John Lydon - The British Masters - Chapter 8 

The interviewer looks like a roadie for Deep Purple circa 1976

He's as contradictory as hell, but always interesting.

John Lydon does speak his mind, so in that sense he is honest, but people make the mistake to think that he is some kind of wise guru. He is not. He's just a guy who likes to talk, and he has contradicted himself countless times. He can have a good point here and there, but also say a lot of bullshit.

Great to see Neil from The Young Ones doing well.

Lydon's approximately 50% contradictory, self-regarding and full-of-shit and 50% compassionate, humble and wise. He's maddeningly all over the place but I'm a fan for life and will always come back for more.

JL is such a toss these days. He's Irish when it suits, English when it suits, American when it suits, obnoxious when it suits and polite/sycophantic when it suite. Can the real man step forward for FFS.

I saw someone say he just starts shit to be difficult and is a drama queen. This interview shows how willing John Lydon is to be kind, accommodating even, to journalists who ask intelligent questions and show respect for him on just a basic level

5:00 load of bollocks about the clash that. Paul Simonon was from Brixton ffs. Mick Jones grew up in council flats around West London, ladbroke grove and notting hill which at the time was the main West Indian area still. Joe was a posh boy, and topper from the suburbs, but to say the clash were 'racist for playing black music', what absolute bollocks... But Lydon can cos he's from a council estate in North London? good interview all the same...

Always loved Johnny. Always will. 100% the real deal. Doesn't give a flip about what the world expects of pop stars and never will. What a diamond. A true artist.

You can tell John really likes the guy talking to him because he gives a shit about his work and knows a little about what he's lived through. Great interview.

Mr. Lydon, you cant say we should all be one race then say white folks trying to play black music is racist. Either we are different races or its just people playing music. Anyhow, most music with no black influence at all is shite, even the pistols had black influences from the basic rock and roll platform of the pistols which used the guitar,bass, drums format, pioneered by 50s black musicians like Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Howlin Wolf etc. It is you Mr. Lydon who is racist by living in the fantasy world that your music is not based fundamentally on black music.

tbh his comments on the clash are greatly offensive. RACIST???? they had just as much a right to take influence from black music as he did and their style of reggae was not bland like the police or something but infused with punk energy - and listen to 'sandinista!' and you'll hear a unique influence from dub not that different from the early PIL works. they weren't plunderers of other cultures, they were the real deal. not the patronising posh boys he likes to present them as. joe strummer was a sincere guy, not the celebrity type john has become with his butter adverts and 'i'm a celebrity' and countless on-air tantrums just to generate headlines. he needs to get his facts straight. paul and mick were very much working class and not at all 'coffee table boys'. maybe john's just jealous lee perry and bob marley were never fans of his music.

usually like him but he's been contradicting himself more and more: "there's no us and them", "the clash have no right to make such and such music, they didn't grow up like us" double standard much?

Doran is THE best music journalist out there. Also in terms of his awareness of the RU-vid medium - the fact that there is always video material for you search for on RU-vid. These 10 minute clips can end up lasting 30 mins if you go after all the things they're talking about.

'I just hung out with The Congos'.. That's the most kick-ass namedropping I've ever heard.

He's dead wrong about The Clash,They lived in Council houses and were squatters,Big fan of Clash and Lydon but hes wrong about that

One of the BEST Lydon interviews I've seen. John Doran is not the typical media jackass. Thanks for putting this up, much appreciated.

Lydon does go a bit David Brent at times … “Nelson Mandela is my people”. Then he waffles about white boys and nicking black music, which is not a crime he committed… coz he’s from a council house. Do me a favour?! P.S the interviewer is soooo up Lyndon’s arse.

I love Johnny rotten. He tells the truth and doesn't sugar coat it!

John Lydon Meets Chris Eubank. That I would watch.

I like his music but just because you talk with conviction and authority doesn't mean you're right.

