MissMulattofromFL Oh fk off..he got to b in a band..that coulda gone on...till enter Spongeon'-&;thats from freinds in NY..chelsea hotel.-et al..@'time..this is just jons opinion.
He had every chance. My brother was a heroin addict and I was close to him. I have never taken heroin. It is down to personal choice. You choose to take drugs it is not drugs choose to take you because someone close to you is using drugs.
No but if a child grows up with a heroine addict for a parent then they grow up thinking that is normal and without someone modeling good behaviour. They also grow up in an unstable, unsupportive environment which means they aren't likely to get a good education and they aren't likely to do well in life. Some people manage to get help and get out but the vast majority of people follow in their parents footsteps.
royal nass He was already homophobic before it happened. Things were different back then. He wasn't a legend yet the way he is today and even if he was, celebrities didn't get the same type of kid gloves treatment that they all get nowadays. Being famous in prison in the seventies was far worse.
You can see that this has effected him his entire life and the grief and sadness has never dissipated. Thank you John for me a strong anti drug advocate, such a beautiful human being.
One of the reasons I love John is the fact that he gives off this mean, bad boy, rebel vibe at times, but he's actually really well-spoken and wise. He also owns his personality and doesn't give a damn.
I felt that even Billy Idol, who as a youngster was part of the 'Bromley Contingent' that followed the Pistols from gig to gig, also had an articulate view of the world, especially when he moved to America to start a solo career. He commented on the 'moral decay' surrounding him in 1980s NYC, even though he was a bit 'plastic' in terms of his punk image by that stage. Sid Vicious said he never liked the Bromley Contingent.
Excellent comment. Few people really deserve that title. Camille Paglia is another one, but hers is based on the depth & breadth of her historical knowledge.
i like how realistic he is about Sid and the music industry in the 70's there's no one there to help you handle fame, you're surrounded by drugs and you have to look out for yourself
He and Sid used to go and get Mabel’s shopping for her. Mabel was an elderly lady who lived off Flask walk (Islington) in the same housing association flats that the lads did. Mabel lived on the third floor (4th to Americans) up the stone steps. Mabel who had watched the zeppelins bomb London in the First World War from those steps, always said what lovely boys they were. My sister was her next door neighbour. ♥️
Not only is John Lydon intelligent he is also so loyal to his long-term partner Nora who is suffering from dementia,.He has said I am a one mans women and very loyal shame there are not more men like him and women who stick by their partners when illness strikes. Loved him and the pistols and love his wit still now.
@Joe Cool I think there's a myth that being famous is somehow easier because there's no mortgage or 9 to 5, but it's a totally different pressure and probably even more consuming. Stop trying to claim that the normal life is more stressful, you have no idea
I saw John Lydon at the Cheltenham Literature Festival yesterday and he is such a captivating speaker. Absolutely fascinating to listen to no matter what you think of him. I enjoyed every minute.
Daveonarave Yes incredibly witty. He really didn't need the host to interview him. She seemed totally out of her depth and i'm sure he could have pulled the talk off on his own.
Nigel Fortune Yes absolutely! Also he always strikes me as the guy who would give his seat to a frail person or pregnant lady on public transport rather than pretend he hasn't seen her cos he's far too up himself like others in his business might. Or that he'd dive head first if need be into a muddy ditch to rescue someone (and refuse to accept any thanks for it)
John Lydon has turned out to be everything people thought he wasn't in The Pistols days.He is intelligent and witty and has very good views on the way he thinks the world should be.i
Austin Reid indeed! And seeing your other comment I'm in my 20s so wasn't around during the 2 or 3 years the Pistols were big but come on people, how could you not have heard of Malcolm? He's played no small part (ironic part) in the formation and success of PIL has he not! Interestingly Lydon refused to speak ill of both Malcolm and Margaret Thatcher when they died. Top Man for having such respect for humanity!
Anger is an energy. Best autobiography I've read in a decade or more. Most engaging, well written, honest, emotional, funny. You feel like John is talking directly taking to you. You really feel him. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommended. John is absolutely a great social philosopher. Thanks for the best read an tremendous look into your life, thanks for sharing x
+blackberus thanks for reminding me! Someone recommend that book a while ago and I forgot about it. I'm 40 and when I was living in Peckham(south London)and around the age of 12 a friend at schools mum ran a pub, I went with her there one day, and waited outside while she went in and saw her mum, and on the door to the saloon was a sign No Irish, No Blacks, No dogs! It was shocking to me as I'd be brought up around Scottish, Irish, westindian, Indian family's in the streets where I lived and went to school with them all working class and good people, I asked my mum about the sign on the bar and she told me never to go back and stopped me hanging around with that girl.
+Foxy Johnston man that's a crazy story, it's hard to believe as an American that there could be a pub like that in London. I'm not naive I know prejudice exists everywhere. I guess I have this sort of picture in my head of what London was like back then. Did you ever visit NYC back when you were younger?
Markus Wilson it was shocking for that to be the case in the late eighties, but it happened... as I said I grew up with other working class people, black, white, Indian and we all got on in those days, you know, like if I was taking my time walking to school the west Indian mum, or African mum, or Sikh mum, would tell me to hurry up along or they'd tell my mum! There was a good community in those days. Now if I go back to visit my dad or brothers it's broken no one knows their next door neighbour never mind the people on their street! It's sad... NYC? I'm going there next year for five days with my best friend, never been there before. Are you in NYC?
There's never been a time when Johnny Lydon hasn't been wrong by being telling it like it is. We need more folks like him in a ever more divided world.
