kent Zimmerman, and featuring contributions from figures including
Paul Cook Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene. Early life and career Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...
, Chrissie Hynde,
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
and Don Letts, the work covered his life up until the collapse of the Sex Pistols. Describing the book, he stated that it "is as close to the truth as one can get, looking back on events from the inside. All the people in this book were actually there, and this book is as much their point of view as it is mine. This means contradictions and insults have not been edited, and neither have the compliments, if any. I have no time for lies or fantasy, and neither should you. Enjoy or die." In December 2005, Lydon told '' Q'' that he was working on a second autobiography to cover the PiL years. In the mid-1990s, Lydon hosted ''Rotten Day'', a daily syndicated US radio feature written by George Gimarc. The format of the show was a look back at events in popular music and culture occurring on the particular broadcast calendar date about which Lydon would offer cynical commentary. The series was originally developed as a radio vehicle for Gimarc's book, ''Punk Diary 1970–79'', but after bringing Lydon onboard, it was expanded to cover notable events from most of the second half of the 20th century. In 1997, Lydon released a solo album on
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), Tom Newman. It ...
called '' Psycho's Path''. He wrote all the songs and played all the instruments; for one song ("Sun"), he sang the vocals through a toilet roll. The US version included a
Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat genre ...
remix of the song "Open Up" by
Leftfield Leftfield are a British electronic music duo formed in 1989 as the duo of Neil Barnes and Paul Daley (the latter formerly of the Rivals and A Man Called Adam). The duo was very influential in the evolution of electronic music in the 1990s, wi ...
with vocals by Lydon, which was a club hit in the US and a big hit in the UK. Lydon has recorded a second solo album but it has not been released, except for one song that appeared on '' The Best of British £1 Notes''. In November 1997, Lydon appeared on ''
Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtr ...
'' fighting a suit filed by his former tour drummer Robert Williams for breach of contract, assault and
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
. In January 2004, Lydon appeared on the British reality television programme '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'', which took place in Australia. He proved he still had the capability to shock by calling the show's viewers "fucking cunts" during a live broadcast. The television regulator and ITV, the channel broadcasting the show, between them received only 91 complaints about Lydon's language. In a February 2004 interview with the Scottish '' Sunday Mirror'', Lydon said that he and his wife "should be dead", since on 21 December 1988, thanks to delays caused by his wife's packing, they missed the Pan Am Flight 103 that was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland. After ''I'm a Celebrity ... '', he presented a documentary about insects and spiders called ''John Lydon's Megabugs'' which was shown on the Discovery Channel. '' Radio Times'' described him as "more an enthusiast than an expert". He went to present two further programmes: ''John Lydon Goes Ape'', in which he searched for gorillas in Central Africa; and ''John Lydon's Shark Attack'', in which he swam with sharks off South Africa. In late 2008, Lydon appeared in an advertising campaign for ' Country Life' butter, on British television. Lydon defended the move by stating that the main reason he accepted the offer was to raise money to reform
Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (and incorporated limited company) formed by singer John Lydon (previously known as the singer of Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and d ...
without a record deal. The advertising campaign proved to be highly successful, with sales of the brand raising 85% in the quarter following, which many in the media attributed to Lydon's presence in the advert.


2006–2009: Potential Sex Pistols revival

Although Lydon spent years denying that the Sex Pistols would ever perform together again, the band re-united (with Matlock returning on bass) in the 1990s, and continue to perform occasionally. In 2002, the year of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, the Sex Pistols reformed again to play the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London. In 2003, their 'Piss Off Tour' took them around North America for three weeks. Further performances took place in Europe from 2007 to 2008. In 2006, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Sex Pistols, but the band refused to attend the ceremony or acknowledge the induction, complaining that they had been asked for large sums of money to attend.


