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16th out of 718 books
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487 voters
Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs
"I have no time for lies and fantasy, and neither should you. Enjoy or die..." --John Lydon
Punk has been romanticized and embalmed in various media. An English class revolt that became a worldwide fashion statement, punk's idols were the Sex Pistols, and its sneering hero was Johnny Rotten.
Seventeen years later, John Lydon looks back at himself, the Sex Pistols, and the "n...more
Punk has been romanticized and embalmed in various media. An English class revolt that became a worldwide fashion statement, punk's idols were the Sex Pistols, and its sneering hero was Johnny Rotten.
Seventeen years later, John Lydon looks back at himself, the Sex Pistols, and the "n...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
February 15th 1995
by Picador
(first published March 1994)
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2nd out of 135 books
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41 voters
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Any Old Way You Like It
There are three musicians (with respect to whom).. sorry, I'll start again..
John Lennon, John Lydon, Noel Gallagher... I would listen to everything they ever said and read everything they ever wrote, if only I could get my hands on it.
My, What a Big Sex Pistol You Have
People were scared of the Sex Pistols and terrified of what they might do to the music industry.
This is Rotten to the core.
More, Please
We need something like this to put the wind up us again.
We need more peo...more
There are three musicians (with respect to whom).. sorry, I'll start again..
John Lennon, John Lydon, Noel Gallagher... I would listen to everything they ever said and read everything they ever wrote, if only I could get my hands on it.
My, What a Big Sex Pistol You Have
People were scared of the Sex Pistols and terrified of what they might do to the music industry.
This is Rotten to the core.
More, Please
We need something like this to put the wind up us again.
We need more peo...more
Jan 19, 2013
J
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
music-bios,
social-commentary
My initial introduction to The Sex Pistols came about by way of a Rolling Stone TV special on rock music. I must have heard The Sex Pistols previously, but there was something about seeing them perform “Anarchy In The U. K.” that cemented this band as something I desperately needed to check out. It was late but I convinced my folks to take me to the record store so I could buy Never Mind The Bollocks.
Oddly enough, I also purchased the first Montrose LP on that trip. I guess the sound of a guitar...more
Oddly enough, I also purchased the first Montrose LP on that trip. I guess the sound of a guitar...more
I bought this about 6 years ago when I was a young impressionable 15 year old. I read it like the bible. I was never really into the punk scene, but it FASCINATED me. I began to show up my punker friends with my Sex Pistol knowledge. And it really helped me figure out a lot of things. I began to carry this book wherever I went. It had notes upon notes in it, underlines, circles, everything! I studied this book more than any of my textbooks. Unfortunately I gave it to a friend to read and her mot...more
This is as honest as you'll get from John Lydon, no conning, no overdone punk rock grandstanding. Lydon talks about his spinal meningitis, his friends aka gang "The Johns" (incl. John "Sid Vicious" Richie) and Siouxie Sioux's delight in owning home appliances. Funny and sad and honest all the way.
Who knew Lydon was such a good writer?
-Anyone who´s listened to his songs.
I have a few questions; how can the difference between holding individuality as the highest goal fit with the seemingly contradictory purpose of making music and fashion that is understandable to everyone, spanning through the range of economic and social classes?
And all the music that does that, these days anyway, is Pop or Top 20 Hip-Hop, boasting individual stars as benign as flowers, and challenging the status-quo ab...more
-Anyone who´s listened to his songs.
I have a few questions; how can the difference between holding individuality as the highest goal fit with the seemingly contradictory purpose of making music and fashion that is understandable to everyone, spanning through the range of economic and social classes?
And all the music that does that, these days anyway, is Pop or Top 20 Hip-Hop, boasting individual stars as benign as flowers, and challenging the status-quo ab...more
One of the funniest autobiographies I've ever read(and I read a lot of music bios). I am not a Sex Pistols fan, by far, but Lydon is an intriguing presence, both in the music arena and beyond. I was sick in bed with the death flu when I started reading it, and I was laughing so hard it made my chest hurt(no small feat as this flu turned into bronchitis!). He may not be the most musically gifted person on the planet, but you can tell by the writing and the opinions expressed on many subjects, tha...more
This book is utterly fantastic.
I read this when I was 15 and was obsessed, not with the Sex Pistols but John Lydon as a person, his views and how he lives his life.
With the help of many of his musician friends (NAMELY Chrissy Hynde who was everywhere from 1970-1990), he tells his life story from growing up in Finsbury Park to PIL, up to it's publishing in 1994.
I think the main point to make is that this is not another "totez punk" autobiography, John Lydon is far more intelligent and anarchic...more
I read this when I was 15 and was obsessed, not with the Sex Pistols but John Lydon as a person, his views and how he lives his life.