When John Lydon talks about The Clash pissing their 'lemon scented panties' (whatever that means) when they ended up in Jamaica he forgets that Paul Simonon was raised in Brixton and Ladbroke Grove, at that time the centre for Jamaican culture in Britain, and Mick Jones was from Welsh and Russian Jewish heritage, also raised on the streets of South London. This is directly comparable to his own upbringing. They worked with Lee Perry in 1977, before Lydon went to Jamaica with Don Letts and 'hung out with the congos'. The Clash had already been exploring alternative musical routes like reggae and dub by the time P.I.L. released their first recordings. He talks about them as if they were middle class interlopers, not the real deal 'man'. I like John, I really do. But I find a lot of what he says dubious. He reinterprets the past to suit the present, his present. He calls white RnB bands of the 1960's racists!? then goes on to extol his love of disco...really.

Personally speaking, I don't like the royal family and I don't like the Queen. I don't like the Queen because her life has been an affirmation of the proposition that somebody can be better than another person based on the the family they were born into. That's a horrible, evil, backwards looking, non-scientific and - frankly - racist thing to believe. Do anyone REALLY believe that Prince Charles is a more valuable human than any other average person "just because"? If you believe that then you're insane. Of course we're not all perfectly equal at the point of birth. I'm not wired for basketball or sumo wrestling. However, there should be at the very least a pretence of equality in terms of 'your value as a human being' at the point of birth. Without that then I'm out. It's equality or royals. Opportunity for all or pedo enablers? Take your pick because you sure as heck can't have both! Moreover, I don't like people who are into hunting large wild, intelligent animals for fun. If you're into that then I don't like you. So no. To Hell with the royals, the Queen and any closet racist who's into that garbage. You're on the wrong side of history and if the human race lasts a thousand years then surely people will look back and wonder why on Earth who ever put up with parasite royals. Disgusting, horrible creatures. All of them.

I will always proudly declare my fanaticism for both Lydon, the Pistols, and PiL. However, I disagree with alot of what Lydon said during the The Clash/Jamaica part of the interview. The Clash DID have close-ties with the black English population. Simonon grew up in Brixton which from what I understand was a center of Jamaican culture in England. Also and more importantly, being influenced by a genre of music associated with a certain race isn't at all racism. If anything it's show of respect to other races. Nonetheless, Lydon was one of the best frontmen in punk. Period.

Gotta love the man. Seen him stand like an non-moving rock in the sea of music & media bullshit for 40 years now & although he's evolved as a human being, like them or not, his principles have always remained the same. He's like some anti-bullshit warrior who ploughs his own path, regardless of media or public opinion & whether he likes the title or not, he most certainly is & always will be a 'National Treasure'. Plus, I totally get why the Ramones thing irks him - the Ramones may have been one of the first Punk bands but the 'Pistols were PUNK! It's as simple as that & Never Mind The Bollocks is undoubtedly one of the greatest albums of all time & probably THE greatest debut album EVER! Respect due.

nah. it's not racist to do music you love johnny sorry

2 blokes who respect each other. Thinks it’s the first time I’ve seen John like this.

Great series. Great interviews. John Lydon = National Treasure

Mark E Smith would be more interesting than Lydon!

Wait so does johnny rotten want people to be united as one or be segregated because a certain race came up with a certain genre? Hypocrite

What's up with that drab colour grading...

This is by far (there's no comparison that I've seen), the best, most civil, and thoughtful interview with Lydon. That's really why I heartily enjoy John Doran's interviewing style, and all Noisey content seems to be of the highest quality, regarding how musicians are treated.

You have to love him - a beacon of genuine, intelligent working class honesty - makes me proud to be working class myself.

Had a very interesting argument with John Doran about this episode.Called him out about shagging off The Clash with Lydon.Called him out on his cowardice and the amount of hatred that guy flew back at me was horrific.The guy is a proper prick

John Lydon’s comment about the Clash not having experience with the multi-cultural music: wasn’t Joe raised in Turkey, Cyprus Egypt, Germany, Iran etc. because of his father’s work?

I agree..Mumford n sons..bland crap..even the name.. righteousness and good about music???? Eh? What crap.

The interviewer was pretty clued up.

Love you Mr. Lydon, but with all due respect, you sure got it wrong with all that you have to say about the Clash, sorry.

Favorite thing that John said "It's like cornballs" in reference to the Mumfords. Genius.

I've met Lydon. Nice humble guy. At the PIL gig I went to he laid into the stewards and security for harassing the crowd and being over zealous. Takes an old boy make that stand, whilst the young band today would say nothing.