Listen to people on the autism spectrum. Normal people tell stories and talk like A, B, C, D, E, F but people on the spectrum (or, at least, me) talk like A, D, C, F, B, E. I can write much better than I can speak, but I see the humanity and the hubris all around me and am frustrated to hell. That's one of the things I love about punk rock. People who love punk rock listen. They don't care if you sound like an idiot. They don't beat you up for sounding like an idiot, especially if you have good ideas.
Do you realize what you just said? The SP`s were just that very thing. They wanted to divide e4veryone. "you do what I sing and make sure to create chaos and division" You are with me, and if you are not, you are a useless POS. Become chaos and destroy anything that does not agree. I used to ask people if they knew the definition of Anarchy. Nobody knew. E$veryone said it was " do anything you want and try to be as destructive as you can". I bet you don`t know what Anarchy is. Bit you will google it and tell me you knew what it is. It is two words , You can define it in two words.
@@Jamie-js3qw Well, he attacked the Callaghan government, and thus helped bring Thatcher into power. He supported the disaster that is Brexit and he is, or at least was, a Trump supporter. So maybe the double negative was a Freudian slip.
It's great to hear John Lyndon speaking of Sid. I do find it a bit annoying that the BBC are too happy to listen to John now when in the 70s/80s they would not give him the time of day and totally unsupportive of his new career in to PIL.
Well said but times do indeed change- look at the Bill Grundy interview from '76 and the public outrage THAT caused, compared with our humorous and 'are, weren't things different' response to it now..
bangtwister the BBC did the sex pistols and John Lydon a favour. The controversy, the music bans etc. It all fuel’d the fire as John would say. The Press built the bonfire and the pistols sprayed it with petrol.
He tried to blow the lid off what was going on within the BBC with Jimmy Saville during a radio interview at the BBC. This interview was shelved and he was blackballed to keep him quiet. 30 years later when everything came out he spoke about it in an interview.
5jerry1 What about in interviews where he bashes Sid, calls him useless, worthless, a coat hanger, phony, couldn't play. Rotten has serious mental issues. Or interviews where he bashes bands like The Ramones or The Clash claiming the Pistols were the only true punk band.
I am a 69 year old Alaskan Indian woman, and I respect this man tremendously. He has this wonderful wit, and truly cares about people. Much love John ~
Johnny Rotten in a sweater vest? Now I've seen everything. EDIT: I made this snarky comment a year ago and YT never informed me of any replies until today, so reading the accumulated responses has been very entertaining. To be clear, my intent was merely to juxtapose the persona of Johnny Rotten against the powerful, honest, charismatic (to me, at least) human being that he became. I think Johnny Rotten would have been compelled to take the piss with this John Lydon fellow because that is who he was in 1978. It was genuinely not my intention to be disrespectful of Lydon's evolution as a human being. And since I am indeed a dumb fuckin' yank (thanks, cquilty1), I've never seen the commercials, I've just seen the interviews with him over the years and the occasional music video. Be well, everyone, but especially you, Mr. Lydon.
Fame is monster... Jagger said something similar when talking about Brian Jones... he said that "fame doesnt sit well on anyones shoulders, but some people it doesn't sit on at all".. something like that.
He's one of those people that you either love or hate - no in-between. I haven't always agreed with everything he's said over the years, but never once did I fail to see his level of intelligence and wisdom. He's seen it all, from a very early age, and has always managed to best his detractors and win his battles, on his own terms. Love him or hate him, you have to respect that about him. He has definitely made the world a much more interesting place, even when he's pissed me off. The man makes you THINK... and that's never a bad thing.
I feel like I could listen to John talk all day. I don't always agree with everything he says, but I respect him and why he says what he needs to. He is refreshing in that respect when so many want to dissolve honesty, personal insight and rawness in lieu of false idolatry and the craving to be liked or politically correct (these days). He is a fascinating character and I love his propensity to flamboyance here & there when he's telling a story or recounting a memory. He also is respectful enough to convey the gravitas of something more serious, such as here
CusterFlux That's your low rent opinion, try some Dead Kennedys or some Rudimentary Peni or some Laibach (yeah industrial) and maybe you'll broaden your intellect, if you can.
I luv John. He outed Saville in the 70s so they banned him from the BBC.. John did his part. He was ignored as they already knew what Seville was. Johns a really nice genuine guy.
I guessed from the title "guilt". Lydon must have already known, Sid had an addiction problem. Add to that. Fame, money and yes men. This was never going to end well.
I would like to add something that not many people realise about the Sex Pistols music. They were mocked as 3 chord wonders - couldn't play their instruments, terrible lyrics and couldn't sing. Damning stuff about a popular band. I've been a guitarist for many years and some of their material is bordering on genius. Take Pretty Vacant for example. 4 chords (or more accurately 4 power chords) drums bass and the lead singer shouting the lyrics. A recipe for a terrible noise. Not at all - the arpeggio of the A chord at the start was simple but brilliant bringing in great drums and the full A chord. Lydon's lyrics are very meaningful and delivered in his 'own' unique style (the rolling of the R's in the words adds to the listen-ability) The chord progression is simple but very effective and some of the guitar licks between are magical to play. Make no mistake - this was an accomplished and talented band that wrote their own music and lyrics and performed them brilliantly. Part of their persona was to be obnoxious (they were kids) and people who didn't get them assumed they were thugs with no discernible intelligence. It really could have been the greatest rock n roll swindle. :)
Fred Server : I agree 100%. In a way, the Sex Pistols did to popular music what Monet did to art. He made it "bad" on purpose, (just little smudges of paint here and there, rendering the finished product blurry and nearly unrecognizable) and thereby created a whole new genre called Impressionism.
most overrated band ever... you are talking absolute bullshit... rubbish musicians... rubbish lyrics.... just kids being angry.. would a been fun to be there but don't over do things.