2009-present: Public Image Limited reformation

In September 2009, it was announced that PiL would reform, including earlier members Bruce Smith and Lu Edmonds, for a number of Christmas concerts in the UK. Lydon financed the reunion using money he earned doing a UK television commercial for Country Life butter. Lydon commented "The money that I earned from that has now gone completely — lock stock and barrel — into reforming PiL". In August 2010, Lydon played with Public Image Ltd. in
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
, Israel despite protests. Lydon was criticised for giving a statement to ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' newspaper, in which he said: "I really resent the presumption that I'm going there to play to right-wing
Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
Jews. If Elvis-fucking-Costello wants to pull out of a gig in Israel because he's suddenly got this compassion for Palestinians, then good on him. But I have absolutely one rule, right? Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won't understand how anyone can have a problem with how they're treated." In October 2013, Lydon clarified in an interview. During an April 2013 tour of Australia, Lydon was involved in a television interview for '' The Project'' that resulted in a publicised controversy, as he was labelled "a flat out, sexist, misogynist pig" by one of the panellists on the Australian programme. The altercation occurred with host
Carrie Bickmore Carrie Bickmore (born 3 December 1980) is an Australian talk show and current affairs Gold Logie award-winning television and radio presenter. Early life Bickmore was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1980, but moved to Perth, Western Aus ...
, and the description was provided by panellist
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after the interview was prematurely terminated by Bickmore's colleague Dave Hughes. Lydon conducted the interview from
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
while on PiL's first tour of Australia in twenty years — first announced in December 2012 — during which concerts were held in the capital cities of Sydney and
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. Lydon was cast to play the role of King Herod for the North American arena tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's
rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
'' Jesus Christ Superstar''. He was to play the role starting 9 June through 17 August, and be joined by Ben Forster as
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
,
Brandon Boyd Brandon Charles Boyd (born February 15, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, author and visual artist. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Incubus, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums. In a ...
of rock band
Incubus An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in t ...
as
Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot (; grc-x-biblical, Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης; syc, ܝܗܘܕܐ ܣܟܪܝܘܛܐ; died AD) was a disciple and one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. According to all four canonical gospels, Judas betraye ...
, Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams as Mary Magdalene, and former
'N Sync NSYNC (, ; also stylized as *NSYNC or 'N Sync) was an American boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to Europea ...
singer
JC Chasez Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez (; born August 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and occasional actor. He started out his career as a cast member on '' The Mickey Mouse Club'' before rising to stardom with NSYNC, and ...
as
Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of ...
. On 31 May 2014, the producers announced that the tour of the production was cancelled, because of poor advance ticket sales. A compilation of Lydon's lyrics, ''Mr. Rotten's Songbook'', was published in 2017. The limited-edition book includes the words to every song he wrote during his entire career, punctuated by his own original sketches and cartoons. In 2021, Lydon competed in season six of ''
The Masked Singer ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' as the wild card contestant "Jester" which was the show's second human character after
Larry the Cable Guy Daniel Lawrence Whitney (born February 17, 1963), known professionally by his persona Larry the Cable Guy, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, country music artist, and former radio personality. He was one of the members of the ...
's wild card character "Baby". He was eliminated alongside
Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield (born 26 November 1981) is a British singer and songwriter. Bedingfield released her debut album, '' Unwritten'', in 2004, which contained primarily up-tempo pop songs and was influenced by R&B music. It enjoyed intern ...
as "Pepper".


Origin of stage name

Lydon explained the origin of his stage name, Johnny Rotten, in a '' Daily Telegraph'' feature interview in 2007: he was given the name in the mid-1970s, when his lack of oral hygiene led to his teeth turning green. One version says the name came from the Sex Pistols' guitarist Steve Jones, who saw Lydon's teeth and exclaimed, "You're rotten, you are!" In 2008, Lydon had extensive dental work performed in Los Angeles, at a reported cost of US$22,000. He explained that it was not done out of vanity: "It was necessity ... all those rotten teeth were seriously beginning to corrupt my system".


