July 14, 2003

ANARCHY FOR THE IRAQIS

John Lydon is becoming goofy in his old age:

British punk band the Sex Pistols want to bring their particular brand of anarchy to Iraq, vowing to play a live concert in Baghdad with the message that democracy has its pitfalls.

Lydon said the Sex Pistols, who famously touted anarchy in the UK in the late 1970s, said the Iraqi people should be made to understand the downside of democracy.

"If you are going to offer these people democracy, then offer it to them in their fullest extreme so they fully know what they're walking into," he said.

It used to be about the music, man.

Posted by Tim Blair at July 14, 2003 11:09 AM
Comments

Poor Johnny never really understood that the whole thing was satire - a put-up by Malcom McLaren. The silly bugger thought he had something to say. Didn't even get the hint when he was replaced by Ronnie Biggs.

It's a case of "Don't know what to say but I know how to say it".

Posted by: The at July 14, 2003 at 11:16 AM

"It used to be about the music, man."

With the Sex Pistols, it was NEVER about the music. Have you HEARD it recently? Buncha folks who can't play their instruments, led by a vocalist who couldn't sing.

Posted by: Wonderduck at July 14, 2003 at 01:20 PM

Philistines, please give more credit to the Pistols. And Johnny Rotten in particular. He's a smart, incisive guy; and Never Mind The Bollocks is just a masterpiece, up there with Bruckner's symphonies, Bach's cantatas or Wagner's operas.
Now, that Zappa is long gone, he's the only rock musician with fully functional brains.
Kalman

Posted by: Kalman at July 14, 2003 at 04:24 PM

better check yerself into rehab kalman, cuz you gotta be on something.

Posted by: Brad at July 14, 2003 at 05:01 PM

Back off Brad!!! I haven't found Kalman's stash yet...ah ha.........................................ooohhhwwwwaa pretty colours.......flergle frergle....

Posted by: Jake D at July 14, 2003 at 05:13 PM

As a musically minded person, I found the Sex Pistols execrable. However, John Lydon is a very sly and funny guy. He is taking the piss, something he is really good at. Indeed, far from being conned by the sad McLaren, I reckon John was way ahead of him.

Posted by: Dave F at July 14, 2003 at 09:20 PM

The pitfalls of democracy as opposed to the ... benefits ... of .... dictatorships?

Sorry, having a hard time processing that one.

Poor Johnny. Fuck that, poor me - one more idol turns out to have feet of clay.

Damn.

Posted by: rick mcginnis at July 15, 2003 at 11:22 AM

"John was way ahead of him".

Not the case. The whole manufactured Sex Pistols thing was fun as a package, but Lyndon missed the point. Check his (later) embarrasingly shallow work with the pretentious Public Image Limited. With SP, he might have been The Look, but he wasn't The Brains.

Can't blame him though. What other options are there for an art school dropout lacking in creative ability and limited social skills?

Posted by: The at July 15, 2003 at 01:59 PM

"Anarchy in the UK, NOT in Baghdad!"

(from a faux anti-war poster posted on Instapundit in April. Looks like Lydon took the message seriously).

Posted by: Sean at July 15, 2003 at 02:14 PM