John Lydon is a musical revolutionary. Whether you like or dislike Johnny Rotten, music would be very different without him. He and the Sex Pistols rose to prominence in the 1970s. But he and his bandmates returned music to the working class. They left elitism, pretentiousness, and sold-out stadiums where you couldn’t see the band you’d paid for in favor of something honest and raw. It ruffled feathers, but it marked a watershed moment in music history.
Sex Pistols is now a distant memory in music, Lydon has not been forgotten. He has toured with his band Public Image Ltd for decades and is never afraid to voice his opinions on various political and public issues. This comes with controversy often. But Lydon’s unwavering honesty is what people enjoy the most about him, whether they agree with his views or not.
The Osbournes will undoubtedly disagree with his views. Lydon stated in an interview in Birmingham that Ozzy Osbourne was responsible for making the working classes appear “stupid“. The Sex Pistols frontman went on a rant after claiming that ‘Paranoid‘ was “one of the world’s greatest ever singles.”
“But since then, the rumors of biting heads haven’t impressed me,” said Lydon. “Ozzy now acting like a senile delinquent is equally unimpressive.” The sly innuendo of encouraging drug use and catatonic stupidity offends me.”
Lydon stated that his issue was not with the use of drugs, but with how Ozzy used them. “I’m not one for banning drugs,” he said. But I know how to use them, and they do not use me. Ozzy is a victim, and selling that loser lifestyle shit to others also victimizes them.”
Lydon naturally holds them in high regard as a working-class pioneer and one of those credited with reviving the working-class musical voice. “Ozzy is a working-class man like me, and he allows this to happen. By acting consistently, he implies that we, the working classes, are all stupid. But we aren’t, you know. We are not! We’re the proper Britain, us lot.”
Lydon faced criticism at the time for his observation. It was not only because some disagreed with it, but also because it was made at a convenient time. Ozzy’s daughter Kelly wrote in her weekly column. “Last week, John Lydon accused my father of ‘acting like a senile delinquent’ and ‘promoting drug abuse‘. People only say things like this to get attention, and guess what? “He has a book to promote.”
Lydon did not get to where he is today without controversy. In some ways, his controversy has shaped his entire career. When you are given a platform to express your unwavering opinions, there is less of a barrier between what you believe and what you may say. For this reason, Lydon is open about his opinions. The opinions on politics, music, and other topics, regardless of whom he may offend. Of course, given that he still works in the creative field. It’s not impossible to suspect that he timed some of his remarks with ulterior motives.
