John Lidon on Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga
John Lidon stated to NME that he finds Taylor Swift “incredibly boring,” and he expressed that he “does not like Lady Gaga as a man.”
- READ MORE: John Lidon: “Daft Punk wanted to work with me some time ago, but I did not feel the atmosphere”
Reflections on the Music Industry
The former frontman of the Sex Pistols and founder of Public Image Ltd. spoke during the release of this week’s Rock -N -Roll Kills Brain Cells?!, reflecting on his time in the music industry and sharing his most memorable moments.
When asked if he keeps up with modern punk bands like Idles, Fontaines DC, or Bob Vylan, he replied that he is “not so much” involved, stating, “I am not responsible for the need to check them all.”
This prompted further queries about his earlier defense of Lady Gaga. He noted: “Lady Gaga was a mass and textured presentation—a very Bowie-esque pop music experience. But what she has become feels bizarre. She has starred in films, and I do not like her as a person. I do not believe she projects anything healthy. I do not feel her soul. I do not connect with her heart. It feels shameful. She needs another side to her.”
He then commented on Taylor Swift’s immense popularity, stating, “She is incredibly boring. In America, there is a whole narrative surrounding this type of pop singer: the teenage phenomenon. What she has experienced is complicated, and being trapped doesn’t mean annoying her fan base—oh, how tragic!”
“No, it’s just silly. She has nowhere to go, so she entered the swishy ballroom gold scene. She’ll end up one of those artists performing in Vegas, as that’s the only option left, and that is no future at all, right?”
In another part of the interview, Lidon referred to the Sex Pistols’ reunion tour with Frank Carter as karaoke. “Poor guy!” he remarked, directing attention at Carter. “Does he realize what he’s in for? It’s a great opportunity, but there’s something darker beneath it.”
“It almost feels malicious in intent. And it’s karaoke—that’s all it will be. Bloody hell, what’s with having three puppets in this band who could barely write a few new songs? That’s what I’d like to hear.”
Lidon also shared that Daft Punk once invited him to work in the studio, but he declined, stating he “did not feel the atmosphere.” He added, “It felt too much like a studio experience—a trick. Nothing compares to the fun of working with offbeat artists like ‘Open’—whom I adore. They (DAFT PUNK) were serious individuals trying to create techno. I’m not the only one who finds wearing helmets as an achievement bizarre! (Laughs)”
Lidon mentioned to NME that the upcoming tour titled “This is not the last tour” and the “raucous” new music his group is working on are helping him cope with his loss, following the passing of his 44-year-old wife, Nora Forster, due to Alzheimer’s in April 2023.
“I need to leave the house,” he continued. “I’ve endured enough migration, which you can’t evade, even if you tell yourself, ‘No, be strong.’ You can’t halt sadness when it comes, but I’ve had enough.”
Reflecting on how events shape new material, he stated: “Sadness is energy”—paraphrasing the cult classic track from 1986, “Rise.” “It can be harnessed, or it can consume you. The latter is not appealing to me, so I choose another path.”
PIL will embark on a full tour of the UK and Ireland this May. Get tickets here for more information. The band has recently announced plans to release a “long-lost” alternative mix of “The First Edition” for “Given the Lost” on Record Store Day.
Lidon will also kick off a live Q&A tour titled I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right. For additional details, visit here.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/john-lydon-says-taylor-swift-is-incredibly-dull-and-he-doesnt-like-lady-gaga-as-a-human-being-3840349?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=john-lydon-says-taylor-swift-is-incredibly-dull-and-he-doesnt-like-lady-gaga-as-a-human-being
