Elvis: Johnny Rotten still has what to say

Posted by Yosef
16 August '10
H/T to Jennifer Rubin

In the U.K. Independent last month can be found a very sharp interview with John Lydon, aka "Johnny Rotten". Besides his exceptional musical talent, there has always been his caustic wit, or just plain caustic. Towards the end of the interview the following issue arose:

What I do know, having hung out with him for an afternoon, is that he's still always spoiling for a fight. As we're about to say our goodbyes, he pulls a sheaf of faxes out of his pocket. They are complaints, e-mailed to his manager, John "Rambo" Stevens, who lives in Arkansas, complaining that PiL will shortly be performing in Israel. One, from a fan called Lawrence Casin, declares: "I will destroy all my albums and paraphernalia that I have collected over the years if you bastards play that hell hole."

Most musicians, particularly those who have been around for 30 years, wouldn't let hate mail upset them. They probably wouldn't even read it. But John's anger is genuine. He wants me to record it, for posterity. "I really resent the presumption that I'm going there to play to right-wing Nazi jews," he tells me. "If Elvis-f--king-Costello wants to pull out of a gig in Israel because he's suddenly got this compassion for Palestinians, then good on him. But I have absolutely one rule, right? Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won't understand how anyone can have a problem with how they're treated."

That's our Johnny Rotten.

Whatever issues others may have with him, he gets my vote on this one!

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