John Lydon, the former Sex Pistols frontman, has kicked off a UK speaking tour with a series of sharp-tongued remarks aimed at celebrities, former bandmates, and even his own neighbours, while also revealing an unexpected fondness for Abba.
The 70-year-old, who co-founded the Sex Pistols in 1975, began his 81-date theatre tour at the Watford Palace Theatre on Tuesday, where he addressed fans who paid £90 to meet him.
Neighbours and Celebrities in the Firing Line
Speaking about his home in Malibu, USA, Lydon complained about his neighbours, including actor Orlando Bloom. He said: "We bought the house cheap when my wife Nora was ill [diagnosed with Alzheimer's, she died in 2023] as it was all on one floor. It worked out fine...but it did not work out with all the neighbours who moved in next door, like Orlando Bloom. A nice fella, gotta tell ya, but go f*** off with your save the planet stuff. The bloke drives a Moto Guzzi, the noisiest, smelliest Italian bike in the whole word. He deafens all the wild ducks for miles around."
He also took aim at Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, claiming they were privileged for having an outdoor loo. Lydon said: "They have got their own toilets in their own back yard and they are calling me posh. Growing up in London, we had no indoor toilet, no indoor bath, no real facilities."
Sex Pistols Feud Continues
Lydon was equally scathing about his former Sex Pistols bandmates Glen Matlock, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook, who have been performing live without him since August 2024 with Frank Carter on vocals. This followed a legal dispute over the use of their music in the 2022 Disney+ biographical mini-series, Pistol.
Last week, he branded them a bunch of "deceitful lying hyenas" live on ITV's Good Morning Britain. At the tour's first night, he continued: "F*** off get Carter. I am not too upset that they go out live without me in that way. But I am very upset they planned it for three years along with that Sex Pistols 'mockumentary' without one word towards me."
He also criticised the late Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, who managed and styled the band respectively, saying: "They were middle class and used to say 'oh, we know all about rebellion you know.' Clothes matter to the working class, as it is projection. But when it gets into a uniform we used to say 'f*** that. we were not interested in looking like the rest of the sheep.' I weren't dressed head to toe in Sex shop s***."
Compassion for Sid Vicious and Praise for Branson
Despite his harsh words for many, Lydon showed surprising compassion for Sid Vicious, who died aged 21 in 1979 from an accidental heroin overdose, and musician Pete Doherty. He said: "I was asked about Pete Doherty. There is a man, he is suffering. That poor sausage, Doherty."
Of Sid Vicious, he said: "I watched him slowly destroy himself with that. It was too much of a burden that we put him under. The pressure was overwhelming for him. God bless Sid. I miss him like f*** man. Sidney!"
Lydon also praised Richard Branson, who signed the Sex Pistols to Virgin Records, releasing their single God Save the Queen and their album Never Mind the Bollocks. The use of foul language landed them in court in Nottingham, but Lydon said: "It was just me and Richard Branson who turned up in an Aston Martin and won the case, as they are true Anglo Saxon words."
Personal Reflections and Abba Tribute
Lydon, who has returned to the UK after his band PiL's successful tour of America last year, reflected on his 44-year marriage to his late wife Nora, saying he never strayed. He said: "People have never said I am a sexual person. I have never been touched, fondled and I have never fondled or touched. I am a useless punk rocker. Throughout my entire career, nobody has ever wanted to touch or fondle me. I am what you call a f***ing awkward b******. Two left feet, ugly as f**!"
In a surprising revelation, Lydon spoke of his devotion to Abba, recalling an incident with Sid Vicious at Stockholm Airport. He said: "We were stuck there for like 15 hours and I think we were a little inebriated and Sid spots these white fur coats way off into the distance and he goes 'Abba!' This was Sid's favourite band and he ran at them full speed going 'Abba' and when he got there he vomited on the first girl's coat. Pebble dash! We all ended up in the nick that night, but at least he got to meet Abba."
Lydon closes his show with his own version of Fernando, a nod to Abba, despite admitting he is no 'Dancing Queen.' A new photographic memoir, John Lydon Archive, is out next month, priced from £49.99.
