One of “the greatest tragedies” of John Lydon’s life
While punk has its roots in bands that emerged from the New York underground during the early to mid-1970s, such as the Ramones, Television, and Patti Smith, the genre truly took off and became a fully-fledged subculture when it hit England. The Sex Pistols introduced British youths to the movement through their raucous performances and distinctive style.
Managed by Malcolm McLaren, who co-owned the BDSM-inspired clothing shop Sex with Vivienne Westwood, the band were known for their scruffy, anti-establishment-inspired looks that were a direct attack on the mainstream. Famously, the Sex Pistols were led by John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten.
Lydon was recruited after being spotted around Sex, sporting bright green hair. He was welcomed into the band and soon began writing lyrics, becoming the perfect fit for the provocative punk outfit.
The band became hugely influential, with their live performances inspiring the formation of bands such as The Fall, The Smiths, Buzzcocks and Joy Division. Unbelievably, various members from all of these bands were at one fateful Manchester performance by the Pistols, despite there being little more than 40 people in the audience.
Of course, Sex Pistols were short-lived, with various issues, such as Sid Vicious’ increasing drug issues, resulting in the band’s breakdown. They disbanded in 1978, with Lydon forming Public Image Ltd instead. The band drew upon a wider span of influences, including dub and disco, genres not typically associated with punk.
In fact, many of Lydon’s influences and favourite artists come as a surprise, with the musician previously expressing a love for artists such as Kate Bush, Sinéad O’Connor and Kraftwerk.
However, perhaps the most shocking is Lydon’s love for Dolly Parton. Despite the American country star being one of the most successful artists of all time, shifting over 100 million records, it’s hardly the type of music you expect Lydon, a punk figurehead, to listen to.
In an interview with Pitchfork, Lydon didn’t hold back when it came to discussing his love for Parton, who burst onto the scene in 1967 with her debut album, Hello, It’s Dolly. Known for songs such as ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Jolene’, Parton is widely considered a national treasure.
The Pistols’ singer declared, “I’m a Dolly man—you can all knock ‘9 to 5,’ but I love it”. Parton is so successful that she even has her own theme park, Dollywood, in Tennessee. Nearby, guests can also enjoy Dollywood’s Splash Country waterpark and witness performances from Parton at dedicated concerts.
For Lydon, Dollywood is a bucket list endeavour. He revealed, “One of the greatest tragedies of my life so far is that I’ve never been able to make it to Dollywood. I think I’d have a hoot.”