Dear John It is a sad loss to lose a friend that you can't help from addiction.. saw ya Cromer Lynx 77 and later with Pil at the LCR Norwich... Both were equally Iconic. Rise... No tears by request .. I think you made good and changed alot of peoples outlook & perceptions of life as we know it... Thankyou RIP Sid xx
Got a lot of love for John such an intelligent human being and is not scared to speak facts from the heart, even if people don't like it, a true man 🤘🙏
I like the way he describes heroin, as a way of hiding the inadequacies we all feel. It really does. Then later, you get to experience it all over again but this time you're conscious. That's exactly the way things turned out for me.
Ryan G Yes, Not so easy, though. It's been about 8 years and I still dream of using something to inject and instantly soothe my soul. it's not worth the price I paid. Thanks for asking.
I am 10 years clean now since january 2017 but I have exactly the same that I still dream of using to inject H or H with K (Coce)together and when I wake up I am glad that I had no relapse.But I try never again,it was a hard way! It is heaven and hell. Good that you are sober too.
Yeah i have them dreams to. They are very weird aren't they? I dream of going round to see the people i used to hang about with.thanks by the way.You are very inspirational Daniela. ;-]
I’ve never liked the Sex Pistols or bands of that period during the punk era but John Lydon it has to be said is very articulate and always worth listening to. He knows the fame game is a sham...
I have a deeper respect for Johnny, I think it was always obvious that he is good hearted and intelligent. And the songs stood the test of time, I appreciate them more now then before
0:51 That's really well thought out. Often you hear celebrities aggrandizing irrelevant bullshit but I think he really nailed it there, his guilt over Sid's insecurities, Sid wasn't a musician, he felt like an imposter.
The guy was out of his depth sadly and didn't have much substance to him. Lydon and Cook always seemed to have self preservation whereas Sid and Steve Jones both found the needle as their way to cope with it. Both those guys had a terrible upbringing whereas Lydon and Cook had a mother, father and siblings looking out for them, very sad but childhood has a lot to answer for.
Sid was from Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Lived in Lime Hill Road, only a 2-minute from the War Memorial and civic centre, and town centre. Lime Hill Road is a nice street, superb houses, mostly divided into flats.
Look at the eye roll there 0:13 as Lydon says he felt guilty! I'm guessing he doesn't believe him or had heard him saying this over and over! Very strange....
John Lydon is an absolute LEGEND. Remember living in Germany in 1976 when the Pistol's came out. It's not until we got back to Blighty the following year that I realised what they were all about. And I was only 10 at that time.
I have the deepest respect for this guy as even in my childhood i could see a person with human interests that just lived his life without interfering and just accepting the misjudgment of others. What else can you do?
It is so good to see those young rascals of the 1970s turned into these wise and soft-spoken uncles sharing their reminiscences of the past. Thank god they are still alive and healthy.Sid wasnt as lucky
I've always just seen Johnny Rotten shouting at people in interviews. Here he is actually quite well spoken and insightful. Obviously quite an intelligent man
Fantastic, listening to John talking like this! I am from ´68 and was a Punk-Fan, once ; so i still know who the Pistols were. John was a "Thinker" - Punk was his Valve ; his way of telling the "Thruth to the people". A super intelligent "scholar" He knows and understands exquisitly what he is talking about, here. CHAPEAU!
Didn't want to watch this video, but couldn't skip over it... like my finger gave my brain the finger. Sid Vicious.. sigh... We still think and talk about you often.. You're still deeply loved and missed. Rest in peace, love.
John Lydon is so pragmatic and brutally honest about life's adversities. He has matured into a beautiful person, as raw as he may seem. To me, there is an inner caring side about him that shines here oddly.
I have always respected John Lydon. Lydon was hated for many years as he told the truth about the Pistols and in particular, about the stupid "mythology" about Sid Vicious. As Johnny has repeatedly said, "heroin turned Sid into an idiot of the worse kind." In other documentaries he discusses how Vicious was heroin sick at the beginning of the ill - fated 1978 American tour. Johnny almost got him heroin free but as soon as they would hit L.A. I think, McLaren made sure that Vicious got heroin. John gave up and called it a day singing the last famous words " . .. ever feel like you've been cheated."
I did PIL's Religion I for a speech class once - sneered the lines like John - shocked the hell out of everyone. It helped that I agreed with every word so I came off as honest. Got an A.
“A person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn and not easily mended.” “It wasn't only wickedness and scheming that made people unhappy, it was confusion and misunderstanding; above all, it was the failure to grasp the simple truth that other people are as real as you.”
Or maybe they show he was just venting, as friends are prone to do now and again.You can't take one song as representative of a person's entire relationship.
I think so as well considering what kind of people that were around him at the time. At the same time, I think anybody can break cycles like that if your will is strong enough and have proper support.
RobertBalto The moment he rolls his eyes to me says he thinks Lyndon is talking revisionist history bullshit. I DON'T KNOW THE STORY! But just as a disinterested bystander decent at body & face language, he's calling BS at the comment, not what Smith Curry says "tired of apologizing".
Smith Curry VideoMenu you both bring up interesting points. My initial reaction was to think he was rolling his eyes at Lydon...but then again all Lydon had said to that point was that Sid was not the brightest spark but he misses him and thinks he was ill-equipped to deal with fame. All those points seem reasonable to me. Maybe he wasn't rolling his eyes either at John or at apologizing for Sid but rather "here we go, another Sid Vicious question"?
RobertBalto Looks like it's just that it's a story Lydon has to tell all the time. No one (except people who were involved) ever gets tired of hearing how Sid got dragged down into addiction.
John is extremely kind hearted and intelligent person. His antics where just that. Maybe he did it to keep people away. I just hope that all the people that are in this hell hole of drugs and depression, can find peace.