Personal life

Lydon is married to
Nora Forster Nora Maier Forster (born 6 November 1942) is a German publishing heiress and former actor and model who is primarily known as a music promoter. Before moving to London in the late 1960s, she worked in Germany with Jimi Hendrix, Wishbone Ash and ...
, a publishing heiress from Germany. He was the stepfather of Forster's daughter
Ari Up Ariane Daniele Forster (17 January 1962 – 20 October 2010), known by her stage name Ari Up, was a German vocalist best known as a member of the English punk rock band the Slits. Biography Ari Up was born in Munich, West Germany. Both her pare ...
. In 2000, Lydon and Nora became legal guardians of Ari's twin teenaged boys; as Lydon explained " rilet them run free. They couldn't read, write or form proper sentences. One day Ari said she couldn't cope with them anymore. I suggested they came to us because I wasn't having them abandoned. They gave us hell, but I loved having kids around." In 2010, Ari died of breast cancer at the age of 48 and they became guardians of her third child. Lydon and Forster primarily live in
Venice, California Venice is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles within the Westside region of Los Angeles County, California. Venice was founded by Abbot Kinney in 1905 as a seaside resort town. It was an independent city until 1926, when it was annexed by ...
where they have resided since the early 1980s, but keep a residence in London. In 2018, Lydon revealed that Forster was in the mid-stages of Alzheimer's disease. In June 2020, Lydon said that he had become full-time carer for his wife as her condition has been deteriorating. "Nora has Alzheimer's... I am her full-time carer and I won't let anyone mess up with her. For me, the real person is still there. That person I love is still there every minute of every day and that is my life. It's unfortunate that she forgets things, well, don't we all? I suppose her condition is one of like a permanent hangover for her. It gets worse and worse, bits of the brain store less and less memory and then suddenly some bits completely vanish.” Lydon said experts were impressed with how she remembers him saying "a bit of love goes a long way" and that he has no intentions to put her in a care home despite the strain her illness has on both their lives. Lydon has been a fan of Oscar Wilde since he studied his works at school, when he came to the conclusion that "his stuff was fucking brilliant. What an attitude to life!...he turned out to be the biggest
poof Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...
on earth at a time when that was completely unacceptable. What a genius." Lydon is a visual artist. His drawings, paintings and other related works have featured prominently in the works of PiL and his solo career throughout the years, the most recent example being the cover to '' This is PiL''. In 2014 he admitted to spending £10,000 on
iPad The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating ...
games.


Citizenship

Lydon became an American citizen in 2013, in addition to his British and Irish citizenships. He later spoke of how he would never have considered becoming a US citizen during the "
Bush Bush commonly refers to: * Shrub, a small or medium woody plant Bush, Bushes, or the bush may also refer to: People * Bush (surname), including any of several people with that name **Bush family, a prominent American family that includes: *** ...
years" because of the "horrible" way America presented itself abroad, but the
Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
presidency had changed his mind, in particular because "America has the potential to be a nation that actually cares for its afflicted and wounded and ill and disenfranchised" as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare").


Religious views

Lydon's parents raised their sons as Roman Catholics and Lydon identifies as a Catholic, although he is openly critical of the Catholic Church, particularly the sexual abuse cases, going so far as to call for legal action against the Pope. He has stated that he "never had any godlike epiphanies or thought that God had anything to do with this dismal occurrence called life". On the liner notes of
Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (and incorporated limited company) formed by singer John Lydon (previously known as the singer of Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and d ...
's single, "Cruel", Lydon included, 'Where is God? I see no evidence of God. God is probably Barry Manilow.'


Political and social criticism


United Kingdom's class structure

Since his rise to public attention, Lydon has remained an outspoken critic of much in
British politics The United Kingdom is a unitary state with devolution that is governed within the framework of a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch, currently Charles III, King of the United Kingdom, is the ...
and society. He comes from an emigrant
working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colo ...
background and is opposed to the class system, describing how
private schools An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British Eng ...
"tend to turn out little snobs. They're taught a sense of superiority, which is the kiss of death ... They're absolutely screwed up for life." He is critical of the
upper class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is gen ...
, stating that they "parasite off the population as their friends help them along" but he equally criticises the working class, claiming that "We're lazy, good-for-nothing bastards, absolute cop-outs honever accept responsibility for our own lives and that's why we'll always be downtrodden." He opposes all forms of segregation in schools, not only through the private and state school division but also with single-sex schools: "It doesn't make sense. It's a much better environment with girls in the class. You learn a lot more, as diversity makes things more interesting."


The Troubles, 1969–1994

Lydon criticised the paramilitary organisations involved in
The Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an " ...
in Northern Ireland, remarking that the
Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...
and the
Ulster Defence Association The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 as an umbrella group for various loyalist groups and undertook an armed campaign of almost 24 years as one of t ...
were "like two
mafia "Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of d ...
gangs punching each other out ... They both run their extortion rackets and plague people to no end." He remarked that "The Northern Ireland problem is a terrible thing, and it's only the ignorance of the people living outside of it that keeps it going" but that ultimately the British government's exploitative attitude to the problem was in his opinion the main cause.


Anarchism

Despite the fact that he wrote and sang " Anarchy in the U.K." with the Sex Pistols, Lydon said in a 2012 interview that he never was an anarchist, adding " Anarchy is mind games for the middle class". In a 2022 op-ed he wrote, "Anarchy is a terrible idea. Let’s get that clear. I’m not an anarchist. And I’m amazed that there are websites out there – .org anarchist sites – funded fully by the corporate hand and yet ranting on about being outside the shitstorm. It’s preposterous."


Banking and the 2008 global financial crisis

Appearing on the BBC's ''
Question Time A question time in a parliament occurs when members of the parliament ask questions of government ministers (including the prime minister), which they are obliged to answer. It usually occurs daily while parliament is sitting, though it can be ca ...
'' on 5 July 2012, Lydon questioned the notion of a parliamentary inquiry into the banking industry, saying "How on earth is Parliament going to discuss this really when both sides, left and right, are connected to this? This doesn't just go back to
Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model us ...
, this is part of the ongoing problem. Mr Diamond comes from Wall Street ... hello. Both parties love this idea. They are fiddling with rates. They are affecting the world and everything we used to count on as being dependable and accurate is being discussed by these argumentative chaps. If I nick a motor I'm going to be up before the judge, the rozzers. Hello, same thing."


Institutions of the United Kingdom

On the same episode of ''Question Time'', Lydon was critical of the announcement that the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
was to be reduced in size, saying: "One of the most beautiful things about Britain, apart from the /nowiki>National_Health_Service.html" ;"title="National_Health_Service.html" ;"title="/nowiki>National Health Service">/nowiki>National Health Service">National_Health_Service.html" ;"title="/nowiki>National Health Service">/nowiki>National Health Service/nowiki> and the free education, is the British Army." He has been a supporter of the NHS since receiving treatment for meningitis aged 7, stating in 2014: "I want national health and education to always be of the highest agenda and I do not mind paying tax for that." Referring the republicanism sentiments expressed in the Sex Pistols song "
God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...
," Lydon stated in June 2022
opinion column An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page", is a written prose piece, typically published by a North-American newspaper or magazine, which expresses the opinion of an author usually not affiliated with the publication's editorial board. O ...
during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee that he had softened his views on royalty and did not harbor any resentment against the royal family. He signed it off unironically with “God save the Queen.” Following the
death of Queen Elizabeth II On 8 September 2022, at 15:10 BST, Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, and the longest-reigning British monarch, died of old age at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, at the age of 96. The Queen's death wa ...
, Lydon paid tribute to the Queen on
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
and subsequently objected to any commercial use of The Sex Pistols' tracks to capitalize on the Queen's death.


Pacifism

Lydon describes himself as a "pacifist by nature" and expresses admiration for
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
.


Gay marriage

Lydon expressed his view on gay couples raising children in a 10 February 2005 interview on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's Sunday morning religious programme ''
The Heaven and Earth Show ''The Heaven and Earth Show'' is a BBC television programme that aired on Sunday mornings from 10am to 11am on BBC One. The show ran for nine years between 1998 and 2007, looking at spiritual and moral issues. Over the years it had numerous pres ...
''. Lydon said, "I don't like the idea of one-parent families. It's very tough on the kids. They grow up missing something. I find the same with same-sex marriages; there is something missing. There is a point to male and female – and for a child to develop, it needs both those aspects."


Jimmy Savile abuse scandal

In a 1978 BBC Radio 1 interview, Lydon alluded to the sexual abuses committed by Jimmy Savile, and mainstream social forces' suppression of negative information about him, decades before it became a public scandal. Lydon stated: "I'd like to kill Jimmy Savile; I think he's a hypocrite. I bet he's into all kinds of seediness that we all know about, but are not allowed to talk about. I know some rumours." He added: "I bet none of this will be allowed out." After the interviewer suggested libel might be an issue, Lydon replied, "Nothing I've said is libel." As Lydon predicted, the comment was edited out by the BBC before broadcast. The complete interview was included as a bonus track on a rerelease of ''Public Image: First Issue'' in 2013, after Savile's death. In October 2014, Lydon said that " killed I meant locking him up and stopping him assaulting young children ... I'm disgusted at the media pretending they weren't aware." Lydon claimed that the BBC blacklisted him following the interview, and he remained "very, very bitter that the likes of Savile and the rest of them were allowed to continue."


UK politics and the European Union

Lydon publicly supported the United Kingdom remaining in the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
during the
referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
on EU membership in June 2016, stating that being outside of the European Union would be "insane and suicidal" for the United Kingdom, "We're never going to go back to that romantic delusion of Victorian isolation, it isn't going to happen. There'll be no industry, there'll be no trade, there'll be nothing – a slow dismal, collapse. It's ludicrous." During an interview on '' Good Morning Britain'' in March 2017, Lydon stated that he had changed his mind and supported
Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC ...
: "Well, here it goes, the working-class have spoke and I'm one of them and I'm with them." Lydon described Brexit advocate
Nigel Farage Nigel Paul Farage (; born 3 April 1964) is a British broadcaster and former politician who was Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) from 2006 to 2009 and 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Brexit Party (renamed Reform UK in 2021) from 2 ...
as "fantastic" and that he wanted to shake his hand after his altercation on the
River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
with anti-Brexit campaigner Bob Geldof. In 2020, Lydon reiterated his personal support for Farage during another interview on '' Good Morning Britain''. In a 2021 interview with the ''
Yorkshire Post ''The Yorkshire Post'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds in Yorkshire, England. It primarily covers stories from Yorkshire although its masthead carries the slogan "Yorkshire's National Newspaper". It was previously owned by ...
'', Lydon said that he previously voted for the Labour Party as a young man due to coming from a working class background, but stated "I do not recognise them any more" and accused contemporary British and American media of "walking hand in glove with left-wing politics". Lydon has also expressed disdain for Labour Prime Minister
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
and described former Labour leader
Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialist ...
as a "racist, prejudiced bastard" in response to the allegations of
antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
in the Labour Party. In 2022, during the Conservative Party leadership election, Lydon stated that he'd like to see
Jacob Rees-Mogg Jacob William Rees-Mogg (born 24 May 1969) is a British politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Somerset since 2010. Now a backbencher, he served as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council f ...
as the next U.K. Prime Minister. He noted that "I love that World War Two respect, put Britain first attitude he has" and that "I don’t agree with a lot of his politics but he certainly understands how to be respectful”. Rees-Mogg replied to Lydon's comments on Twitter, writing "Even if my leg is being pulled I am honoured by this exceptionally kind endorsement".


American politics

Lydon became a U.S. citizen in 2013 because he "believed in
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
" and his health care reform, on which he states, "his healthcare thing didn't quite work out what we all want, but there is a great potential there. Now we're looking at dismantling and, you know, crazy loony monster party." Before
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
was elected
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
, Lydon said, in response to questions about his prospects: "No, I can't see it happening, it's a minority that support him at best, and it's so hateful and ignorant." In 2017, though, he said "I'm up for anyone shaking up the jaded world of politicians". During a '' Good Morning Britain'' interview in March 2017, Lydon described Trump as a "complicated fellow" who "terrifies politicians". Lydon said that there were "many, many problems with (Trump) as a human being" but defended him against accusations of racism: "What I dislike is the left-wing media in America are trying to smear the bloke as a racist and that's completely not true." He elaborated to
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
: "He's a total cat amongst the pigeons ...
e's is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and drawn by Satoru Yuiga. It was originally serialized in ''Monthly GFantasy'' from 1997 through 2005, and later published in 16 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Square Enix from March 18, 2003 to Februa ...
got everybody now involving themselves in a political way. And I've been struggling for years to get people to wake up and do that." In 2018, Lydon was photographed wearing a shirt that read
Make America Great Again "Make America Great Again" or MAGA is an American political slogan popularized by Donald Trump in his successful 2016 presidential campaign. The slogan became a pop culture phenomenon, seeing widespread use and spawning numerous variants i ...
. In October 2020, Lydon told the BBC's '' Newsday'' programme, "Yes, of course, I'm voting for Trump ... I don't want a politician running this world anymore." A month later, during an interview on '' Good Morning Britain'', Lydon confirmed he had voted for Trump in the then-upcoming Presidential Election, describing Trump's Democratic opponent Joe Biden and his 2016 Democratic opponent
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
as
champagne socialist Champagne socialist is a political term commonly used in the United Kingdom. It is a popular epithet that implies a degree of hypocrisy, and it is closely related to the concept of the liberal elite. The phrase is used to describe self-identifi ...
s. He also described his support for Trump as stemming from his background as a working class Englishman and accused the US media of being dominated by
liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
ideology, but "liberal with the truth" and claimed "they toe the line of the Democrat party by assumption that they know what's best, yet they don't know nothing about
blue collar worker A blue-collar worker is a working class person who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involving manufacturing, warehousing, mining, excavation, electricity generation and power ...
s, Latinos, African-Americans in or outside of large cities."


Israel and BDS

Lydon has expressed opposition to the
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel. Its objective is to pressure Israel to meet what the BDS movement describes as Israel's obligations ...
movement. In 2010, when Elvis Costello and Roger Waters announced their intention to cancel performances in Israel and boycott the country, Lydon elected to continue with a
Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (and incorporated limited company) formed by singer John Lydon (previously known as the singer of Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and d ...
concert in
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
. When asked about his decision in an interview with ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' Lydon remarked "if Elvis-fucking-Costello wants to pull out of a gig in Israel because he's suddenly got this compassion for Palestinians, then good on him. But I have absolutely one rule, right? Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won't understand how anyone can have a problem with how they're treated."


Books

* Lydon, John, with Zimmerman, Keith, & Zimmerman, Kent. (1994). ''Rotten – No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs''. London: Hodder & Stoughton * Lydon, John, with Bolton, Andrew. (2013). '' Punk: Chaos to Couture'' Yale University Press * Lydon, John. (2014). ''Anger Is an Energy: My Life Uncensored''. Simon & Schuster *Lydon, John. (2020). ''I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right''. A Way With Media, limited print run of 10,000 by mail order only. ISBN 978-1910469279 www.johnlydon.com


Discography

All chart positions are UK.


Sex Pistols

Studio albums * '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'' (Virgin, 1977) No. 1 Compilations and live albums * ''
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'' is a 1980 British mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas. It centres on the British punk rock band Sex Pistols and, most prominently, their manager Malcolm Mc ...
'' (Virgin, 1979) * '' Some Product: Carri on Sex Pistols'' (Virgin, 1979) * ''
Flogging a Dead Horse Flogging a dead horse (or beating a dead horse in American English) is an idiom ascribed to Anglophones which means that a particular effort is futile, being a waste of time without a positive outcome, e.g. such as Flagellation, flogging a dead ...
'' (Virgin,1980) * '' Kiss This'' (Virgin, 1992) * ''Never Mind the Bollocks /
Spunk Spunk may in colloquial English mean either courage or semen. It may otherwise refer to: Music * ''Spunk'' (Sex Pistols bootleg album), a 1977 bootleg album by the Sex Pistols * Spunk/This Is Crap, a 1996 re-issue of ''Spunk'' by the Sex Pistol ...
'' (aka ''This is Crap'') (Virgin, 1996) * ''
Filthy Lucre Live ''Filthy Lucre Live'' is a 1996 live album by the reformed Sex Pistols. The album was recorded live at London's Finsbury Park on 23 June 1996 during the band's Filthy Lucre Tour. BBC Radio 1 broadcast the concert live, featuring the complete ...
'' (Virgin, 1996) * ''
The Filth and the Fury ''The Filth and the Fury'' is a 2000 British rockumentary film directed by Julien Temple. It follows the story of punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols from their humble beginnings in London's Shepherd's Bush to their fall at the Winterland Ballr ...
'' (Virgin, 2000) * ''
Jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
'' (Virgin, 2002) * ''
Sex Pistols Box Set ''Sex Pistols'' is a box set anthology of the career of the punk band The Sex Pistols with singer Johnny Rotten. It was released on 3 June 2002. The set comprises three themed CDs and an 80-page booklet. The first disc features ''Never Mind t ...
'' (Virgin, 2002) Singles * "
Anarchy in the UK "Anarchy in the U.K." is a song by English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released as the band's debut single on 26 November 1976 and was later featured on their album ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols''. "Anarchy in th ...
" – 1976 No. 38 * "
God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...
" – 1977 No. 2 * "
Pretty Vacant "Pretty Vacant" is a song by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released on 2 July 1977 as the band's third single and was later featured on their only album, ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'', released during t ...
" – 1977 No. 6 * "
Holidays in the Sun Holiday(s) in the Sun may refer to: * ''Holidays in the Sun'' (album), by Yui * ''Holidays in the Sun'' (EP), by Cornelius * ''Holiday in the Sun'' (film), starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen * "Holidays in the Sun" (song), by the Sex Pistols * ...
" – 1977 No. 8 * " (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone" – 1980 No. 21 * "
Anarchy in the UK "Anarchy in the U.K." is a song by English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released as the band's debut single on 26 November 1976 and was later featured on their album ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols''. "Anarchy in th ...
" (re-issue) – 1992 No. 33 * "
Pretty Vacant "Pretty Vacant" is a song by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released on 2 July 1977 as the band's third single and was later featured on their only album, ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'', released during t ...
" (live) – 1996 No. 18 * "
God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...
" (re-issue) – 2002 No. 15


