In a new conversation with The i Paper, John Lydon criticized Sex Pistols for chasing money.
“When I first heard that the Sex Pistols were touring this year without me it pissed me off,” the singer revealed about the band’s decision to continue with a new singer. “It annoyed me.”
He shared, “I just thought, ‘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 trivialise the whole show to get away with karaoke but in the long term I think you’ll see who has the value and who doesn’t. I’ve never sold my soul to make a dollar. It’s the Catholic in me – that guilt I don’t want to trip,” Lydon further slammed the band.
On June 3, 2024, Paul Cook, Steve Jones, and Glen Matlock announced two reunion shows at Bush Hall, calling it ‘Frank Carter and Sex Pistols.’ Frank Carter replaced Lydon.
Lydon also previously revealed to Classic Album Review that he was not happy about this new version of Sex Pistols. He explained, “I wrote the f*cking songs, didn’t I? I gave them the image as the frontman. I am the voice what made the whole world sing.”
“Now you’re going out… As they did the year before with Billy Idol. It’s just karaoke really. I would love to be embarrassed by high-quality songwriting from them,” the vocalist stated.
Lydon added, “They’ve had long enough to get that together now, haven’t they? But no, they profess their hatred for me but they can’t live without me. I am the punishment that goes on giving [Laughs].”
Lydon was angry about the reunion shows and called them ‘bollocks’ in the first place, too. A source said the gigs are also a message to him for blocking the band’s royalties. Matlock later said the shows were good and that Lydon made his choice.
Sex Pistols is set to perform in Australia in April 2025.
