John Lydon isn’t holding back his feelings about the Sex Pistols reuniting without him. The punk icon, better known as Johnny Rotten, made it clear he’s not happy about the band’s upcoming tour, which will feature Frank Carter as the new frontman.
Lydon told The I Paper:
“When I first heard that the Sex Pistols were touring this year without me it pissed me off.
“It annoyed me. I just thought, ‘They’re absolutely going to kill all that was good with the Pistols by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all.’”
The band, featuring classic members Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock, has lined up shows for 2025, including festival dates and gigs opening for Guns N’ Roses. But in Lydon’s eyes, this reunion isn’t about the music—it’s about the money.
‘It’s Just Karaoke’
Lydon didn’t stop there. He accused his former bandmates of turning the Sex Pistols into a soulless act, stripping away the rebellious spirit that made them legendary. He said:
“They’re trying to trivialize the whole show to get away with karaoke but in the long term I think you’ll see who has the value and who doesn’t.
“I’ve never sold my soul to make a dollar. It’s the Catholic in me – that guilt I don’t want to trip.”
He’s especially frustrated that they’ve done this before—most recently with Billy Idol in a short-lived supergroup called Generation Sex, which played a handful of shows in 2023.
‘I Wrote the F—ing Songs’
In another interview with Classic Album Review, Lydon doubled down on his criticism, making it clear that he sees himself as the heart and soul of the Sex Pistols. He said:
“I wrote the fucking songs, didn’t I? I gave them the image. I was the frontman.
“I am the voice, what made the whole world sing. And now you’re going out, as they did the year before with Billy Idol. It’s just karaoke, really.”
With or without Lydon, the Sex Pistols are pressing forward with their plans. But one thing’s for sure—he won’t be cheering them on from the sidelines.