Whatever you might think of the Sex Pistols, P.I.L., lyrics, behaviour... I will remember John for taking care of his wife (who was suffering from dementia) till her dying day. As a daughter of a mother with Alzheimer's I know what it takes.
@@DoesntMatter123a I just did a little fact checking and 3 websites said he has a "net worth of $500,000." A 4th said he is worth: "1 million Dollar[s]." More than I have and I don't usually go out of my way to defend rich people, but I don't like it when people attack punks and artists for being "sell-outs." Maybe that is a little more realistic context, to consider.
@@DoesntMatter123a I don't necessarily disagree with everything you are saying, but you seem to be contradicting yourself. People are not perfect, he's a punk, but the video we watched seemed to say he did good by his wife, who died. I think how a person is raised can be referenced in how a person sees themselves. Again, he made music and isn't a multimillionaire. I think there are plenty of evil multimillionaires, but someone who makes music isn't on the top of my evildoers list. Why are you shitting on this human, whose wife died? I am doing this because you are attacking someone who made art and implying or stating that he is a sell-out and that is taking away from the story of him taking care of his wife, as she died. Was there something I missed about him doing something wrong to people who are "on benefits" or are "working class"?
@@DoesntMatter123a I also opened up to being wrong, by asking a question, earlier. But what was I wrong about, cause I thought I had most of that right? I don’t even know what your point is, are you an uber-punk?
I watched a documentary on him and how he, at the time , was caring for his wife and how he took in the grandkids as they were running wild and no-one could control them. He dropped everything to care for his loved ones. He's a better man than many give him credit for as well as better than many.
He helped raise his younger brothers from a very young age as his mother couldn't cope often with an absentee husband working away from home. The family even had an aunt sharing their room with them. Their only other room was the kitchen. Later they moved to a two bedroom flat.
It's ok saying that but I have never known anybody change his mind so much about so many things. He has been asked a number of times over the years what music he likes. In one he says 'Nothing', in another he says 'Nothing except Iggy Pop and Reggae' , in others he has mentioned Kate Bush yet in his book he mentions The Kinks, The Doors, Hawkwind etc. He says exactly what he wants without thinking about it on the spur of the moment.
There’s nothing wrong with being spontaneous whatsoever…..if you wake up every day and want to listen to the same thing every day you’re just really narrow-minded and a dullard
Step grandsons. They were 14 at the time with no stability in their life. He never had a child of his own. I don't think his wife wanted another as Ari was grown.
@@lemsip207It doesn't matter. 14 is a very difficult age for anyone, and to take on a child that is not biologically yours speaks volumes about the man, and deserves nothing but respect.
@kdlofty Did I say it mattered? I was only pointing out they were his step grandsons. When they were younger, he would have had some contact in visits from them as well but then would have become responsible for them from the age of 14. He helped raised his three younger brothers from an early age and had jobs working with children as well before the Sex Pistols.
In 1996, during the Filthy Lucre tour comeback, I had the fortune to work on a music festival in Milan. Sex Pistols were the headline act and as I was eating my food backstage in crew catering, the entire band walked in to order their meal. The only available seats were on my table so one of their party asked if they could join us. Of course. Long story short. We were enthralled by the most charismatic, funny warm people you could ever meet. In particular John Lydon had us all in stitches with storys, anecdotes and wit. Lovely, lovely man who I will never forget briefly meeting. Big-hearted bloke with a soft, sensitive side. Wish I'd taken a picture!!!
Lucky You , but hey You earned it ,John would almost certainly have shunned the "Celebrities" catering canteen even / especially if He had been allocated a dedicated seat for his exclusive use . He was & still is " A Man of & for The People .
I have had a couple of similar experiences, but mainly with motor racing stars. What I can tell you is that memories last a lifetime. Taking photos may ruin the whole moment. I bet they most likely appreciated having this genuine and real moment together with you without a camera involved. 👍🏻
John lydon will never know the impact he had on my daughter’s life . He actively helped her with her illness when she was 17. He’ll never see this but I cannot thank him enough . All these years later we still talk about the impact and pivotal moment he helped . Thank you John ❤️❤️
Honestly, I abhorred the Sex Pistols when I was a teenager in the late 70's. But I'll admit I was wrong. Mr. Lydon has stood the test of time and I curse myself for getting it wrong. I'm 62 now and, due to illness, about to bow out. I wish him well and hope he will accept my apologies. May the road rise with you Sir.
