Rotten Says Rotten Things About U2

In a recent interview with London’s Daily Star, Sex Pistols front man Johnny Rotten proclaimed “U2 — that’s a band that never should have existed.” He went on to say that there’s “no life experience in any of their songs,” as he whined about not getting any bids to play the summer music festivals (U2 would have in Glastonbury).

He’s re-launched his band Public Image Ltd. to very little fanfare, and while he’s making ridiculous comments like these, I’d say that’s no surprise. Maybe it’s not so cool to be rotten anymore?

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10 Responses to “Rotten Says Rotten Things About U2”

  1. Miro 16 July 2010 at 5:21 pm permalink

    some relevance.

    he’s not worth a real comment so I’ll just say “hah”

  2. R 16 July 2010 at 9:34 pm permalink

    “Never should have existed” is pretty extreme. What’s that supposed to mean, anyway?

  3. Shade 16 July 2010 at 10:27 pm permalink

    Booooooooo! No really. It’s absolutely absurd. He’s just jealous.

  4. Hethradiah 17 July 2010 at 1:45 pm permalink

    Johnny Rotten is still alive???

  5. hmbax 19 July 2010 at 10:03 am permalink

    No life experience? You mean like being drugged out most of your life, on top of the punk scene for a nano-second, and then lost into the oblivion of the fickle music industry? Maybe he’s right!

  6. codeguy 19 July 2010 at 2:45 pm permalink

    Johnny who?

  7. waverley 20 July 2010 at 2:03 am permalink

    perspective , restore the joy. listen to unforgettable fire- unforgettable always

  8. codeguy 20 July 2010 at 8:25 am permalink

    Seriously, Johnny Rotten thinks he has life experience and U2 doesn’t? Listen to October or MOFO and tell me there is no tragedy over the loss of your mother? Listen to So Cruel or Ultraviolet light and tell me there is nothing about the heartbreak of Divorce. Listen to BAD and tell me it’s not a dirge about heroin use. Listen to Stuck in a moment and don’t see suicide. The difference between U2 and TSP or PIL is that Johnny Rottens bands are incapable of delivering music that reflects anything other than strung out rage. If your life epxerience has given you joy, they have nothing for you. Hope? Nada. Faith. Who has Faith? Doubt? You have to have faith to have doubt. Loss? You can’t feel loss without having loved the things you lost. Grief? Again, not possible without love.

    All the things that U2 signs about make the assumption that you have or had something worthwhile. In a strung out life, you have none of that. So how could U2 ever reflect the life experience of Johnny Rotten.

    Thing is, you won’t hear U2 complaining that TSP was a band that reflected a narcissistic rage and ‘really shouldn’t have ever existed.’ Johnny Rotten is the lesser person for having made the statement and believing that HIS life experience should be reflected in the music of U2.

    For the same reason that the ugly sister slaps the pretty sister in the face, Johnny Rotten jealously attacks U2 because not only is their music better, they have had a better experience in life.

  9. Passenger84 20 July 2010 at 10:28 am permalink

    Pretty intelligent, I’d say. One negative comment about U2 is probably going to get him more publicity in a week than the re-launching of his band would ever see on its own.

    So, ironically, he’s gaining publicity for himself off of ‘the band that never should have existed.’ So, if I was ever gonna start listening to the Sex Pistols or Public whatever, I’m not gonna be now. :-)

  10. Shade 20 July 2010 at 10:33 pm permalink

    Codeguy you forgot Sunday Bloody Sunday…it’s one of the most emotional songs ever written…makes me wanna cry. :(