John(ny Rotten) Lydon blasts 'atrocious' racism claims

[The Seeker of Good Songs]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/wenn/20080729/ten-livid-lydon-blasts-atrocious-racism-c60bd6d.html

Punk legend John Lydon has warned he is willing to sue anyone who accuses him of racism after lashing out in a highly charged TV interview.

The Sex Pistols frontman slammed allegations he was involved in two separate controversial incidents earlier this month.

Last week, Bloc Party singer Kele Okereke claimed he was involved in a scuffle with Lydon and his entourage backstage at a festival in Spain after a racist insult was hurled.

And on Saturday, The Sun newspaper alleged Lydon had been heard singing a derogatory song about Arabs during a boozy session at a South London bar.

But the singer - known as Johnny Rotten in his punk heyday - has angrily denied the claims, branding them "atrocious".

In an interview with BBC's The One Show on Monday, Lydon fumed, "There has been a hell of a lot of freedom of the press, shall we say, where they have run wild, atrocious, really, really hurtful stories.

"My grandchildren are Jamaican. Right? Now this is an absolute offence to them and me, when you read stories like that that are allowed to go to print - absolutely unfounded - and have the liberty to take liberties with a man like me, and call me racist when my entire life has proved exactly the opposite."

When host Adrian Chiles then asked, "So you're not a racist then?", Lydon furiously replied, "Absolutely not. And any bugger (person) that dares say so is going to have their day in court with me. You understand this?"


The show [July 28 - The One Show] is also now available to view via the BBC iPlayer service.

 

[Jukebox Jury]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/wenn/20080729/ten-livid-lydon-blasts-atrocious-racism-c60bd6d.html

Punk legend John Lydon has warned he is willing to sue anyone who accuses him of racism after lashing out in a highly charged TV interview.

The Sex Pistols frontman slammed allegations he was involved in two separate controversial incidents earlier this month.

Last week, Bloc Party singer Kele Okereke claimed he was involved in a scuffle with Lydon and his entourage backstage at a festival in Spain after a racist insult was hurled.

And on Saturday, The Sun newspaper alleged Lydon had been heard singing a derogatory song about Arabs during a boozy session at a South London bar.

But the singer - known as Johnny Rotten in his punk heyday - has angrily denied the claims, branding them "atrocious".

In an interview with BBC's The One Show on Monday, Lydon fumed, "There has been a hell of a lot of freedom of the press, shall we say, where they have run wild, atrocious, really, really hurtful stories.

"My grandchildren are Jamaican. Right? Now this is an absolute offence to them and me, when you read stories like that that are allowed to go to print - absolutely unfounded - and have the liberty to take liberties with a man like me, and call me racist when my entire life has proved exactly the opposite."

When host Adrian Chiles then asked, "So you're not a racist then?", Lydon furiously replied, "Absolutely not. And any bugger (person) that dares say so is going to have their day in court with me. You understand this?"


The show [July 28 - The One Show] is also now available to view via the BBC iPlayer service.

Without having seen the programme, the mere mention of Lydon being a racist seemed laughable to me. This is the man who spent a lot of his punk times going to reggae clubs and got bands like The Clash / Generation X to get into dub mixes and hanging out with Don Letts and other 'Rastas'.

Complete bullshit.

Jukebox Jury

 

[Flax]

Yes. This is pathetic.
Johnny spent a lot of time in Jamaica and he's friends with many many reggae artists. His time in Jamaica is even featured in a Reggae documentary.

 

[Coiffeur_En_Flame]

Without having seen the programme, the mere mention of Lydon being a racist seemed laughable to me. This is the man who spent a lot of his punk times going to reggae clubs and got bands like The Clash / Generation X to get into dub mixes and hanging out with Don Letts and other 'Rastas'.

Complete bullshit.

Yes. This is pathetic.
Johnny spent a lot of time in Jamaica and he's friends with many many reggae artists. His time in Jamaica is even featured in a Reggae documentary.

