I’m 100% proud of the TV work I achieved. The work I did on shows on insects and Great White sharks… stuff that’s in school curriculums in England. Now they are showing up on Discovery Channel. – John Lydon
When you come from desperate poverty, and that’s exactly what I come from, you know that nonsenses are not to be tolerated. I’m not sure who gains from chaos, but I know it’s not the poor folks in the council flats. The politics of vindictiveness is never, ever anything like a solution. – John Lydon
I have values. But morals are Christian. There’s no religion here. Values. Don’t hurt when you don’t need to, but don’t let anybody step over that line – it’s an invisible line, but it’s respect for somebody’s space. – John Lydon
Records were vitally important to the development of music and of all music cultures. With that being pushed by the wayside, I can’t see an iPod uniting us. In fact it separates us, the streets are full of people bumping into lamp posts, listening to their own little universe, and there’s no sharing in that. – John Lydon
Pop music I have always loved best. But the more extreme, fascist-led examples of the music business I tend to detest the most. – John Lydon
I went to visit Alcatraz years ago when I was on tour with the Pistols, and I really liked the atmosphere of the place. I genuinely, really, thoroughly enjoyed the whole morning there. I just liked the quietness and stillness of what is basically a cruel prison complex. I still found some kind of joy in that. That’s how I am. – John Lydon
I think there’s something basically wrong with the general public that they do need their icons. – John Lydon
I always knew the Sixties wasn’t a revolution. It really was just a bunch of university students with wealthy parents having fun. – John Lydon
I’m not blowing my own trumpet here, but I made a rap song 20 years ago with Afrika Bambaataa. – John Lydon
I don’t think there’s any such thing as rock n’ roll anymore – it’s an amalgamation of business interests. – John Lydon
Move to Italy. I mean it: they know about living in debt; they don’t care. I stayed out there for five months while I was making a film called ‘Order Of Death,’ and they’ve really got it sussed. Nice cars. Sharp suits. Great food. Stroll into work at 10. Lunch from 12 till three. Leave work at five. That’s living! – John Lydon
I’ve never told anyone this. But I suffer from terrible stage fright. True. You can’t tell though, can you? Unbelievable, the panic. I nearly die of fear before I go on stage. Something wicked. I can’t eat a thing the day before a gig. It’d make me vomit. – John Lydon
If you ever want to know why I’m not on a record label, look at ‘The X Factor!’ Honestly, of all the people that strive to break barriers in music and do good things and write great lyrics, not one of them would ever pass the first round on any of these competitions. – John Lydon
If you can sort out why you feel the way you do then you might be in better shape to meet your maker. – John Lydon
The real color of my hair is mouse. I always want to be ginger, which I was when I was born, or blond, because I live in L.A., and I want to look like I go surfing without any physical effort. – John Lydon
Britain’s an island; it’s always had a constant ebb and flow of immigration – it makes it a better place. – John Lydon
Any new ideas go into PiL. My inspiration is everything that the human being gets up to. I don’t listen to any music when I’m in PiL-zone, because influences can poison your well. Otherwise, I listen to anything. – John Lydon
Let’s face it, I ain’t ever gonna be the best singer in the world, or the best anything. – John Lydon
When you grew up like me and my four brothers, you end up feeling somewhat inadequate, like somehow you don’t count. – John Lydon
Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won’t understand how anyone can have a problem with how they’re treated. – John Lydon
People don’t like other poor people, and rather than blame the people that make you all poor, you blame each other. – John Lydon
These days young kids don’t have any place to form an epic adventure. It’s more often in front of the TV screen or a laptop. That’s very hard on them. They’re being taught daily unsocial skills. Facebook is an unsocial skill. It’s so sad. – John Lydon