The Relevance of John Lydon

Is there any?

I liked the Sex Pistols - a lot

And I thought PiL had a handful of passable songs, though with less frequency as time went by

But all of this was well over 20 years ago!

Malcolm McLaren was much more influential and relevant than Lydon ever was..... He was the embodiment of what another MM - Marshall McLuhan -taught much earlier: the medium is the message.
McLaren created a band out of some pimply untalented disaffected knobs, pretended they were musicians for a while, managed/staged all their moments in front of the cameras,and sold their look/attitude fairly effectively. It all eneded in tears over somehting wee Johny said did not matter- money. As usual.

But McLaren has had many imitators who combine limited talent with a flair for self promotion, and of course the Americans perfected it. All the boy bands, Paris Hilton, Britney and her spawn, and of course the Queen of it all: Madonna.

Hats off to Malcolm from marketing students eeverywhere.

Relevance ?

Just a bloke who made money through music and public appearances. Pretty much the same as anybody else in the industry.

So, what does JL do with his time these days?

And from where does he derive his income?

Isn't he appearing on reality TV these days?
Still sticking it to The Man.

That, and Judge Judy

But that's, like, two TV appearances in about 10 years

ppppffffffffffftttttttt

I'm going to a festival where the Sex Pistols are playing at the end of this month, think I'll give them a wide berth. No relevance for me.

That's the problem with nihilism, innit.
Looks great when you're young; later, not so much.

Very true, Widespread

Johnny Rotten circa 1978 was angry & challenging

John Lydon circa 2008 is just a cantakerous old fart

I don't think he was spoilt, but he was certainly obnoxious

If either of you were older than 10 years of age (the official age at which one can even begin to have a clue about music) in 1978, I'll be gobsmacked.

I was born in 1963

Now, move closer, Widespread

I can't smack your gob from here

Yeah, let's all get ANGRY ! That'll make us really cool .... !

Mr. O, I stand corrected. That would make you about 15 back then, and I can easily see the Sex Pistols would resonate with teenage alienation and hormonal turbulence.

Far better than Pink Floyd or The Eagles did, Widespread

Yeah, I was born 1962. I loved Floyd and loved/hated The Eagles, but I have to confess that I just learned Hotel California on my ukulele.

Dm A
C G
Bb F
Gm A

Bb F
Gm Dm7
Bb F
Gm A

'nuff said.

Damn, was I stoned last night, or what.
Even I can't make sense out of that shite.

Johnny Rotten circa 1978 was angry & challenging

John Lydon circa 2008 is just a cantakerous old fart

Seems perfectly relevant to me

You spent Saturday night smoking pot and playing The Eagles on a ukelele?

I saw him interviewed awhile back. I think he's living comfortably in California and chain smoking Marlboros. Embracing the good life and living the dream that Malcolm insisted he rail against all those years ago.

You spent Saturday night smoking pot and playing The Eagles on a ukelele?

I spend every night smoking pot and playing . . . something.

I'm sorry, I'm a bad bad consumer.
I would rather produce my own music, drugs and produce than simply consume whatever the corporate media are currently selling.

If that resonates with anyone in any way, I highly recommend Tom Hodgkinson's Freedom Manifesto.

Does Tom Hodgkinson stick it hard to The Man?

My eyes just did.

Wat waz dat! Dis iz not a shawade! We need total concentwation!
-- Fist Full Of Yen

good answer in 25 Widespread,but fortunately vaginal odour is not a problem with me.

I know, but I didn't want to bring anal warts into the discussion.