TrashPanda Raccoon idiot!!! Fame means nothing In life it doesn’t being true lasting happiness and adds nothing of true value to your life, it means nothing!
I think his age also had an impact on it. He was about 18 when he joined an already famous band and his youthful naivety allowed it to get to him. Not to mention his inability to play bass also held him back.
He really misses his friend this is genuine. But check out the eye roll by the dude in the back when he says he felt guilty bringing him in the band. 0:10 haha
Not sure that was in response to what was being said, as he is rolling his eyes like it's a habit or he has dry eye etc etc. Watch him close and you see him doing that throughout the video.
John is a highly intelligent Song Writer , Punk Music Artist , and Orator. And Could have been many Great things. Anyone who can get through what He has endured and now Helping His Wife with Alzheimers and trying also to help others is a person of high standing. John Lydon in many ways Has often been misunderstood. He is an icon of Music and culture. GOOD LUCK JOHN .
Sid's mother being a heroin addict just shows the poor guy didn't have much of a chance.That's horrible.
MissMulattofromFL Oh fk off..he got to b in a band..that coulda gone on...till enter Spongeon'-&;thats from freinds in NY..chelsea hotel.-et al..@'time..this is just jons opinion.
MsMulattofromFL
she's the one who od'd him
ROCCO Pazzo it doesnt always be the case but it could be one of many reasons why sid was so messed up.
He had every chance. My brother was a heroin addict and I was close to him. I have never taken heroin. It is down to personal choice. You choose to take drugs it is not drugs choose to take you because someone close to you is using drugs.
No but if a child grows up with a heroine addict for a parent then they grow up thinking that is normal and without someone modeling good behaviour. They also grow up in an unstable, unsupportive environment which means they aren't likely to get a good education and they aren't likely to do well in life. Some people manage to get help and get out but the vast majority of people follow in their parents footsteps.
he's so honest and this is why I love Johnny ad he doesn't hide his part in anything. and such an intelligent articulated man
Thanks dude
He's intelligent and he can move his limbs!
you here...fancy that
highly articulated
Jeff Baker thats an opinion, proven as i and many others disagree with it
Sid's mother actually confessed many years later to purposely trying to overdose him. She claimed she was afraid of him going back to prison.
Yes, she also was the one who introduced him to smack before The Pistols. Sid's mom was a registered heroin addict, he had a dreadful childhood.
she should have got some jail time then
royal nass
Sid probably would have gotten more prison time if she hadn't. He had already been raped.
he had been raped. oh that sounds like something gay
royal nass
He was already homophobic before it happened. Things were different back then. He wasn't a legend yet the way he is today and even if he was, celebrities didn't get the same type of kid gloves treatment that they all get nowadays. Being famous in prison in the seventies was far worse.
You can see that this has effected him his entire life and the grief and sadness has never dissipated. Thank you John for me a strong anti drug advocate, such a beautiful human being.
“he was my mate and i miss him”
rip sid
One of the reasons I love John is the fact that he gives off this mean, bad boy, rebel vibe at times, but he's actually really well-spoken and wise. He also owns his personality and doesn't give a damn.
A lot of bad boy rebel types are well spoken and wise. The two aren't mutually exclusive.
Think you're wrong about him, he does give a damn, more than most
I felt that even Billy Idol, who as a youngster was part of the 'Bromley Contingent' that followed the Pistols from gig to gig, also had an articulate view of the world, especially when he moved to America to start a solo career. He commented on the 'moral decay' surrounding him in 1980s NYC, even though he was a bit 'plastic' in terms of his punk image by that stage. Sid Vicious said he never liked the Bromley Contingent.
Lydon is a very good social critic. He has honesty and humor and an innate psychological understanding of the human condition.
Excellent comment. Few people really deserve that title. Camille Paglia is another one, but hers is based on the depth & breadth of her historical knowledge.
So true!
Trab Rex listen to TISM, Australian band that critiqued culture similar to the pistols. They were teachers, very smart too just like lydon
Up yours, rightie! same thing “SJWs” are the biggest haters!
And too much sympathy for the likes of Trump….
i like how realistic he is about Sid and the music industry in the 70's there's no one there to help you handle fame, you're surrounded by drugs and you have to look out for yourself
He and Sid used to go and get Mabel’s shopping for her. Mabel was an elderly lady who lived off Flask walk (Islington) in the same housing association flats that the lads did. Mabel lived on the third floor (4th to Americans) up the stone steps. Mabel who had watched the zeppelins bomb London in the First World War from those steps, always said what lovely boys they were. My sister was her next door neighbour. ♥️
Lydon is an example of to never judge a book by its cover. Mellowed with age.
Sid was sweet before drugs got him.
It’s true, I was Mabel
Bless their hearts for the kindness in those times
Some good doods
Not only is John Lydon intelligent he is also so loyal to his long-term partner Nora who is suffering from dementia,.He has said I am a one mans women and very loyal shame there are not more men like him and women who stick by their partners when illness strikes. Loved him and the pistols and love his wit still now.
There are plenty of men like that, maybe not in the UK though.
"Fame is a monster."
@Happy Klopper Please explain.
That reminds me of something Patrice O’Neal said about fame being a beast people line up to be eaten and shit out by
@@TWDthearcherTWD123 Ask Kurt Cobain...
@Joe Cool Cobain was a martyr? hows that?
@Joe Cool I think there's a myth that being famous is somehow easier because there's no mortgage or 9 to 5, but it's a totally different pressure and probably even more consuming. Stop trying to claim that the normal life is more stressful, you have no idea
I saw John Lydon at the Cheltenham Literature Festival yesterday and he is such a captivating speaker. Absolutely fascinating to listen to no matter what you think of him. I enjoyed every minute.
