Former Sex Pistols frontman says there’s no more ‘lawlessness in the UK’
The former Sex Pistols frontman no longer espouses the anti-establishment message of the British punk rock band’s signature hit ‘Anarchy in the UK’.
In a June 1 essay for The Times of London, Johnny Rotten, who now goes by his legal name John Lydon, denounced lyrics he once shouted during performances.
“Anarchy is a terrible idea,” wrote Mr Lydon, now 66.
The singer criticized anarchist websites for promoting anti-authoritarian messages “in designer Dr. Martens, smart little backpacks and well-made balaclavas.”
Mr Lydon, who formed the Platinum Sellers Group with the late Sid Vicious and others in 1975, also said he had ‘no animosity against anyone in the Royal Family’ despite his opposition to funding the monarchy with tax money.
“God bless the Queen,” he wrote in the essay, printed in time for Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee celebrations. “She puts up with a lot.
The Sex Pistols’ single “God Save the Queen” was banned from playlists across the UK when it was released for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. A limited reissue for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee queen this year quickly sold out.