John Lydon, best known as Johnny Rotten from the famed punk band Sex Pistols, has been really laying into the most recent version of his former band. Currently, Sex Pistols are touring with a new frontman (Frank Carter), and some members of the band have formed a supergroup of sorts with fellow rock icon Billy Idol, called Generation Sex.
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It doesn’t look like Lydon is happy about the whole thing. Last month, Lydon dug into Sex Pistols and claimed that the current incarnation of the band, along with Generation Sex, are just “karaoke.”
“I gave them the image,” Lydon told Classic Album Review. “I was the frontman, I am the voice, what made the whole world sing. And now you’re going out, as they did the year before with Billy Idol. It’s just karaoke, really.”
Now, it appears as though Billy Idol has responded to Lydon’s tongue-wagging about Sex Pistols and himself.
Billy Idol Responds to John Lydon’s Criticisms of Sex Pistols Like a Dignified Pro
In an interview with Consequence Of Sound, Billy Idol responded to much of Lydon’s criticisms of Sex Pistols, Generation Sex, and Idol himself.
For reference, Idol has been performing with some members of Sex Pistols as Generation Sex for several years now, and he has been quite welcoming to Pistols’ current frontman, Frank Carter.
“Well I think it’s fantastic that Jonesy [Steve Jones], Cookie [Paul Cook], and Glen [Matlock] wanna play,” said Idol of Generation Sex and Sex Pistols’ touring endeavors. “Johnny [Rotten] doesn’t wanna do it. He wants to do [his band] Public Image, so I totally understand that. What’s wrong with them finding some guy that they really believe can deliver those songs?”
“I think it makes more sense than me doing it, ’cause I’m really Billy Idol already,” Idol continued. “I’m better off doing my own music. We’ve got this killer album. I won’t be out there just doing retread music. […] And of course John’s gonna be pissed. He’s been like this for a while. […] It’s just John’s always been super opinionated and rightly so, probably. He’s never held back what he truly thinks.”
“So, yeah, it doesn’t bother me,” Idol concluded. “I love him [Lydon] and everything, but I know where I’m going with my music and I’m happy with what I’m doing.”
Spoken like a true musician.
Billy Idol’s new album Dream Into It is set to drop on April 25. Idol and Sex Pistols are setting off on multiple separate tours this year as well, with Idol touring North America later in April and Sex Pistols trekking across North America as well later this year in fall.
Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
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