I've seen him live. He seems like quite a nice chap underneath his straight talking, quite admirable and as I'm sure you'll agree, amazingly witty!
Daveonarave Yes incredibly witty. He really didn't need the host to interview him. She seemed totally out of her depth and i'm sure he could have pulled the talk off on his own.
Nigel Fortune Yes absolutely! Also he always strikes me as the guy who would give his seat to a frail person or pregnant lady on public transport rather than pretend he hasn't seen her cos he's far too up himself like others in his business might. Or that he'd dive head first if need be into a muddy ditch to rescue someone (and refuse to accept any thanks for it)
John Lydon has turned out to be everything people thought he wasn't in The Pistols days.He is intelligent and witty and has very good views on the way he thinks the world should be.i
Austin Reid indeed! And seeing your other comment I'm in my 20s so wasn't around during the 2 or 3 years the Pistols were big but come on people, how could you not have heard of Malcolm? He's played no small part (ironic part) in the formation and success of PIL has he not!
Interestingly Lydon refused to speak ill of both Malcolm and Margaret Thatcher when they died. Top Man for having such respect for humanity!
Anger is an energy. Best autobiography I've read in a decade or more. Most engaging, well written, honest, emotional, funny. You feel like John is talking directly taking to you. You really feel him. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommended. John is absolutely a great social philosopher. Thanks for the best read an tremendous look into your life, thanks for sharing x
+Foxy johnston try no irish no black no dogs his previous book.Also entertaining
+blackberus thanks for reminding me! Someone recommend that book a while ago and I forgot about it. I'm 40 and when I was living in Peckham(south London)and around the age of 12 a friend at schools mum ran a pub, I went with her there one day, and waited outside while she went in and saw her mum, and on the door to the saloon was a sign No Irish, No Blacks, No dogs! It was shocking to me as I'd be brought up around Scottish, Irish, westindian, Indian family's in the streets where I lived and went to school with them all working class and good people, I asked my mum about the sign on the bar and she told me never to go back and stopped me hanging around with that girl.
+Foxy johnston I only read his other book, No Dogs, No Blacks, No Irish..... need to keep an eye for this one then!
+Foxy Johnston man that's a crazy story, it's hard to believe as an American that there could be a pub like that in London. I'm not naive I know prejudice exists everywhere. I guess I have this sort of picture in my head of what London was like back then. Did you ever visit NYC back when you were younger?
Markus Wilson it was shocking for that to be the case in the late eighties, but it happened... as I said I grew up with other working class people, black, white, Indian and we all got on in those days, you know, like if I was taking my time walking to school the west Indian mum, or African mum, or Sikh mum, would tell me to hurry up along or they'd tell my mum! There was a good community in those days. Now if I go back to visit my dad or brothers it's broken no one knows their next door neighbour never mind the people on their street! It's sad... NYC? I'm going there next year for five days with my best friend, never been there before. Are you in NYC?
He is a sound bloke, very humble, intelligent and takes no nonsense from anybody. He has always been like that and always will. A true legend
There's never been a time when Johnny Lydon hasn't been wrong by being telling it like it is. We need more folks like him in a ever more divided world.
you mean 'has been wrong'
Listen to people on the autism spectrum. Normal people tell stories and talk like A, B, C, D, E, F but people on the spectrum (or, at least, me) talk like A, D, C, F, B, E. I can write much better than I can speak, but I see the humanity and the hubris all around me and am frustrated to hell. That's one of the things I love about punk rock. People who love punk rock listen. They don't care if you sound like an idiot. They don't beat you up for sounding like an idiot, especially if you have good ideas.
Do you realize what you just said? The SP`s were just that very thing. They wanted to divide e4veryone. "you do what I sing and make sure to create chaos and division" You are with me, and if you are not, you are a useless POS. Become chaos and destroy anything that does not agree. I used to ask people if they knew the definition of Anarchy. Nobody knew. E$veryone said it was " do anything you want and try to be as destructive as you can". I bet you don`t know what Anarchy is. Bit you will google it and tell me you knew what it is. It is two words , You can define it in two words.
@@Jamie-js3qw Well, he attacked the Callaghan government, and thus helped bring Thatcher into power. He supported the disaster that is Brexit and he is, or at least was, a Trump supporter.
So maybe the double negative was a Freudian slip.
It's great to hear John Lyndon speaking of Sid. I do find it a bit annoying that the BBC are too happy to listen to John now when in the 70s/80s they would not give him the time of day and totally unsupportive of his new career in to PIL.
Well said but times do indeed change- look at the Bill Grundy interview from '76 and the public outrage THAT caused, compared with our humorous and 'are, weren't things different' response to it now..
bangtwister the BBC did the sex pistols and John Lydon a favour. The controversy, the music bans etc. It all fuel’d the fire as John would say. The Press built the bonfire and the pistols sprayed it with petrol.
They let him speak now but they banned him from the BBC for saying the truth about that nonce Jimmy Saville
He tried to blow the lid off what was going on within the BBC with Jimmy Saville during a radio interview at the BBC. This interview was shelved and he was blackballed to keep him quiet. 30 years later when everything came out he spoke about it in an interview.
John was far more volatile and to be honest extremely difficult, down right horrible and aggressive, in his earlier days he was impossible!
Wow, sometimes Lydon comes off as very wise.
I would say often wise.
5jerry1 What about in interviews where he bashes Sid, calls him useless, worthless, a coat hanger, phony, couldn't play. Rotten has serious mental issues. Or interviews where he bashes bands like The Ramones or The Clash claiming the Pistols were the only true punk band.
JEH78 Totally with you. He is both an idiot and a sage.
JEH78 Funny, when he was with the Pistols, in an interview he said The Ramones were the only ones who had an idea of what they were doing.
JEH78
You're right, he's all over the map. But to actually listen to him talk about things, I think he's a very bright man.
Never try heroin.You'll love it.
Shooting up dope was a thing in the late 70s across the u.k and u.s
Where were you when I needed you 16 years ago.
@@Largepro21 still very much is.
@@Largepro21 Not sure where you live but I'm a substance abuse counselor in Texas and it is bigger than it ever has been.
Yes,it must be good because people die for it.
That man has a brain. Better than most, since young age. So beautiful his commitment to his wife. Really touching.
Simp
don't think complaining about how many homeless people there are ruining the LA scenery is very representative of someone w a brain
Not.
@@vOID-fh1qt the homeless vandalized and tried to bulglarized his house while his wife is sick.
I am a 69 year old Alaskan Indian woman, and I respect this man tremendously. He has this wonderful wit, and truly cares about people. Much love John ~
that’s right hope you take care Sylvia
Race isn't important...
@@tristman8413 I just wanted to point out how he touches all cultures.
@@mtveloy Thank you Tyrone. And the same to you dear ~
John Lydon have gave me a lesson in life that fame is not all cracked up to be. Fame is most definitely a monster and I highly agree with him.
Johnny Rotten in a sweater vest? Now I've seen everything.
EDIT: I made this snarky comment a year ago and YT never informed me of any replies until today, so reading the accumulated responses has been very entertaining. To be clear, my intent was merely to juxtapose the persona of Johnny Rotten against the powerful, honest, charismatic (to me, at least) human being that he became. I think Johnny Rotten would have been compelled to take the piss with this John Lydon fellow because that is who he was in 1978. It was genuinely not my intention to be disrespectful of Lydon's evolution as a human being. And since I am indeed a dumb fuckin' yank (thanks, cquilty1), I've never seen the commercials, I've just seen the interviews with him over the years and the occasional music video. Be well, everyone, but especially you, Mr. Lydon.
killbotprime i really love how to this day, the man doesn't give a toss about what others think of him.
killbotprime
"sweater vest", say you. Speak English, ya dumb fuckin' Yank.
expect old Sid Vicious..
Drinking tea you say..,
You have to admit it looks good on him.
Mr. Lydon is abundantly underrated. He is brilliant. RIP Sid&Nancy
Fame is monster...
Jagger said something similar when talking about Brian Jones... he said that "fame doesnt sit well on anyones shoulders, but some people it doesn't sit on at all".. something like that.
I love listening to John Lydon. He is such an Erudite interesting character.
He's one of those people that you either love or hate - no in-between. I haven't always agreed with everything he's said over the years, but never once did I fail to see his level of intelligence and wisdom. He's seen it all, from a very early age, and has always managed to best his detractors and win his battles, on his own terms. Love him or hate him, you have to respect that about him. He has definitely made the world a much more interesting place, even when he's pissed me off. The man makes you THINK... and that's never a bad thing.
I feel like I could listen to John talk all day. I don't always agree with everything he says, but I respect him and why he says what he needs to. He is refreshing in that respect when so many want to dissolve honesty, personal insight and rawness in lieu of false idolatry and the craving to be liked or politically correct (these days). He is a fascinating character and I love his propensity to flamboyance here & there when he's telling a story or recounting a memory. He also is respectful enough to convey the gravitas of something more serious, such as here
This is very real and honest. Much respect to John for this on the loss of his friend.
"Low Rent Melodrama" … that's either a great name for a punk band - or the very definition of one.
Xavier Roberts I guess he means "budget" or maybe "low quality" something like that?
CusterFlux That's your low rent opinion, try some Dead Kennedys or some Rudimentary Peni or some Laibach (yeah industrial) and maybe you'll broaden your intellect, if you can.
I played bass for Low Rent Melodrama. They were nice blokes.
I literally read that whilst listening to it
Sideways belly blaster. Now that's a great name.
This man was probably the closest thing sid ever had to a dad
Sid was 21 and John was 23
@Devon Sanchez he isnt a father figure they were friends
@Devon Sanchez and your not a father figure when you only 2 years older, that’s a big brother if anything
John has always stood up for Sid and given him a voice. I admire that very much x
I luv John.
He outed Saville in the 70s so they banned him from the BBC.. John did his part. He was ignored as they already knew what Seville was.
Johns a really nice genuine guy.
True. Long live John Lydon.
I guessed from the title "guilt". Lydon must have already known, Sid had an addiction problem. Add to that. Fame, money and yes men. This was never going to end well.
I would like to add something that not many people realise about the Sex Pistols music. They were mocked as 3 chord wonders - couldn't play their instruments, terrible lyrics and couldn't sing. Damning stuff about a popular band.
I've been a guitarist for many years and some of their material is bordering on genius. Take Pretty Vacant for example. 4 chords (or more accurately 4 power chords) drums bass and the lead singer shouting the lyrics. A recipe for a terrible noise.
Not at all - the arpeggio of the A chord at the start was simple but brilliant bringing in great drums and the full A chord. Lydon's lyrics are very meaningful and delivered in his 'own' unique style (the rolling of the R's in the words adds to the listen-ability) The chord progression is simple but very effective and some of the guitar licks between are magical to play.
Make no mistake - this was an accomplished and talented band that wrote their own music and lyrics and performed them brilliantly. Part of their persona was to be obnoxious (they were kids) and people who didn't get them assumed they were thugs with no discernible intelligence. It really could have been the greatest rock n roll swindle. :)
Fred Server : I agree 100%. In a way, the Sex Pistols did to popular music what Monet did to art. He made it "bad" on purpose, (just little smudges of paint here and there, rendering the finished product blurry and nearly unrecognizable) and thereby created a whole new genre called Impressionism.
Fred Server this can relate to the rap scene today in all honesty
Fred Server Honestly no one cares about all this technical shit.. They made great music with great energy, trying to dissect it is dumb
most overrated band ever... you are talking absolute bullshit... rubbish musicians... rubbish lyrics.... just kids being angry.. would a been fun to be there but don't over do things.
Norbit CleaverHook Stupid Bitch... thats the whole point of Punk
clever articulated man,always liked what i saw.all the best to you and your wife for 2021.
Dear John It is a sad loss to lose a friend that you can't help from addiction.. saw ya Cromer Lynx 77 and later with Pil at the LCR Norwich... Both were equally Iconic. Rise... No tears by request .. I think you made good and changed alot of peoples outlook & perceptions of life as we know it... Thankyou RIP Sid xx
Got a lot of love for John such an intelligent human being and is not scared to speak facts from the heart, even if people don't like it, a true man 🤘🙏
For a second I thought it was Mark E. Smith sitting beside him.
I like the way he describes heroin, as a way of hiding the inadequacies we all feel. It really does. Then later, you get to experience it all over again but this time you're conscious. That's exactly the way things turned out for me.
how r u? r u clean?
Ryan G
Yes, Not so easy, though. It's been about 8 years and I still dream of using something to inject and instantly soothe my soul. it's not worth the price I paid. Thanks for asking.
I am 10 years clean now since january 2017 but I have exactly the same that I still dream of using to inject H or H with K (Coce)together and when I wake up I am glad that I had no relapse.But I try never again,it was a hard way!
It is heaven and hell.
Good that you are sober too.
Yeah i have them dreams to. They are very weird aren't they? I dream of going round to see the people i used to hang about with.thanks by the way.You are very inspirational Daniela. ;-]
@@ryang790 It's been since the 80s and I STILL have drug dreams. Bloody Hell!
I like it when Johnny shows his vulnerable side and he opens up here for a change to show his kind heart nature...
such a smart way to describe everything.. no judgement, no condescension.. love this John Lydon
I’ve always found John to be brutally honest which I absolutely admire
I’ve never liked the Sex Pistols or bands of that period during the punk era but John Lydon it has to be said is very articulate and always worth listening to.
He knows the fame game is a sham...
I admire and respect John for his truth the way he sees it. He just has always had a way with telling it out plain and true.
thanks lady
I have a deeper respect for Johnny, I think it was always obvious that he is good hearted and intelligent. And the songs stood the test of time, I appreciate them more now then before
Could listen to John Lydon all day, speaks a lot of truth.👏👏
I love listening to him talk & give interviews. No BS, straight up truth. He's not a dopey person.
"...the cottage industry of liggers that you get being in a band"
Well put.
I like Johnny. He seems a genuine and nice guy.
NO HE'S A PRICK WHO MARRIED AN HEIRESS GRANNY AND WHEN SHE CROAKS HE IS RICHER THAN RICH.
0:51 That's really well thought out. Often you hear celebrities aggrandizing irrelevant bullshit but I think he really nailed it there, his guilt over Sid's insecurities, Sid wasn't a musician, he felt like an imposter.
The guy was out of his depth sadly and didn't have much substance to him. Lydon and Cook always seemed to have self preservation whereas Sid and Steve Jones both found the needle as their way to cope with it. Both those guys had a terrible upbringing whereas Lydon and Cook had a mother, father and siblings looking out for them, very sad but childhood has a lot to answer for.
Sid was from Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Lived in Lime Hill Road, only a 2-minute from the War Memorial and civic centre, and town centre. Lime Hill Road is a nice street, superb houses, mostly divided into flats.
I like how Johny conducts his interviews, RIP Sid.
Look at the eye roll there 0:13 as Lydon says he felt guilty! I'm guessing he doesn't believe him or had heard him saying this over and over! Very strange....
I didnt see that as an eyeroll . Hes just looking around.
@@Lord_Hillcrest how is that not an eyeroll?
@@carpetchair5778 Notice hes blinking rather fast , to me hes trying to find his focus , thats not an eyeroll to me .
@@Lord_Hillcrest There talking about the guy next to him
Or perhaps you're reading into something that just isn't there.
John Lydon is an absolute LEGEND. Remember living in Germany in 1976 when the Pistol's came out. It's not until we got back to Blighty the following year that I realised what they were all about. And I was only 10 at that time.
I have the deepest respect for this guy as even in my childhood i could see a person with human interests that just lived his life without interfering and just accepting the misjudgment of others. What else can you do?
John Lydon was very honest here and cut to the chase on this issue. Very destructive effect of heroin and fame.
The more I listen to this guy, the more respectable and likeable he seems.
It is so good to see those young rascals of the 1970s turned into these wise and soft-spoken uncles sharing their reminiscences of the past. Thank god they are still alive and healthy.Sid wasnt as lucky
I could listen to this man until earth stops spinning and the stars all die in the sky. Wise top bloke.
I can listen and watch John L youtube video for hours. Allways has something interesting to say.
Yep. Am looking forward to the new PIL album, the next (London) gig and reading the book. Some people make the world a better place.
Lol I've been doing that for a while now
According to Vivienne Westwood it was actually Sid who was supposed to audition for the lead singer's part, but a mix up gave Lydon the chance.
I always liked Mr Lydon ..as my years have rolled on...liking has turned into Great Respect .
I've always just seen Johnny Rotten shouting at people in interviews. Here he is actually quite well spoken and insightful. Obviously quite an intelligent man
Fantastic, listening to John talking like this!
I am from ´68 and was a Punk-Fan, once ; so i still know who the Pistols were.
John was a "Thinker" - Punk was his Valve ; his way of telling the "Thruth to the people".
A super intelligent "scholar"
He knows and understands exquisitly what he is talking about, here.