With the help of many of his musician friends (NAMELY Chrissy Hynde who was everywhere from 1970-1990), he tells his life story from growing up in Finsbury Park to PIL, up to it's publishing in 1994.
I think the main point to make is that this is not another "totez punk" autobiography, John Lydon is far more intelligent and anarchic...more
First off, I have to admit that Lydon is right at the top of the list of people who have influenced me and who I hold in the highest regard.
This book is entertaining, intelligent, and honest. Lydon is a guy who can laugh at himself. He is also a good storyteller; he has the classic Celtic style courtesy of his Irish roots.
So many artists from this era are dead and gone, if only one could survive to be the official voice of the first punk wave, I am glad it is John Lydon.
Funny how a very small th...more
This book is entertaining, intelligent, and honest. Lydon is a guy who can laugh at himself. He is also a good storyteller; he has the classic Celtic style courtesy of his Irish roots.
So many artists from this era are dead and gone, if only one could survive to be the official voice of the first punk wave, I am glad it is John Lydon.
Funny how a very small th...more
I thought I'd read more of a true autobiography, but this book makes almost no mention of John Lydon's work post-Sex Pistols. It's not as though he's been sitting around. Take this morsel of goodness for example. The period it does cover it covers in depth. There is an honesty to it as well with the way he invited a couple dozen or so other people who were there to add their not always flattering impressions. Not covered in any great depth is the Sex Pistols show in San Antonio on January 8, 197...more
I'm enjoying the hell out of this. I'm sort of Sex Pistols obsessive, in a way, so it's no surprise. Lydon really is a sharp, original thinker, even though he doesn't get enough credit as such. It's always interesting to read something that tries to tell the "truth" about things and set the story straight, so-to-speak, because even if you have two people in the room at the same time the "truth" varies according to each of their perceptions. I have absolutely no doubt that he's being honest and b...more
Apr 23, 2008
James Lundy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who are intrigued by the advent of punk rock
History is written by the winners and as such is always one sided. Refreshingly, though, there are enough first hand narratives in this book from numerous people both friends with and not friendly with Johnny Rotten who were there when punk rock was born to give a refreshing, enlightening, but sometimes conflicting and confusing account. As egotistical and difficult as John Lydon is, you have to give him credit for including chapters from people who describe him very unflatteringly. There is gre...more
'Rotten' is ostensibly John Lydon's autobiography, but in telling the story of his life he uses the opportunity to set the record straight about the Sex Pistols. I was a little disappointed to find that for this reason 'Rotten' doesn't cover any of his career post-Pistols. It's a candid, entertaining read, though, and offers a valuable first-hand account of the London punk scene.
The format of the book is sort of wacky, part meandering life story and part oral history. Lydon's bits are rife with...more
The format of the book is sort of wacky, part meandering life story and part oral history. Lydon's bits are rife with...more
Loved this book by a true punk rocker. Funny to see people saying that he mentioned himself too much. Really? It's an autobiography, wankers!
The book is extremely funny and I loved reading about Johnny as a child. I still think he is a great artist, he was born to be different. And if Sid would have stuck with Johnny and not get involved with that nasty Nancy, he would still be alive today. Johnny gets bonus points for hating Nancy.
The book is extremely funny and I loved reading about Johnny as a child. I still think he is a great artist, he was born to be different. And if Sid would have stuck with Johnny and not get involved with that nasty Nancy, he would still be alive today. Johnny gets bonus points for hating Nancy.
I loved the collaberative approach to this book by John Lydon. People who were familiar with or apart of the "punk scene" at the time, such as Chrissy Hynde, Billy Idol, Caroline Coone, and Don Letts paint a good picture of what it was actually like. John Lydon, love him or hate him (indifference is impossible), set the stage(no pun intended) and standard for this genre of rock and roll. Solid read.
If you looked up the word wanker in the dictionary, there would be a picture of John Lydon there. This book was saved from one star by being kind of funny from time to time and having tidbits of information about 70s London punk I didn't know before. Sure, I mean, he's been in involved with 4 or 5 classic records, but reading the rantings of an egomaniac is never a good time.
