John Lidon Talks About Sex Pistols Tour
John Lidon branded a tour of Sex Pistols with Frank Carter as karaoke during a new interview with NME.
- Read more: Steve Jones “Sex Pistols” tells us about Teenage Cancer Trust concerts and refused the letter of Alex Turner
Reflections on the Music Industry
The former frontman of Public Image Ltd, Lidon, spoke during this week’s Rock -N -Roll Kills BrainCells?! interview, reflecting on his experiences in the music industry and sharing some of his most memorable moments.
When discussing his former bandmates, Glen Matlock, Paul Cook, and Steve Jones, and their decision to tour with Frank Carter as the frontman, Lidon remarked, “Poor sausage! Does he know what he entered? Well, what a great opportunity, but something is darker behind it.”
“This is almost malicious in your intentions. And this is karaoke – this is all that will be. Bloody hell, have three puppets in this group. How old was to write several new songs? This is what I would like to hear,” he added.
Carter’s Perspective
When Lidon was asked if he managed to catch the group performing – either at their intimate exhibitions in Bush Hall or the subsequent UK tour – he admitted he had not, expressing his cautious optimism about their previous performances with Billy Idol.
“No, but Mr. Carter should follow in the footsteps of Billy Idol, isn’t it?” he recalled, noting how the members of Generation X joined forces with Jones and Cook to form the influential punk group. “Poor Billy! I saw a few clips on YouTube, and he is suffocating for air – he cannot sing my songs! (Laughs) ‘There are no feelings’ – a great separator.”
Check again NME for the full Rock -N -Roll Kills BrainCells?! interview.
This isn’t the first time Lidon has criticized the recent efforts of his former bandmates. In a previous interview with Classic Album Review podcast, he accused them of “eliminating the target” without including him in recent tours and announcements.
“I wrote fucking songs, right? I gave them an image. I was the frontman. I am the voice that made the whole world sing,” he remarked (via Billboard). “They confess their hatred of me, but they cannot live without me. I am the punishment that gives.”
Regarding their decision to return with Carter, Lidon reflected, “I just thought: ‘They will absolutely kill everything that was good with Pistols, eliminating the point of view and the purpose of all this.’”
With Carter on board, he expressed excitement about the upcoming tour, sharing that he wanted to give his all during the performances. “I promise you one thing, after me there will be nothing left from these shows. I am going to leave every ounce on this stage, because this is what the recording deserves,” he stated.
Glen Matlock later acknowledged that Carter was a fitting choice for the new frontman, highlighting the energy he brings. “He is younger, for starters. He has much more energy than people of our age. He is in the crowd; he is a cool act,” Matlock remarked.
“But is the world ready for a new entry about Sex Pistols? I don’t know. I like what John (Lidon) said in ‘96 during the group’s dirty tour reformation. This journalist asked: ‘Are you going to make a new entry?’ John replied: ‘Why? What is wrong with the old?’”
Last month, guitarist Steve Jones spoke with NME about the upcoming show for Teenage Cancer Trust, expressing surprise at the lack of negative feedback regarding the new singer.
“You think that you will get a negative response doing this (without Lidon), but I am surprised. There was no backlash,” he noted.
In addition to the upcoming Teenage Cancer Trust concert, the Sex Pistols and Frank Carter will be touring the US and releasing three albums titled “Live in the US 1978.”
Meanwhile, Lidon is preparing for the British tour with his group Public Image Ltd (PIL) later this year, having last hit the road in 2023 with their album, End of World.
Lidon hinted at the possibility of not touring again following the sudden loss of his lifelong friend and manager, “Rambo” Stevens, in 2023. However, the support from fans during his conversations in 2024 encouraged him to reconsider.
In November, PIL announced their tour titled “This is Not the Last Tour” and added four more dates in December. Visit tickets here.
Most recently, the group revealed plans to release an alternative version of their debut album “First Issue” for Record Store Day 2025.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/john-lydon-calls-sex-pistols-and-frank-carter-tour-karaoke-and-almost-malicious-in-its-intent-3839384?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=john-lydon-calls-sex-pistols-and-frank-carter-tour-karaoke-and-almost-malicious-in-its-intent