I wonder what it's like to have grown up in the 60's and 70's knowing everything you stood for was a lie and you were too stupid and drugged to see that you were simply being used?

Stumbled on this by accident, f*ckiing great accident. What a great interview, insightful. 👏🏻

John Lydon is one person I would like to meet over a couple of beers and chew the fat. I have total respect for the man

I just cannot ever take him seriously, exemplified especially in this interview when he says something as silly as "white boys trying to imitate, you know, the black man music"' and dot dot dot "that's racism ". Misses the point completely. Lydon was probably a few regretful tongue-loosening beers in by this point.

Lydon is probably the most overrated muso of all time beside Tom Waits. Let alone he is so up himself he can lick his own eyeballs. Cheers for Krist Novoselic for the interview nonetheless

Sorry john but don't b another one of them knobs banding the word racism about all and everything...maybe it was more about belonging...that was a sad statement about the clash son

When a Peter Hammill interview? If anyone is a Britisch master than it is Peter Hammill

lol...he talks about his message being one world one race then says the Clash playing a certain type of music is racist.

Yezzz what a hunk! I feel in love with Mr.Rotten in 7th grade continuation school. It was art class I was painting a huge face picture of him. His orange hair. The way his nose snarled . When God made Mr. Rotten , he was showing off.

Oooh, the comments about The Clash. Just because they went to art college doesn’t make them toffee nosed.

i always make the mistake in thinking John Lydon is interesting. Then, after watching any interview, i'm reminded that he contradicts everything he says because there's actually fuck all of interest that he's willing to share publicly. His choice, totally, but i can't see why the accolades stack up around him. Perhaps he just gets wheeled out when folk want to feel working class and back in the day.

What an absolutely lovely interviewer firstly. Respectful, laid back and full of great, interesting questions .. and John Lydon, what a legend. Uncompromisingly himself and inherently a nice bloke who fiercely loves his family and friends, is passionate about so many things and has so many stories to tell. He really is a national treasure, a British Master.

How does PIL 'render a lot of what had come before as irrelevant?' What utter poppycock!

A classic example of when a well informed interviewer gets the best out of an interviewee, absolute gold, Lydon at his intelligent, engaging self.

Its really depressing to me that he lives in USA does he really like such a capitalistic country. Thats really dissapointing to me.

Hearing John talk makes me feel like I'm not crazy and It's not all in my head or because I'm cynical. I see truth and he speaks a lot of it. Sensible man, that Lydon fellow... Another life, I could have been friends with a guy like him but, I'm "too negative" and I don't "filter" enough.

His personality took him a lot further than his talent. And unfortunately his personality is not all that informed or intelligent, just very opinionated. And the media and fans eat that up. He can’t even get through a couple questions without completely contradicting himself or saying something 100% bonkers, like how having black musical influences is racist lol. Coming from the guy who bragged about hanging in Jamaica with The Congos lol.

10:41 nicotine not a drug then is it? Oh the fucking irony.

Sebastián de argentina..lydon el número 1 por siempre del punk rock..the number 1 music punk rock...

The Stones? Silly? PIL looks absolutely ridiculous to me.

One world, one race.. Not us and them..US...

Johnny Lydon, national treasure, very profound and intelligent, a humble man of integrity who talks sense, could listen to him all day

Fantastic interview. However, I've recently read that John supported MAGA and Trump! How does this fit into his views on anti-racism and mysogymy? Strange.

Dude I fuckin' love this journalist. Is one of the few people serious about his job, being very competent and serious about what he's talking about and who's dealing with. It's hard to find someone prepared and dedicated nowadays. Thank you.

the interviewer rlly looks like krist novoselic from nirvana

Thank you for this, it’s is one of the best interviews I’ve seen with John, he seems very relaxed and therefore forthcoming. Brilliant

Sebastián de argentina.lydon the number 1 punk rock music forever..

one race no colour

He talks a lot of nonsense and a lot of the stuff he's done since the Pistols with Pil is not great in my opinion. BUT in his youth he was tour de force and fucking brilliant.

To mention Gandhi as a hero and to burp in the same sentence is why I love John Lydon so much!

