"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. It has been portrayed as an English class revolt and a reckless diversion that became a marketing dream. But there is no disputing its starting point. Every story of punk starts with its idols, the Sex Pistols, and its sneering hero was Johnny Rotten.

In Rotten, Lydon looks back at himself, the Sex Pistols, and the "no future" disaffection of the time. Much more than just a music book, Rotten is an oral history of punk: angry, witty, honest, poignant, and crackling with energy.

Praise

"Alive at the core . . . Lydon's quite the humorist. . . . [Full of] cut marks of wit and ego."--The New Yorker

"A wrathful Irish poet . . . Lydon proves to have a keen wit and rare insight."--The Washington Post Book World

"A pavement philosopher whose Dickensian roots blossom with Joycean color."--Rolling Stone

"Invaluable . . . sheds welcome light on that short period of great music and spasmodic cultural change."--San Francisco Chronicle

About the Author(s)

John Lydon

John Lydon still performs and tours with the Sex Pistols. He also records and performs both as a solo artist and with PiL (Public Image Limited). He lives in California.