Aye. I didn't "get" Sex Pistols etc as a teenager and now regret that I got it wrong...but the legacy is still here for us. May the road rise with YOU, sir, as you move on. x
Nothing more applaudable than a man prepared to observe, learn and change. Add to this an apology and an admission of error and you have revealed yourself as a true man. I doubt John would ever require an apology of you, he would doubtless be his usual magnanimous self. So sorry to hear you're unwell and may our Creator remember you.
"My advise to an member of the working class. Get smart and read as much as you can and find out who's using you." I could not agree more. I admire Johny for speaking his mind out about Jimmy Saville. He hit the nail on the head. His devotion to his wife is touching. I emphathise. I speak as one who looked after my father who had dementia. So, Johny. If you are reading this. Have a good cry. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Keep up the good fight.
@@eatassonthefirstdateSavile was simply the most cold, callous & calculated piece of shit to have occupied the Establishment of Great Britain, to cleverly keep everyone guessing whether something about him was wrong. Hidden in plain sight, wrecked dozens of lives, nobody could complain about him & he was able to stay in total safety from being arrested. The prime minister of the time was good friends with him, as was our current monarch. Hid himself behind "endless charity work" while carrying out some terrifying and depraved harm on young women & children. Never punished either. Conned everyone who thought he was a good samaritan. Savile was utter vermin
@eatassonthefirstdate he was a very famous BBC presenter in the 70s and 80s, best known for his children's T.V show Jim'll Fix It. He was later (after his death) found out to be a paedophile, although people knew nothing was done about it whilst he was alive.
It certainly said a lot, but wasn't a surprise. I never saw his express anything but the upmost respect and love for her and their age difference seems to have never been an issue.
Absolutely nothing rotten about John. He gives the underdog, the working class, the minorities a voice, because he's one of us. The most sensitive, empathetic and aware person you could meet.
John was absolutely spot-on about so many things, for some reason, people seem to hate those who are straight-up honest about things, and they do their best to keep those who are straight-up honest, quiet.
9:01 couldn’t agree more about Donna Summer. Her passing was largely ignored compared to the ridiculous outpouring over Whitney Houston due mostly to Houstons struggles with drugs. Amazing voice and a trailblazer.
As a musician and songwriter myself, it's fascinating how we can draw inspiration from genres we don't even write in (and if we don't then our own sound will stagnate)
That’s wholly incorrect. I’m a black man in his 40s and a musician from a family of musicians. Whitney and Donna were named as common in my home as Mary in Mexican households. That’s such a poorly-evidenced theory. Because for one it conflates media coverage with popular grief, and the two do not mirror each other. But two, Donna Summer stopped putting out music decades before she died. She’ll always have a legacy as a queen of the disco era, but Whitney Houston was recording and releasing music until the day she died. When I hear the song “My Love Is Your Love” I have memories of a high school dance where everyone knew all the words. Also a sudden death that has seedy details will always receive more coverage from one whose details were deliberately kept quietly. Y’all need to be better theorists, or deepen your repertoire of cultural knowledge.
@@Randomjackass135 That dude didn't say anything about race, so put the card back in the deck, both singers were amazingly talented and let's leave it at that
@@Randomjackass135 this is a fair point. I loved Donna Summer as a kid but she's not as well known among the younger generations. I think she died over a decade ago as well.
John held a mirror up to the world & all the people said “oooh isn’t it rotten” what a clever devil he is, but a remarkable human being who loves a bit of an argument
NO question, well read and his ability to write feelings and politics, over came childhood illness. The lyrics to "Don't ask me" Genius and inner strength amazing. Well done John!
It was always showmanship. If you were going to pay your hard earned money to see his band, he was going to give you your money’s worth. He speaks the truth. He absolutely knew as fact Jimmy Savile was a paedophile, but the media tried to shut him down, and they did the same to the many others who dared say it, too. John was the first to say it, though.
The msm make everyone who disagree with the machine and the indoctrination monster. they don't work for working class people, they work for the elites who dictate what the governement must do or not to maintain their precious social score and financing. It's nothing new here really.
he had to fight the media while the creeps always have a media to present their micky mouse music and hatred and lack of ability as art like eminem and the beastie boys who contributed nothing to anyone. they only made greasy pigs more confident and cocky at being the greasy pigs that they are. that is their legacy.
