Billy Idol has laughed off John Lydon's criticism of his work with Sex Pistols duo Steve Jones and Paul Cook in Generation Sex, admitting, "It doesn’t bother me."
Public Image Ltd frontman, and former Sex Pistol, Lydon has taken every available opportunity to bash his former bandmates' hugely successful alliance with former Gallows/Rattlesnakes frontman Frank Carter, and in a recent interview with PA News (reported in The Independent) Lydon extended his vitriol to include Jones and Cook's shortlived project with Idol and Tony James, who played Glastonbury festival and Iggy Pop's Dog Day Afternoon festival in 2023.
“They had to get Billy Idol last year," said Lydon, "and now Mr Carter, to come in and listen to them [his lyrics] for them, that’s a clown’s circus at work.”
Billy Idol seems wholly unbothered by the dig.
"John’s always been super opinionated and rightly so, probably," Idol says graciously in a new interview with Consequence. "He’s never held back what he truly thinks. So, yeah, it doesn’t bother me. I love him and everything, but I know where I’m going with my music and I’m happy with what I’m doing.”
In reference to Lydon's scathing comments upon the new-look Pistols - who he's only seen on YouTube - Idol adds, "Of course John’s gonna be pissed. He’s been like this for a while. At the same time, he’s into Public Image. That’s really what he wants to do, so I think we’re all in a good place, really.
"I’m really excited about what I’m doing and I’m excited for them that they’ve found someone that they feel can deliver those songs in the way they want them delivered... I think it makes more sense than me doing it, ’cause I’m really Billy Idol already. I’m better off doing my own music."
Idol is set to release Dream Into It, his first album of new music in over a decade, on April 25 via Dark Horse Records. The album features guest appearances by Avril Lavigne (on 77), Joan Jett (on Wildside) and Alison Mosshart of The Kills, on a song called John Wayne.
Speaking to Drew Barrymore on her talk show this week, Idol said, "Avril's just fantastic on 77, it was great working with her. With her on it, it got three times better."
Idol also revealed that he'll be going on tour this year with Joan Jett, who he first met at a Germs / Dead Kennedys gig.