Didn't know George Best was a reporter

15:14

John bought me a pint in a pub in finsbury park in 1986, and took the piss out of my northern accent, he admired the fact i spoke german because his wife is german. I have worshiped that pint glass ever since, long live rotten. I disagree about the clash they where are always will be f,in brilliant.....

A little bit on the Cornwall side 😂😂😂

Who else is unchecking the Google+ box?

Great interview

go and sell some butter. ever get the feeling you've been cheated.

Movements are governments of sorts, organization, participation, etc. I would hope that infrastructure decisions were made with more attention to detail than a rave, for example. I'm all for democratization to the largest degree possible, but I want someone to manage infrastructure etc. The idea of a society without a managing brain doesn't appeal to me. We should function with an optimized set of laws, but certainly, I don't want a lawless society. I like John, a lot. He's an interesting guy and very talented, but please, he should stick to music. About government, he sounds too much like a Libertarian nitwit.

An interesting guy but that doesn't mean what he says is all right. Playing music that originated in a country different your own is not racist.

Johnny was a hero of mine in my youth. 15 you know. He was honest. I didn't realize that honesty isn't really that important in life though haha. As I got older I got into PIL and such and I always stuck up for him, but he just comes off as a guy who missed his on joke too many times. I read his book too. I mean he did it, and he worked hard, and he got his money and he was honest about it, but he's also got a lot of deflection and bullshit in his mind. He seems almost out of touch with reality sometimes. I guess he's just not smart enough to talk about politics and has no clue sometimes. haha. He's smart enough to be a semi-deep art rockstar on the cusp of being working class, but you know - that's it. It's depressing that most of his ideals are just liberal garbage pretending to be extreme.

I'm a Yank..but I'm pretty sure the Clash were brought up in council flats too...

"Lovely stuff!" - Michael 'Shakin' Steven's' Barratt. (Keep on Shakin':)

7:37: Epic Belching.. as to say «Yessss sirr!!». Hahahaha, Made me fall off my chair!

I wish John would do more cameo's and commercial's, as he is incredibly funny. As "Baa-Ruce" in The Independent, and those butter commercials. He's definitely got some natural comedic timing!

Love John always, but he's been consistently off base where the Clash is concerned.

Any man who can burp in mid sentence and use it as a word is my hero.

That was a " Nice Touch " From John acknowledging the assisstance and advice " Proffered " By Mick Jagger re Sid Vicious when he was at " His Most Vulnerable " !!! From Adrian Browne 1965

I've been listening to punk since i first came to Belgrade in 2015 (i study classical music), but when i started listening to PIL, that changed my life to better, and since then post punk became my favorite genre because of King Johnny of Rotten.

“Good night…’!😊

Man he smokes a lot

Jesus that`s a cheap looking suit the interviewer`s wearing, looks like something that even Burtons or Top Man turned down.

good interview and good to hear his haters foaming at the mouth too, I feel John gives meaning to their lives, hence John own life if infact and act of charity, I seem John as modern day Ghandi, I don't think he will be truely recognised untill after he has gone, same as many ledgends,.

Pil was garbage but we overlooked that because of the Sex Pistols - Pil had no effect on music history other than the singer from the sex pistols did something after they split

"self-advertisment" is the ONLY thing these guys have any talent for - BOTH OF THEM!!!!!

Clicked to hear John talking about masters golf but he's talking about music. Clickbait 😂

The interviewer is in a Thin Lizzy tribute band.

7:37 yeahhrrrrr

The person who decided to put constant white noise over the chat. They should never work in any type of production again

Quote: "...the Jamaica you saw and the Jamaica that The Clash saw was *pauses* very different... The Clash, how could I put this politely... pissed their lemon scented panties when they were over there..." *sigh* so Johnny, ergo the Pistols are *better* or more *influential* because Mr Lydon could fit in whilst Strummer and Co didnt? F**k off... At the end of the day The Clash kept putting out influential music whilst the Pistols were stagnant until Lydon formed PIL. *Then* there was a voice I could follow. End of story.

There's a very early picture of John with hair that long, As he says in his Hawkwind day's. Public image Ltd ♥️🎸🇬🇧😁👌🏻