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Johnny Rotten Denies Racism in Backstage Fight With Bloc Party Singer

John Lydon has denied allegations that racism was a part of an altercation with Kele Okereke. But a backstage incident at Barcelona's Summercase festival last Saturday led to the Bloc Party frontman winding up on the ground with facial bruising and a split lip.

Okereke – a Liverpudlian born to Nigerian parents – claimed Monday that he was assaulted by three members of Rotten's entourage and told, "Your problem is your black attitude." According to Okereke, the man also known as Johnny Rotten became "intimidating and aggressive" when Okereke asked if he would ever re-form his dormant band, Public Image Ltd.

Responding late Monday, the Sex Pistols frontman suggested Okereke started the fight and is using the racist allegation to drum up publicity. "I feel very sorry for a man that needs to lie about what was a perfect evening," Lydon said in a formal statement. "The trouble was brought to us, resulting in those causing the trouble being physically removed by festival security.

"We are in the middle of a wonderful tour. After 30 years we are achieving a true unity in our audience," he added. "They are multi-varied, all ages, all races, creeds and colors. When you are at a festival with bands who are jealous fools, lies and confusion usually follow.

"Grow up and learn to be a true man," Lydon snapped. "When you have achieved as much as I have, come back and talk to me. It's a shame the wonderful world of the media is riddled with nonsense like this."

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23 Comments

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walter crunkite

well just asking johnny rotten if he intends to reform his band PiL, you're pretty much asking to get abused. a pair of british betties getting into it, bfd. they're both hugely irrelevant.

July 25 2009 at 11:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
halfcaf07

We weren't there. We'll never know for sure what happened. The only ones that know are Kele Okereke and Johnny Rotten. They both have contradicting arguments and arguing for them would solve nothing. It's pretty much a popularity contest. So there's no point in arguing. Discussing is nice, but why take a side if we didn't know what happened. When we do that, we stray off into other topics such as racism which are a bit touchy.

January 16 2009 at 5:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
job1866

IT'S A KNOWN FACT, NOT AN OPINION, THAT LYDON IS A SCUMBAG AND A LIAR!!

January 04 2009 at 10:58 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Felipe

I wasn't there to verify any of the facts, but three people attacking one single person sounds like mob or gang mentality. Why didn't any of those people try to diffuse the situation instead. I doubt that the black guy decided to fight 3 dudes at once. Logic does tell me that he might have said something that angered John Lydon, but to take it the next level and gang up with two other dudes to do it, would usually happen if there is already hate in your heart towards the other individual. As far as where the hate comes from, it could very well be race based. Except for isolated incidents, thank God that these days racism is mostly practiced inside the privacy of people's homes in a verbal manner and not so much physically outside of their comfort zones. They should still be careful what they say around children, be it Black or White, as they can take it the next level. Can you imagine what would happen if we went back to the days of arson, mob violence, lynchings, etc.

November 25 2008 at 11:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Hana

John Lydon is Gay!

November 25 2008 at 9:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
melvinclay

The sex pistols suck!

The english are racist pigs. That said no one really know what happen.One man word etc.

Melvin


November 20 2008 at 12:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Herb

Get over yourself rotten johnny, the only thing you and the Pissed Sexholes achieved is to set back music a decade or two. You're obviously kin to the footie thugs who make ape sounds and fling bananas at African players.

November 18 2008 at 8:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kitchiner408

blacks seem to be capable of taking care of themselves when given a proper environment(Oprah,Jordan, Will Smith, Tiger,Serena,the list could go on forever. How can you bring up Africa, or even this country when in this country they were stolen and made to be slaves not too long ago.In their own homeland they have been taken advantage of in the same ways for Diamonds, Oil, and other exports. It seems that blacks have been content in living in nature and greedy people have have continued to destroy their natural development and existence.

July 29 2008 at 10:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
choobear

if I saw Johnny Rotten anywhere, I wouldn't say a word to him. He is known for being an asshole.

July 28 2008 at 10:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dorp it hot

Well, a lot of, if not ALL of the problems caused in not only Africa, but in the good ole USA are caused by WHITE people, Rowanda pitted the dark skined blacks vs the lighter skined blacks who the WHITE DUTCH INVADRES sided with, WHITE INVADERS have always sucked the natural rescorces out of AFRICA acting as puppetier causing caos throughout Africa...so let it be written, so let it be said.

July 27 2008 at 11:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply