Punk’s most infamous mouthpiece isn’t holding back (shockingly).
If there’s one thing John Lydon has never done, it’s bite his tongue. The former Sex Pistols frontman—aka Johnny Rotten—has made it crystal clear that he’s not on board with his ex-bandmates hitting the road without him. In fact, he’s got a word for it: “karaoke.”
Yep, the Pistols are back—sort of. Original members Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock have revived the band for a tour, but instead of Lydon snarling into the mic, they’ve enlisted Frank Carter (Gallows, Pure Love, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes) as their new frontman. This move has set Lydon off in a way that only Lydon can.
Lydon Calls It “Karaoke” and Fears It’ll “Kill the Pistols’ Legacy”
Speaking to The i Paper, Lydon admitted that when he first heard about the tour, he was pissed:
“They’re absolutely going to kill all that was good with the Pistols by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all. I didn’t write those words lightly. They’re trying to trivialize the whole show to get away with karaoke.”
For a guy who once publicly torched the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (calling it a “piss stain” when the Pistols were inducted in 2006), this level of disgust isn’t exactly new. But this time, Lydon is really hammering the idea that without him, it’s just another cover band cash grab.
“I wrote the fucking songs, didn’t I? I gave them the image. I was the frontman. I am the voice what made the whole world sing.”
That’s some “I’m the reason for the season” energy right there.
Pistols Without Rotten? Not the First Time.
For what it’s worth, this isn’t the first time members of the Sex Pistols have played their music without Lydon. In 2018, Jones and Cook joined forces with Billy Idol and Tony James (Generation X) to form Generation Sex—a supergroup that mashed together Pistols and Gen X tracks. They even toured Europe in 2023, which, apparently, wasn’t punk blasphemy in Lydon’s book (or at least, not enough to warrant a rant this aggressive).
And let’s be honest—Lydon himself isn’t exactly above revisiting the past. The Sex Pistols reunited in 1996 for the Filthy Lucre Tour, and they played sporadic shows until 2008. So, the idea that this band could reappear after a long absence isn’t completely new.
“I’ve Never Sold My Soul to Make a Dollar”
Lydon, however, insists that he’s not in it for the money—unlike, presumably, the other Pistols:
“I’ve never sold my soul to make a dollar. It’s the Catholic in me – that guilt I don’t want to trip.”
Considering this is the same guy who starred in butter commercials (yes, really), it’s safe to say his definition of “selling out” is a little flexible. But hey, punk rock has always been about contradictions.
Final Verdict: Just Another Punk Rock Soap Opera
So what’s the deal? Is the new Sex Pistols tour a cash-grab nostalgia act, or is Lydon just salty he wasn’t invited? Either way, the man never misses a chance to remind us that he is the Sex Pistols in his mind. And honestly? That’s punk rock in itself.
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