John Lydon takes aim at Joe Strummer over class issues and artistry

[Aftermath]

In a recent interview with Nigel Carr, former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) shared his thoughts on THE CLASH’s Joe Strummer.

“It was Joe Strummer’s voice that would irritate the hell out of me. And his fake angst and ‘last war’ nonsense,” Lydon said.

“What he was doing was creating division. I told them all at the time, ‘All I want from you is tell me your middle-class experiences so we can share them instead of you coming down and imitating my lot.

“By that I mean my folk, my culture. Have a picture taken outside council flats, you know, as if that equates integrity. No!"

I have heard things about Joe Strummer being a rich kid a long time ago when I was a teenager, and back then as a middle class kid I would not have agreed with Lydon because I did not grasp the significance of class. I was a big fan of the Clash, I thought they were better because they did music in many different styles and had more albums. Now I still like them, but I think they are a bit overrated by punk fans and the Sex Pistols are actually really underrated. I do not think the Clash wrote a song as good as "Bodies." I'm not English and I am a millennial, so I would be especially interested to hear from British people who were around back then what they think about his comments.

 

[brookdalebill]

Even after almost 50 years, I still don’t care.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

The British arguing over social class? Ever thus.

 

[Peegoo]

Music is all an act anyway. Everyone on the stage plays a role.

Sounds to me like Lydon is bitter about The Clash being included among progenitors of the punk movement.

Get over yourself, Johnny. You need them way more than you don't.

 

[bottlenecker]

The sex pistols absolutely can not be, in any way, underrated.

Separate issue, Lydon opening his mouth, saying stupid crap, and acting like he speaks for working class people.

 

[warrent]

Has Johnny ever said anything nice about anyone other than Sid? The pistols opened for the 101ers, the Clash opened for the Pistols so they have a history but at this point in time who cares. Joe wasn't a rich kid his Dad just worked for the government.
The Clash were great and so for their very short life span were the pistols, just enjoy the music.

 

[beyer160]

It's as if Mr. Lydon isn't aware that the Clash made records past the first one.

And, as great as Bollocks is, the Clash were a much, much better band. I can name at least a dozen Clash songs I think are better than "Bodies" but as always, YMMV.

 

[Jumbotronic]

Side note: I was in my 20s before I figured out that John Lydon and Johnny Rotten are the same person.

He sure isn't known for keeping his opinions to himself, is he?

 

[bender66]

Talking **** about a dead man is low hanging fruit.

If he were alive I don't think he'd care for an old Lydon, and I appreciate PIL.

 

[ahiddentableau]

Discussions of class are different in the UK, too. When Brits say "middle class" they usually don't mean the same thing as what Americans mean when they say it. They mean what Americans mean when they say "upper-Middle class"--as in, people who like to think of themselves as salt of the earth but who have too much money and education to pull it off.

I don't know much of anything about Strummer's background, but comfortable Westerners bigging up marxist revolutionaries like the Clash did is just about the most upper middle class thing I can think of. So I can't say I'm in any way surprised by Lydon's thinking. I just don't care. Good music is good music no matter who writes or performs it.

 

[FlarbNarb]

The whole class thing goes out the window as soon as you leave your “Class” behind. Lydon may have grown up in rough circumstances then went out and made a bundle being a rockstar after a fashion. So, yeah I don’t really buy it.

 

[Knows3Chords]

I don't know much of anything about Strummer's background, but comfortable Westerners bigging up marxist revolutionaries like the Clash did is just about the most upper middle class thing I can think of.

I'm not so sure I agree. I that in the last few decades most of the upper middle class don't seem to talk about things like social class and economics. They've seem to have forgot about those points and replaced them with other issues. This is an excellent read on that issue.

 

[Engine Swap]

Is this the story of Johnny Rotten?

 

[Brad Pittiful]

i like the clash...i like the pistols...i disagree and agree with things both said...i still listen to them and enjoy

 

[Paulie_Boy]

I'm man enough to admit that I like the song 'Rock the cashbar.' The rest of the Punk Scare stuff loosened my bowels.

 

[bottlenecker]

The whole class thing goes out the window as soon as you leave your “Class” behind. Lydon may have grown up in rough circumstances then went out and made a bundle being a rockstar after a fashion. So, yeah I don’t really buy it.

Yeah, he thinks he has birthright class membership. It doesn't work like that.

 

[Mindthebull]

Oh there you go bringing class into it again!!

 

[----RIP----]

Even after almost 50 years, I still don’t care.

You still don't care about what? John Lydon, Joe Strummer, class issues or artistry?

 

[----RIP----]

I'm man enough to admit that I like the song 'Rock the cashbar.' The rest of the Punk Scare stuff loosened my bowels.

Wow, punk scared the crap out of you? It’s really nothing to be afraid of—it’s just music.

 

[erratick]

Johnny left his class behind. Speaking ill of dead man is never classy either.

While I liked both, the Clash evolved as a band. Johnny did one real album with the pistols and then went on his own musical journey. Maybe he wanted to evolve like the Clash.

But he quickly turned his back on his mates, and his origin. And replaced band mates like toilet paper, eventually ending up a bitter old man.

Strummer, even with the Mescaleros kept evolving and stayed consistent to his origin.