Speaking as someone that grew up in the UK in the 70's and 80's and being 10 years younger than John Lydon, he taught me and an entire generation to question, to be confident, to seek education, to be oneself. This man influenced a generation all the while being written off by the then established media and and various 'authority' figures. There can be no exaggeration to John's influence. I could be wrong, but if you're reading this, may the road rise with you.
I'm from the same generation and my political and world views were also comprehensively shaped by Lydon, The Clash, Crass etc. I don't dispute that many of us learned how to be more confident, saught opportunities our parents couldn't have and became more self aware. My nagging problem here is that our children now have less opportunity ( the tories don't want people to "read and get rich") and anxiety and depression amongst our young people is at epidemic levels. This, of course, is all part of the plan from the establishment you refer to - media, politicians, capitalist elite. I can't help feeling the optimism and energy we felt in the 70's and 80's was all in vain.
@@ianrobertson8545this 'anxiety and depression' is because of 'the Tories'? I'd say it was more due to people pushing bullshit on them before they're ready. You think that will improve under Labour, or get worse?
Definitely don’t need the “education” from teachers today who only seem to teach pronouns, CRT, climate change and anything thing else to brainwash kids with. It would be nice if they taught some useful subjects and how to think
@@naradaian Exactly. In fact, "read everything you can" implies that everyone ought read well beyond what academia requires. Educators would have us believe that anarchy is defined as chaos... Anarchy etymology, from the Greek an; without. Archos; chief or ruler. Much of the early underground Punk was largely frantic dissonance, not even approaching music. I know because I was there. At least in the time. Johnny simply spoke with a different lexicon to a different emotionally driven mentition. I appreciate that he did. Pink Floyd and Genesis, up to and including Wind and Wuthering were, and will remain true classical music. There were so many truly great bands of the era... It's a great day when you realize you're not just another brick...
Probably one of the most honest and out spoken individuals. I personally think it’s the reason so many people have taken issue with him. I would recommend anyone to read his first autobiography that was written in the early 90’s. One of the unique things about it is that it has friends, family and former band band mates give their point of view
He deserves nothing but pure admiration and love for the way he looked after his wife I saw a touching interview when he was promoting his Eurovision song about how when he FaceTimed her she’d look behind the i pad for him, he laughed but you could tell how touching he felt and how he truly loved her, he’s played the game on his terms and in my opinion he was the true talent in the Sex Pistols when he left all that crap with Ronnie Biggs and the stuff they did made them cartoon caricatures of what they were and some of what he said made sense but no one took notice because it was him saying it I could be wrong but I really admire the man
This man deserves so much credit than what he gets and he also deserves some apologies from people. Not that he cares and that is why people like him because he's truthful and honest. Even if some of his views have changed which he actually took back what he said about the royal family. If you read about it, he said that now he understands the importance of them even though he still thinks they're up themselves so he didn't take that back 😆. He's smart enough to realize when he's wrong and right and he's intelligent enough to work things out and he will not have any company tell him to be silent.
The short answer is yes. John was right about everything and people that know his work are better for it. Side note, he’s inspired more than just other punk bands. If you’re a Metal person you don’t have to look far to find some of your favorite bands are massive fans of the Sex Pistol or even PIL. The aggression that exists in the SP are within most Metal albums, different notes, different distortion or vocal approaches but the aggression is the same and that is a gift from John that will continue to inspire for ages to come.
This mans lyrics , backed up by powerful music , kickstarted my brain into thinking by myself , drawing my own conclutions and setting up my own goals in life to follow. At 58 years of age , it has turned out very well. I’d like to buy him a beer , should the opportunity occur , and just sit down and talk about all kinds of stuff in life.
John has a special place in my heart. When I was 12 in 2003 I was obsessed with skate boarding and the first video my siblings bought me was the Flip Sorry/Really Sorry DVD. The Sorry movie features Johnny introducing the riders and generally clowning around, he was wonderfully entertaining. I had no idea who he was at the time or for many years, I thought he was part of the Flip skateboards company. Low and behold he was the literal godfather of punk rock (after Richard Hell of course) and the me too movement. Way ahead of his time, every time.
