John Lydon on why musical skill is not important
While many musicians delicately and gracefully piece together songs and arrangements as if compiling the perfect restaurant menu, some opt for chaos, instead following the more instinctual path. In his refusal to be bogged down by constraints, John Lydon became a personality-first frontman, celebrating the outlandish even if it got him into trouble.
At the peak of fame, Lydon spearheaded punk with all the fervour of a seasoned professional – even today, Sex Pistols continue to be lauded for their innovative and unforgiving approach to forging music with anarchy, giving an entire generation someone and something to idolise and channel their political disdain into.
Lydon’s approach to music and performance centred around rawness and aggression – there wasn’t exactly much in terms of music theory or education applied to their music. Instead, it conveyed urgency and rebellion in a way that did exactly what it said on the tin. Lydon’s vocals were filled with frustration and anger, which played a big part in the band’s overall appeal.
According to Lydon, this is precisely what made the Pistols so successful. They opted for impression over intellect, allowing character to drive their sound and direction rather than prioritising technical skill. This is also something Lydon carried with him and continues to believe to this day: skill isn’t important if you have personality and built-in intuition.
In fact, Lydon places more importance on “bravado and endeavour” than musical skill, mostly because the latter can be learned and picked up along the way. Personality, on the other hand, offers a more “genius” and “creative” operation, which reflects his position in the Pistols as a forerunner in the rebellious movement – Lydon was a force to be reckoned with, not a professional musician by definition.
Even the most scandalous occurrences during the Pistols’ tenure seemed to be driven by this very desire to appear a certain way – prior to his involvement in the band, Sid Vicious had very little experience playing the bass guitar, but he was selected to replace Glen Matlock due to his image, personality, and broader connections within the punk scene. Even as he became more accustomed to the instrument, his style became best known for its simplicity rather than offering any complexities to the overall sound.
Of course, it also helped that Vicious looked the part; his hair, rugged clothing, and standoffish demeanour made him the perfect addition to the band, who were looking to craft a stronger, sharper look as the faces of punk. At the time, Vicious was the perfect accessory to make this happen. As Malcolm McLaren once put it: “If Johnny Rotten is the voice of punk, then Vicious is the attitude.”
In Lydon’s view, therefore, music theory is a basic adherence that dulls music and creative environments. While it can yield benefits, Lydon suggests that the “madcap lunatic” is always more favourable, as that’s what the band opted for when working with the frontman. “It doesn’t always work,” he recognises, but taking the risk is far better than playing it safe.
Of course, there’s more pressure to balance musical knowledge and personality in today’s landscape. Unlike back then, relying solely on being a “lunatic” likely won’t get you as far and can even result in being faced with “cancel” culture, especially if controversial opinions accompany the façade. Lydon knows the value of applying musical genius to any project, but it must also align with today’s standards and practices to truly resonate.
