John Lydon's Eurovision entry.

This, from friend and ex-NME/Melody Maker journo David Stubbs absolutely captures my feelings about John Lydon right now:

"In the 1979 Fawlty Towers episode The Psychiatrist, Basil is pitted against a supposedly hip, gum chewing, medallion wearing young Melody Maker reading dude played by Nicky Henson. He is supposed to represent a contrast to Fawlty’s staid buttoned-upness but in 1979, it was Fawlty, in his grey suit who looked inadvertently hipper, like he was playing the Futurama festival, while Henson’s character was already a risible anachronism to those in the know. John Lydon dressed not dissimilarly to Basil Fawlty. In 1979, both were absolutely at the top of their game - Metal Box/Life Of Brian.

Both subsequently have degenerated into tedious trolls, both singing the praises of Brexit from afar. Lydon has cut a desperately unhelpful figure, singing Trump’s praises out of some interpretation of punk as simply being contrarian in any given situation, even going so far as to eulogise the Queen when she died, despite his previous Pistols form because apparently dismaying people like me is the proper and best use of a person’s time and, you know, punk rock. I’ve had opportunities to interview Lydon but declined them because I don’t want to have to play straight man to the pitiful clown he has chosen to turn into. I’d probably have to hang up after five minutes.

Today, I salute John Lydon and offer him sincere condolences for his loss. RIP Nora Forster, mother of the late Ari Up of The Slits, who used her fortune to help promote the music she loved, was previously an associate of Jimi Hendrix in her native Germany and whose story requires a proper telling. She married John in 1979 and they have been a devoted couple ever since. While John Lydon has delivered a lot of verbal bluster, his undivided care and devotion to Nora in her later years suffering from dementia has been deeply moving and exemplary and a far more real measure of the man than his contrarianism. I don’t know the status of his Eurovision entry but I hope he does represent and show a side of his life, his character that we can all admire. His real self."
 
Last edited:
HarryVegas said:
This, from friend and ex-NME/Melody Maker journo David Stubbs absolutely captures my feelings about John Lydon right now:

"In the 1979 Fawlty Towers episode The Psychiatrist, Basil is pitted against a supposedly hip, gum chewing, medallion wearing young Melody Maker reading dude played by Nicky Henson. He is supposed to represent a contrast to Fawlty’s staid buttoned-upness but in 1979, it was Fawlty, in his grey suit who looked inadvertently hipper, like he was playing the Futurama festival, while Henson’s character was already a risible anachronism to those in the know. John Lydon dressed not dissimilarly to Basil Fawlty. In 1979, both were absolutely at the top of their game - Metal Box/Life Of Brian.

Both subsequently have degenerated into tedious trolls, both singing the praises of Brexit from afar. Lydon has cut a desperately unhelpful figure, singing Trump’s praises out of some interpretation of punk as simply being contrarian in any given situation, even going so far as to eulogise the Queen when she died, despite his previous Pistols form because apparently dismaying people like me is the proper and best use of a person’s time and, you know, punk rock. I’ve had opportunities to interview Lydon but declined them because I don’t want to have to play straight man to the pitiful clown he has chosen to turn into. I’d probably have to hang up after five minutes.

Today, I salute John Lydon and offer him sincere condolences for his loss. RIP Nora Forster, mother of up the late Ari Up of The Slits, who used her fortune to help promote the music she loved, was previously an associate of Jimi Hendrix in her native Germany and whose story requires a proper telling. She married John in 1979 and they have been a devoted couple ever since. While John Lydon has delivered a lot of verbal bluster, his undivided care and devotion to Nora in her later years suffering from dementia has been deeply moving and exemplary and a far more real measure of the man than his contrarianism. I don’t know the status of his Eurovision entry but I hope he does represent and show a side of his life, his character that we can all admire. His real self."
Click to expand...
That last paragraph sums up the new Alzheimer's adverts perfectly when they say do you x, y or z take a, b, or c for better or worse?

You don't have to like Lydon, but you can admire the love and dedication he gave to his wife and if you are in love, or even if you have ever loved and lost, you can start to understand and empathise with his loss. I just hope my wife and I are as dignified as he's been and can show the other the love and devotion he did, and I am sure both of us will.

Thanks for sharing that Harry.
 
I don't care what his political views are - whether he is in the "right" or wrong camp.
I admire him for having the guts to say what others don't want to hear....But more than that, I admire him for his obvious love and dedication to his wife (RIP) - he's not afraid to display his emotion, vulnerabilty, love and dedication.....qualities not seen too often these days.

Anybody that has lost a loved one to Dementia will know what he has been going through and how he must feel today
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top