"It’s not their fault that they’re talentless and can’t fucking move on."
So says former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, speaking about his former friends/bandmates Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook in a new interview. But given that he seems compelled to speak about the trio, and their new alliance with former Gallows frontman Frank Carter, in every single interview he's conducting at present to promote Public Image Ltd's upcoming European tour, one might wonder exactly which party is struggling hardest to move on?
Last week, in an interview with LouderThanWar, Lydon, 69, shared his thoughts on the shows than Carter, Jones, Matlock and Cook have been playing, to what has been widespread critical acclaim from the music press, online media and broadsheet newspapers alike. Having claimed to have watched videos of some of these performances. Lydon said, “I’ve been shocked how awful it is. It just seems like they’ve rented a puppet and there it is. It is truly karaoke I think with really mediocre results."
Now, in a new interview with the PA news agency, as reported in The Independent, Lydon is suggesting that the new Frank Carter-led incarnation of the band is "woke", and "a clown’s circus".
Asked if he would reunite with his former bandmates, Lydon replies: “Never, not after what I consider their dirty deeds, let them wallow in Walt Disney woke expectations.
“They’ve killed the content, or done their best to, and turned the whole thing into a rubbish childishness, and that’s unacceptable. Sorry, I’m not going to give a helping hand to this any longer, as far as I am concerned, I am the Pistols, and they’re not.”
Referencing Jones and Cook's brief side project with former Generation X stars Billy Idol and Tony James, Lydon goes on to say, “They had to get Billy Idol last year and now Mr Carter, to come in and listen to them (his lyrics) for them, that’s a clown’s circus at work.”
Talking earlier this year to Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Steve Jones wished Lydon the best, but said it wouldn’t have been worth asking the singer to return to the band for their recent reunion, citing a legal battle they had in 2021 about the use of their music in Danny Boyle's drama Pistol.
“We don’t talk,” Jones admitted. “The last time I spoke to him was 2008. But I wish him all the best. I really do. We had a great time when we were young, and it was life-changing for all of us. But after the court case with Pistol it wasn’t even worth asking John [about the reunion tour]. I don’t think he was interested.”
The Frank Carter-led version of the Pistols recently announced a North American tour, with Carter stating "The world needs this band right now. And I think definitely America is screaming out for a band like the Sex Pistols.”