Public Image Ltd

Studio albums * '' Public Image: First Issue'' (Virgin, 1978), No. 22 * ''
Metal Box ''Metal Box'' is the second studio album by Public Image Ltd, released by Virgin Records on 23 November 1979. The album takes its name from the round metal canister which contained the initial pressings of the record. It was later reissued in ...
'' (a.k.a. ''Second Edition'') (Virgin, 1979) #18, US No. 171 * '' The Flowers of Romance'' (Virgin, 1981) #11, US No. 114 * ''
Commercial Zone ''Commercial Zone'' is an album of studio recordings by Public Image Ltd., recorded in 1982 and 1983, and released in 1984 by PiL founding guitarist Keith Levene. ''Commercial Zone'' includes five songs that were later re-recorded for PiL's f ...
'' (PiL Records, 1983) * '' This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get'' (Virgin, 1984) * ''
Album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
'' (Virgin, 1986) * '' Happy?'' (Virgin, 1987) * '' 9'' (Virgin, 1989) * '' That What Is Not'' (Virgin, 1992) * '' This is PiL'' (PiL Official, 2012) * '' What the World Needs Now...'' (PiL Official, 2015) Compilations and live albums * '' Paris au Printemps'' (Virgin, 1980) * '' Live in Tokyo'' (Virgin, 1983) * '' The Greatest Hits, So Far'' (Virgin, 1990) * '' Plastic Box'' (Virgin, 1999) * ''The Public Image is Rotten - Songs from the Heart'' (Virgin, 2018) Singles * " Public Image" – 1978 No. 9 * "
Death Disco "Death Disco" is a song by Public Image Ltd. The record was released in both 7" and 12" single formats with a "½ Mix" of the song and "Megga mix" (an instrumental version of "Fodderstompf" from '' Public Image: First Issue'') on the 12" version ...
" – 1979 No. 20 * "
Memories Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...
" – 1979 No. 60 * " Flowers of Romance" – 1981 No. 24 * "
This Is Not a Love Song "This Is Not a Love Song" is a single released by English post-punk band Public Image Ltd in 1983. It is the band's biggest commercial hit, peaking at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and at No. 3 on the Irish Singles Chart. The 12" remixed versi ...
" – 1983 No. 5 * " Bad Life" – 1984 No. 71 * "
Rise Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...
" – 1986 No. 11 * " Home" – 1986 No. 75 * "Seattle" – 1987 No. 47 * "The Body" – 1987 No. 100 * "Disappointed" – 1989 No. 38 * "Don't Ask Me" – 1990 No. 22 * "Cruel" – 1992 No. 49 * "One Drop" – 2012 * "Out of the Woods"/"Reggie Song" - 2012 * "Double Trouble" – 2015


Solo

Studio albums * '' Psycho's Path'' (Virgin, 1997) Compilations * '' The Best of British £1 Notes'' (Lydon, PiL & Sex Pistols) (Virgin/EMI, 2005) Singles * " Open Up" (with
Leftfield Leftfield are a British electronic music duo formed in 1989 as the duo of Neil Barnes and Paul Daley (the latter formerly of the Rivals and A Man Called Adam). The duo was very influential in the evolution of electronic music in the 1990s, wi ...
) – 1993 – No. 11 * "Sun" – 1997 – No. 42


Filmography


Film


Television


Footnotes


References


External links

* *
1984 Interview; Hard Times Magazine; Ragged Edge Collection / Archive.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lydon, John 1956 births Living people 20th-century English painters 20th-century English male singers 20th-century English singers 21st-century American painters 21st-century American male singers 21st-century English painters 21st-century English male singers 21st-century English singers 21st-century English male artists American alternative rock musicians American lyricists American male film actors American male painters American male singer-songwriters American people of Irish descent American punk rock singers American singer-songwriters British alternative rock musicians British emigrants to the United States British post-punk musicians English lyricists English autobiographers English male film actors English male painters English male singer-songwriters English people of Irish descent English punk rock singers English television personalities The Golden Palominos members I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants Male actors from London Musicians from London NME Awards winners People from Finsbury Park People from Holloway, London People from Venice, Los Angeles People with acquired American citizenship Public Image Ltd members Sex Pistols members Singers from London Squatters