What you didn't mention which is quite important was that you said about all the band's that he influenced but didn't say who he was influenced by and needs to be mentioned as Johnny once said himself and he even went as far as to say that if he hadn't gone and seen this band he wasn't sure if punk would have been around!!! I was amazed and surprised as the band happens to be my all time favourite band and I'm 55 ! That band was the legendary hawkwind!!! It surprised me as people had tried, mistakenly, to pigeonhole them as hippies and he openly said that he hated hippies but he knew that they were ahead of the times and were very underrated and they weren't afraid to experiment with different sounds and work with a wide variety of musicians and not only did they not conform to earn money and remained independent and true to themselves a huge amount of successful acts said that as well as being influenced by them they were changed and never looked at life in the same way ever again!!! Even John said that before the pistols were even thought of he went to a hawkwind gig and took LSD and hey presto!!! The sex pistols were conceived! I believe that they are one of the very few bands that John admires and I think that he liked the way that they were so unpredictable and never gave a toss so you can see why he related to some, not all!, but some of their music!....50 yes 50 years on and they have just released I think about their 40th album!!!! not bad for a bunch of hippies!!!! 🤣🤣👏👏👏🇬🇧❤️🇬🇧❤️💪
Call them hippies, freaks or whatever, Hawkwind have always stood outside everything and were part of the counterculture, which continued on into punk. Lyndon was also a fan of reggae (a lot of punks were) and Van der Graaf Generator, another band who stood alone despite being lumped in with prog.
Being brutally honest was, and should still be, regarded as a positive character trait. Has anyone apologized to the man about the Saville incident? No one cares who “invented” punk, it just is and can’t be owned.
Great video, thanx for that! People judge other people without knowing them. I was lucky enough to meet and talk to him for hours backstage after the most recent PIL show in Cologne a couple of weeks ago. He was so likeable, funny, respectful and completely down to earth. You couldn't dislike him even if you tried to.
Johnny is the best...I remember Never Mind the Bollocks, came in at a very sterile time in music. (Offspring and Limp Biskit are not worthy of a mention here).
John is the genuine article. I praise him every time I see him on anything. In a world full of bullshit, he is a shining beacon of truth, light and kindness. Whoever thought we would be saying that of Johnny Rotten all the way in 2024? ....he's so smart. RIP Nora. She was a truly remarkable woman. We love you John. Be well. We need you in this world every day.
Except he might have been a little less coy with the Jimmy Savile innuendo in '78 though, couldn't he? I mean years later, he wants credit for saying with a wink, wink, nudge, nudge, "we've all heard the rumors". He could have said *_EXACTLY_* what he'd heard and been true to his punk principles. Or maybe he had a career to think about.
I remember bein ten years old at Zenith Music in Perth looking at a Sex Pistols book and i thought it was the naughtiest, most intriguing thing i had ever laid my eyes on. My brother got me into Never mind The Bollocks and I was hooked. Can't believe they only had one album. All songs were classics
This man is a living legend. He's always been intelligent when people were trying to tell everyone that Punks were idiots, and simply violent. People have tried to take him down, body shame him, ridicule him for his other musical pursuits, but none of them that ever took him for a fool survived the ridicule themselves.
I really respect he loved his wife so much, stayed with her in her darkest moments. Today people just walk away they have no idea what true love is. I lost my wife in 2018, i miss her every day. Sometimess he comes in my dreams. She came to me last night. but i admire him for his commitment and his love
So like John , intelligent , compassionate man . Could listen to him for hours , so sad for the loss of his wife , he bore it so well . She would be proud of him . Would love to have a one to one with him , his love of all music is similar to mine . Go Johnny , we love you . Thanks' for all the great music , past and present .
The man was and is right about so much it's staggering! He was always my favourite of the punk performers because of his shrewd, burning intelligence and insight into the way life was and is and his wit was always a joy. Frankly the other Pistols seemed quite thick in comparison and members of other bands must have envied them having him on vocals. I also admired his ability to move on after the Pistols imploded but tried to carry on without him. PIL was such an interesting development after, his distinctive vocal style adapting to a new-sounding band effortlessly. Even reuniting the Pistols in later years was validated by his presence because it just wouldn't have been "right" without him. He is a legend and one of the all-time greatest music business characters. 🙂💟
In the beginning, starting at 0:29 or 0:30, is a family picture of John and his brothers. Being the eldest brother, his picture is naturally the one on the far right, the tallest one. The one that the video focuses on is his younger brother.
