Billy Idol has spoken out on John Lydon‘s reaction to Sex Pistols enlisting Frank Carter as their new frontman.
The singer, who has played with Pistols’ Steve Jones and Paul Cook in supergroup Generation Sex, told Consequence: “Well I think it’s fantastic that Jonesy, Cookie, and Glen [Matlock] wanna play.
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“Johnny doesn’t wanna do it. He wants to do [his band] Public Image [Ltd], so I totally understand that. What’s wrong with them finding some guy that they really believe can deliver those songs?”
Idol continued: “I think it makes more sense than me doing it, ’cause I’m really Billy Idol already. I’m better off doing my own music. We’ve got this killer album. I won’t be out there just doing retread music. I’m gonna be doing some old stuff, but we’re gonna be doing a lot of new stuff on this tour.
“So for me, I’m really excited about what I’m doing and I’m excited for them that they’ve found someone that they feel can deliver those songs in the way they want them delivered.”
Speaking about Lydon’s thoughts on Carter being in the Sex Pistols line-up, he added: “And of course John’s gonna be pissed. He’s been like this for a while. At the same time, he’s into Public Image. That’s really what he wants to do, so I think we’re all in a good place, really.
“It’s just John’s always been super opinionated and rightly so, probably. He’s never held back what he truly thinks. So, yeah, it doesn’t bother me. I love him and everything, but I know where I’m going with my music and I’m happy with what I’m doing.”
Idol’s comments come after Lydon recently said he would “never” rejoin Sex Pistols. He also called the revamped group “woke” and hit out at their “dirty deeds”.
“They’ve killed the content, or done their best to, and turned the whole thing into a rubbish, childishness, and that’s unacceptable,” Lydon explained.
“Sorry, I’m not going to give a helping hand to this any longer, as far as I am concerned, I am the Pistols, and they’re not.”
Earlier this year, Lydon claimed in an interview with NME that his estranged Pistols bandmates hadn’t reached out following his wife’s death. “They’re dead to me,” he said. “They’re poison.”
The PiL singer also shared his thoughts on Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook, and their decision to hit the road with Carter acting as frontman.
“It’s almost malicious in its intent,” he told NME. And it’s karaoke – that’s all it will ever be. Bloody hell, the Three Stooges in that band have had how many years to write some new songs? That’s what I’d like to hear.”
When speaking specifically about Carter stepping into his former role, Lydon said: “The poor sausage! Does he know what he’s walked into? Good on him, what a great fucking opportunity, but there’s something darker going on behind it.”
- READ MORE: Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones tells us about Teenage Cancer Trust gigs and scrapped Alex Turner writing session
Around the same time, guitarist Jones claimed that it “wasn’t even worth asking” Lydon to participate in the band’s reunion shows.
He explained that he and his bandmates hadn’t spoken to Lydon in 17 years. Their relationship suffered further after the former frontman lost a court battle over the use of Sex Pistols’ music in Danny Boyle’s 2022 biographical mini-series, Pistol.
Sex Pistols returned last year with Carter, of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Gallows, replacing Lydon. They played three small gigs at Bush Hall in London before embarking on an autumn UK tour.
Last month, they delivered an explosive headline performance at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall as part of this year’s Teenage Cancer Trust concert series. This followed a tiny warm-up gig at the 100 Club in the capital, where Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller were spotted in the crowd.
They’ll take to the stage at Download Festival 2025 in the summer, ahead of a North American tour in the autumn.