Near the end of the book Lydon writes the following line, "We're The Flowers In Your Dust Bin." If there is a better summation of the art of the Sex Pistols. I am unaware of it. I love this book. I love his revisionism. I love his unapologetic contempt. I love the style of his writing though I could do without some of the unnecessary repetition but I can live with it. Pair this up with England's Dreaming and I think you can know all the most important stuff about the original wave of UK Punk Roc...more
Despite every expectation, I found that this book put a truly human face on one of the most controversial figures in musical history. Johnny Rotten might not be the kind of bloke you take home to mum, but John Lydon gives some deep, unflinching insight into what made Johnny Rotten what he was. He sets the stage in decaying Britain in the 1970s, during the bitter garbage strike and the people's waning faith in anything governmental. "England's Screaming" wasn't just some empty mantra. From this d...more
on Friday, November 28, 2008 I wrote about this book:
Well I am very disappointed with it. The main problem was Johnny Rotten himself. He is constantly bragging about himself and thinks he is God or something. Nobody else does any good except for him. All the band members were bad, all the other bands sucked. (yawn) Plus he is also constantly contradicting himself. lol. Can't take this serious.
Another annoying thing, the story repeats itself also every time because everybody gets a say. And eve...more
Well I am very disappointed with it. The main problem was Johnny Rotten himself. He is constantly bragging about himself and thinks he is God or something. Nobody else does any good except for him. All the band members were bad, all the other bands sucked. (yawn) Plus he is also constantly contradicting himself. lol. Can't take this serious.
Another annoying thing, the story repeats itself also every time because everybody gets a say. And eve...more
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At times digusting, at times intriguing...this book is John Lydon aka "Rotten"'s point of view with some included commentary from Chrissie Hynde, Billy Idol and others who were also a part of the punk movement. Lydon and the others tend to repeat some of the stories from chapter to chapter, often with a slight change in details. Lydon states that Sid Vicious was not violent while others have memories of him flailing a chain about in a crowd. The only thing that seems certain is that Sid had no c...more
Johnny Rotten tells the story of the Sex Pistols, and comes off much more lucid and intelligent than one would expect. Lots of great stories. McLaren comes off as the egomaniacal twat I always figured him for... this book was the basis for the 'Filth and the Fury' documentary; if you don't have this book I recommend you check the movie out..
I don't like biographies. They bore me. And finding out so much detail about someone ends badly. You find they killed cats when they were young, or stalked a girl, or joined a college fraternity. But this...this was an education. That be Jaw-nay. Ain't nothing else in this world like him. Nothing.
For those interested in first wave British punk this is horse's mouth stuff -- not just Lydon but the other living (non-Matlock) ex-Pistols, Billy Idol, etc. On this re-reading I noticed how '90s this version of the late-'70s is (it was written in the '90s) -- it'd be interesting to get that same story now.
In the end I enjoyed this book, although I did find sections of it a little repetitive (sometimes I actually skimmed through the book to make sure I was rereading a chapter by accident). Still, there were some interesting anecdotes about British life in the 70's. I found myself most interested in Lydon's descriptions of the American South - he found southerners to be far more open-minded and diverse than urban northerners and Brits. I wouldn't reccommend this book on the simple basis of it conta...more
I really like how most of this book is formatted. Lydon's autobiographical recollections are interspersed with sometimes contradictions from family, friends, and others on the scene. However the end of the book is a bit of drudgery with all the lawsuit affidavites and then a digressive chapter of social commentary from Lydon.
I remember reading this book with a pencil to write down page numbers of passages I liked. I don't usually write in books, but I found myself laughing out loud too many times to not record the passages. I adore Lydon and his boyish charm and don't give a f$@#% attitude.
I absolutely love this book!! It is written in a very accurate and witty way, it reflects so much of John's life and the way he sees it. I think the must funny thing of it all is that many of the things he says about society, were true then, and still are true now.
This was my absolute favorite book in high school. I feel like I might not like it as much now if I read it again, but I absolutely adored it then.
It's a personal memoir with some history and information on the Sex Pistols and the punk movement of the time.
It's a personal memoir with some history and information on the Sex Pistols and the punk movement of the time.
Lyndon is far more thoughtful, intelligent, and open-minded than he's given credit for. His insights, not just into the punk movement but into life in general, were a real breath of fresh air.
You don't have to like the music to like this man and this book.
You don't have to like the music to like this man and this book.
Honest. And, as he was there, accurate without descending into pseudo-intellectualism like, say, England's Dreaming. Recommend the documentaries The Filth and the Fury and (if you can get it) Punk and the Pistols from the BBC Arena stable.
A genuinely solid, good and informative read for those who lived through the emergence of the Pistols and the fury they created. I especially like this book because it blows away the Guardian newspaper romance of the punk period.
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In 1995, Lydon published his autobiography Rotten - No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, which dealt with his early life and career in the Sex Pistols. In December 2005, Lydon told Q that he is working on a second autobiography to cover the PiL years.
Source: Wikipedia
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Source: Wikipedia
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“If you are pissing people off, you know you are doing something right”
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