Thanks for this fair portrait of a man I admire and respect. I feel lucky to have seen the Sex Pistols and Early PIL live. His intelligence is and humanity is undeniable.
I was never a fan of punk music the first time around, but there's no doubt Lydon is a very interesting and intelligent man, with a brilliant take on events and people.
John was a big influence on me as a youth and he never let the side down. I'm grateful he stuck to his guns, he paid the price over time and people rarely acknowledge that. He always stuck by his people and never forgot where he came from. The only time I've ever heard a false note in his voice is when talking to Steve Jones, those two have never got on for long and I wished they had found a way to bury the hatchet in these later years for their own peace of mind. I suspect this will never happen though.
I used to love going out and seeing all the punks. The time spent on the denim and hair was amazing. I was always so jealous of such immaculate creations. Loved seeing the Goth kids in the 80s too. Even Cyber Goths later on *Sigh* kids these days spend so long trying to look so boring and exactly the same.
ikr? Before Hot Topic...we had to make our own stuff...it couldn't be bought and besides, we were too broke to buy it even if it was for sale. We bought bits in hobby stores and old military gear at surplus shops, then altered it with whatever we had handy, scribbled all over it and stitched on patches from shows, then wore it til it fell off us. Each outfit was personal, perhaps similar in theme, but absolutely unique to each of us. Our own 'coat of arms' for a clan of one. It's not so awful being past 50...I don't really mind it, but I do miss that era of personal creativity, and the sense of welcome that punk subculture seemed to have. There wasn't some high bar for entry...the music was what mattered, and if you like it, you were all good. The friends I made them have lasted my entire life...and made it a great one.
It shows how much you love your wife, Mr. Lydon, by devoting yourself 100% to her when she truly needed you. You have my respect on many levels but seeing as you stayed by her side shows a great deal of love, strength and patience. If only all husbands and wives would do show that much love towards each other the world might be a better place. Who founded Punk Rock? Well that's up for grabs but I'd say The MC5, The New York and Iggy Pop and The Stooges easily helped lay the ground work for it, and bands such as The Doors and Velvet Underground gave it its avant garde aspect. I'd even go as far as saying that some people see these bands as the first Punk Bands as they did what they wanted against the norms of "mainstream shit music". You don't have to like these bands at all, but they did help create the genre and inspire a lot of people. We also can't forget the band Death as they were an amazing early Punk band as well.
WHEN I WAS A KID I ABSOLUTELY LOVED PUNKS AND HOW THAYLOOKED AND THERE MUSIC AND FASHION THAY WHERE BRILLIANT, ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT IN EVERY WAY THERE FASHION THERE HAIR THERE MUSIC EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM LOOKED BRILLIANT AND COOL THERE WHOLE THING THAY HAD GOING ON 2AS THE BEST AND STILL IS, ✌🏻♥️♥️✌🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️👍🏻👍🏻
The basic thing with The Pistols is that they wrote great tunes and huge riffs. That’s what set them apart. In the same way as Black Sabbath. I loved them both.
Haha, I was just thinking of the time we were on the train to Glasgow to see Sabbath at the Apollo in '78 and loads of punks got on, we found out Sham 69 were playing in Glasgow too, half the train full of metal heads half of Punks.. I was shitting myself, they all looked fucking wild ..mind you I was only 14 😂😂😂
@@plejady I try too…lol. Mr Lydon always spoke his mind . If he was to ever speak to me, I would believe what he said , above any politician in the UK today. He could run for PM as at least he is honest.
I follow Punk since i was 12, so 1979, until today, meanwhile P.I.L. and now as John Lydon. He is a voice for the underdogs, the youth from the working class kids and now still for minorities!!! GOD SAVE JOHNNY LYDON!!!
He undoubtedly inspired the punk movement in England or Britain but America had already its own scene with roots in Iggy or MC5. I’m not sure of the timeline but was there a direct connection between his juke box jury Jimmy Savile comment & Branson packing him off to Jamaica ? In his biography he says it was to protect him from physical attacks from Royalist imbeciles but if Saviles’ evil influence was anything he’d surely been after John after that beauty on national telly. Or was that Savile comment actually transmitted ? When there’s so much wonderful post rock music available it blows my mind that old people still buy pink Floyd !
The Pistols made one album. A recording that is still as visceral as when it came out. Think about it, most bands have a catalogue. They had ONE album. That album shaped everything we hear now.