John Lydon, former frontman of the Sex Pistols, has sparked outrage by stating he would vote for Donald Trump in the upcoming US election. The comment, made in a recent interview, has led many old punks to feel not just angry but deeply disappointed. However, as Suzanne Moore argues, expecting musicians to remain politically pure is a peculiar demand.
Lydon, now a middle-aged carer for his wife Nora who has Alzheimer's, also raised her daughter's children after she died of breast cancer. This family man image contrasts sharply with his public persona as a wind-up merchant. Moore notes that while his support for Trump is idiotic, his political influence is minimal, and the anger stems from a desire for heroes to be uncomplicatedly pure forever.
Moore reflects on Lydon's past significance, from the Sex Pistols' 'No Future' declaration to his work with Public Image Ltd. His support for Brexit was predictable, and his later career includes butter adverts and reality TV. She questions what fans have done in the decades since, rather than living in overhyped glory days.
The article argues that when musicians engage with politics, the result is often ill-thought-out populist rubbish. Moore suggests that the idea the left owns culture and the right owns power needs questioning, especially in the time of Covid. She advocates separating art from the artist, citing her own ability to love works by Lars von Trier or James Brown despite their flaws.
Ultimately, Moore concludes that Lydon's best work may now be his role as a carer, and that the punk ethos of challenging authority was always quickly commodified. She urges readers not to let disappointment in heroes narrow their horizons.