CHAPEAU!
John is a legend and a gentleman! Blunt, & to the point! Says it like it always was!
Didn't want to watch this video, but couldn't skip over it... like my finger gave my brain the finger.
Sid Vicious.. sigh... We still think and talk about you often.. You're still deeply loved and missed.
Rest in peace, love.
Such an honest interview. Well done John L 👏
John Lydon is so pragmatic and brutally honest about life's adversities. He has matured into a beautiful person, as raw as he may seem. To me, there is an inner caring side about him that shines here oddly.
You can tell he is very heartbroken. I feel so bad for him. I really believe John has a good heart.
I have always respected John Lydon. Lydon was hated for many years as he told the truth about the Pistols and in particular, about the stupid "mythology" about Sid Vicious. As Johnny has repeatedly said, "heroin turned Sid into an idiot of the worse kind." In other documentaries he discusses how Vicious was heroin sick at the beginning of the ill - fated 1978 American tour.
Johnny almost got him heroin free but as soon as they would hit L.A. I think, McLaren made sure that Vicious got heroin. John gave up and called it a day singing the last famous words " . .. ever feel like you've been cheated."
That is the most patient and straightforward I have ever seen John Lydon be.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Sid Vicous and his herion addiction R.I.P
the guy beside him rolled his eyes when he said he felt guilty
Mark E. Smith lead vocal and instigator of the Fall. Fascinating chap rip.
John Lydon is a very interesting man, with a good heart.
I love John. Very down to earth. Wise man.
I did PIL's Religion I for a speech class once - sneered the lines like John - shocked the hell out of everyone. It helped that I agreed with every word so I came off as honest. Got an A.
I could listen to John tell stories all day..
Yes I agree he's very intelligent and has a genuine sence of life and how it can shape people s perception of who they are
I love John Lydon. What more can you ask of a human being than pure honesty and no tolerance for bullshit?
John lydon can have a fascinating verbal candor.
That's heavy. Sometimes it hurts watching people destroy themselves.
“A person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn and not easily mended.” “It wasn't only wickedness and scheming that made people unhappy, it was confusion and misunderstanding; above all, it was the
failure to grasp the simple truth that other people are as real as you.”
You're my hero, what's done is done.... without the you guys my life would not have taken the path it has.... For the better... cheers!
We need more people in the world like John Lydon.
The lyrics to Lazy Sod aka Lazy Sid show how much Lydon actually cared.
Or maybe they show he was just venting, as friends are prone to do now and again.You can't take one song as representative of a person's entire relationship.
0:14 "Guy on the left rolls eyes about John feeling guilty about brining Sid into the pistols". Interesting.
Imagine sort of having to play second fiddle to Sid vicious a guy whose career lasted less than 2 years, for the whole and rest of your life
Thanks for uploading love always lindsey 💓💓
Sid would have self destructed with or without John Lydon.
I think so as well considering what kind of people that were around him at the time. At the same time, I think anybody can break cycles like that if your will is strong enough and have proper support.
anyone else notice the guy in the background rolling his eyes at 0:14?
For some reason I can't get this video to play but is that man Rambo? John's shadow and lifelong best friend pretty much.
Daveonarave and manager and security guard and whatever else
RobertBalto The moment he rolls his eyes to me says he thinks Lyndon is talking revisionist history bullshit.
I DON'T KNOW THE STORY!
But just as a disinterested bystander decent at body & face language, he's calling BS at the comment, not what Smith Curry says "tired of apologizing".
Smith Curry VideoMenu you both bring up interesting points. My initial reaction was to think he was rolling his eyes at Lydon...but then again all Lydon had said to that point was that Sid was not the brightest spark but he misses him and thinks he was ill-equipped to deal with fame. All those points seem reasonable to me. Maybe he wasn't rolling his eyes either at John or at apologizing for Sid but rather "here we go, another Sid Vicious question"?
RobertBalto Looks like it's just that it's a story Lydon has to tell all the time. No one (except people who were involved) ever gets tired of hearing how Sid got dragged down into addiction.
John is extremely kind hearted and intelligent person. His antics where just that. Maybe he did it to keep people away. I just hope that all the people that are in this hell hole of drugs and depression, can find peace.
She manages to get more information from him than just about any interview I’ve heard....good on’ya girl.
I’d love to see this full interview
Totally honest on his opinion & views, especially about the monster Jimmy Saville, well said John 👍
"fame is a monster"
“Fame is a monster” I wish as human beings we could end the illusion of fame. It kills so many people. It’s nothing but an ILLUSION
TrashPanda Raccoon idiot!!! Fame means nothing In life it doesn’t being true lasting happiness and adds nothing of true value to your life, it means nothing!
@TrashPanda Raccoon lmao chill out guys
I could lisen to him all day
I'm glad someone has finally said Fame is a monster
I think his age also had an impact on it. He was about 18 when he joined an already famous band and his youthful naivety allowed it to get to him. Not to mention his inability to play bass also held him back.
He really misses his friend this is genuine. But check out the eye roll by the dude in the back when he says he felt guilty bringing him in the band. 0:10 haha
Not sure that was in response to what was being said, as he is rolling his eyes like it's a habit or he has dry eye etc etc. Watch him close and you see him doing that throughout the video.
John is a highly intelligent Song Writer , Punk Music Artist , and Orator. And Could have been many Great things. Anyone who can get through what He has endured and now Helping His Wife with Alzheimers and trying also to help others is a person of high standing. John Lydon in many ways Has often been misunderstood.
He is an icon of Music and culture. GOOD LUCK JOHN .
What a great interview
John Lydon is a thorough gentleman and shows his respect and accountability - on his gone friend Sid (Simon John Ritchie) ... Proud of you John! 💪🏼