Right, so because he hung out with some Jamaicans 30 years ago, he's now granted a free pass on all claims of racism? Please. Lest we forget this is a man who, in his desperate need for public attention, lowered himself to the depths of trashy reality TV. I would not be surprised if this was another such attempt, not least due to the fact that anti-Arab sentiment is now the most acceptable form of racism.

Coiff.

 

[++++++]

I'd heard about the alleged confrontation between him and the Bloc Party lead singer. Apparently, he was asking Lydon about the possibility of a PiL reunion (which is something I've been very curious about myself) and it escalated from there. I certainly hope it's untrue- there's a lot of apt labels for the man, but racist just doesn't fit.

 

[spleenhead]

To be honest, from what I've read, I can believe that this is true. Johnny, in several recent interviews I've heard, can be unreasonably confrontational and this sounds like something he would say. I think the man's a legend, and he still has a great deal to say, but it's amazing how a man can be so right and also be so wrong at the same time. I don't think he's a racist, he just doesn't think about what the hell he says.

 

[Dave]

Right, so because he hung out with some Jamaicans 30 years ago, he's now granted a free pass on all claims of racism? Please. Lest we forget this is a man who, in his desperate need for public attention, lowered himself to the depths of trashy reality TV. I would not be surprised if this was another such attempt, not least due to the fact that anti-Arab sentiment is now the most acceptable form of racism.

Coiff.

You start out making sense, with your "30 years ago" thing, but then you drive it in the ditch with your bigoted attitude towards reality television. shame on you.

 

[Worm]

You start out making sense, with your "30 years ago" thing, but then you drive it in the ditch with your bigoted attitude towards reality television. shame on you.

"Trashy depths of reality TV" and you'd have a point. "Trashy reality TV" implies there is good reality TV. - Ed.

 

[Dave]

Possibly.

I think that the real problem with this whole "Johnny Rotten said..." argument is that Johnny Rotten has certainly said a few things that were designed to enrage or shock, and I don't think he believes everything he says.

I loved it when they asked him about Elvis, right after Elvis died and he said "Good riddance to bad rubbish" but I thought his remark was aimed more at those that were involved in the star worship of Elvis than of Elvis himself.

About the song, "Bodies", I'm pretty sure that his attitude was exaggerated for effect.

While I don't think that he is a racist, I think that he's capable of saying whatever was the thing to say that would most antagonize the situation. However, I could be wrong, I wasn't there and have no idea what really happened. Certainly I mean no disrespect to Johnny Rotten. I just think that the argument we're having here is too simple.

 

[The Seeker of Good Songs]

the BBC clip has been added to Johnny's you tube account.

the video:

 

[Coiffeur_En_Flame]

To say that the Sex Pistols play to "multi-racial" audiences is certainly stretching the truth. I suppose Morrissey's fanbase is also "predominantly non-caucasian"...


Coiff.

 

[fuckfrankie]

"Absolutely not. And any bugger (person) that dares say so is going to have their day in court with me. You understand this?"

that is so punk rawk!

 

[nogodsnomasters85]

Any allegations of racism on the part of Johnny Rotten are spurious and COMPLETELY unfounded. Horseshit, plain and simple. He has a right to be angry. John lydon may be many things, but he will never be, and never has been a racist.

 

[Flax]

To say that the Sex Pistols play to "multi-racial" audiences is certainly stretching the truth. I suppose Morrissey's fanbase is also "predominantly non-caucasian"...


Coiff.

I don't know about today but in the late 70's, yes. The punk rock scene was very multi racial in England.

Punk rock was heavily influenced by reggae. And that's why 2 Tone and the second wave of skinheads happened. Remember: Skinheads + England + 70's = Reggae people + Doc Martens + football + beer.

The same people who were going to the reggae parties were going to the punk shows and going to the 2 Tone shows.

And by the way, he didn't just "hang out with Jamaicans 30 years ago". He went to Jamaica on a regular basis and he is obviously known to be a reggae fan.

You can call him anything... anything but racist.

But don't ask me.... ask his friends... someone like maybe... Don Letts?