Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs by John Lydon Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs
Book Review: Extremely readable memoir of musical revolutionary....
Summary: 5 Stars
Last time I checked, this was out of print, so discussing Lydon and his amusing appearance on TV's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! I found it has been reissued. Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs is Lydon's first memoir, generally centred around his perception of life in the Sex Pistols (though he does offer other people's views); he is due to publish a second book, on his superior act after, Public Image Limited, which after reading this several times, is something I'm looking forward to...Lydon has always been great with words, something you can't doubt from the lyrics to debut Anarchy in the UK alone; his lines at the notious winterland concert ("ever felt you've been cheated?") are typical of him. Whichever way you cut it, Lydon is one of the great English characters- he's up there with William Blake, Anthony Burgess, Graham Greene, Morrissey, Tony Hancock, Sid James, Pete Townshend, Virginia Woolf- a typically individual English voice...
No Irish No Blacks No Dogs probably tells it like it is, though of course we all have our own perspectives on experiences- Lydon discusses The Sex Pistols, the split after and of course Malcolm McLaren. Key events are seen from Lydon's POV, though perhaps the brilliant documentary The Filth&The Fury has surplanted that- I loved the scene from The Filth where the Sex Pistols played a Xmas party for striking miner's kids and a kid chucked a pie or cake in Lydon's face. This is why it seems perfectly natural he's on I'm a Celebrity!. Lydon makes lots of amusing bitchy comments about other people, from Shane MaGowan to Joe Strummer, and shows that he has remained an individual. He discusses that radio show he did, where lots of those who'd bought into a uniform notion of what punk was were aghast at his picking tracks from Kevin Ayers, Can, Miles Davis & Peter Hammill- the same idiots who took task with albums like Metal Box and Secondhand Daylight for supposedly prog-tendencies. The classic Pistols TV moment is recalled & it's interesting to have Lydon's view from inside the maelstrom that was the Pistols...
In many ways, the stuff about Nora and the post-Pistols era prior to Public Image are the best & Lydon advances on the personal themes of PIL's Death Disco (about his mother's illness which lead to death), as well as his feelings on Sid Vicious. The episode where Lydon goes on Virgin's money to Jamaica to check out the dub sound that would become apparent in PIL's early work is of note & it's nice to see that Lydon punctures myths throughout the book. Which was the point of the Pistols really; as a book it feels utterly related to the band who did that storming version of The Stooges' No Fun...
It's a compulsive read, can't wait for the follow-up, and stands easily alongside such rock autobiographies as Diary of a Rock & Roll Star by Ian Hunter and Head On/Repossessed by Julian Cope. A brilliant memoir from a great British/English voice & a sound purchase; one you'll read and re-read. He did you no wrong...
Book Review: A mark in punk history.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book, is a great insight to what John's life really was like, from his early childhood to his current career. He tells of how him and his mother was really close, and how the pistols was really organised as a shambles, Sid on drugs and him being rejected slightly by the other pistols. In his early childhood he tells of how he had spinal meningitis, and the pain of the injections and the fact he was in and out of comas for a year.
Later on, there is a chapter about Nora, his wife, and this is really touching. Also as you go through the book you have sympathy for him, as he was brought up on a rough estate in London, but look what this amazing man has pulled out of that.
There is many contributions in various parts from Johns family and close friends, this also shows what a genuine person he is.
A great book, that is well worth reading, especially if you are a fan of John, the sex pistols or PiL.
Book Review: genius
Summary: 5 Stars
this is one of the funniest books i've ever read.you have to hand it to john lydon he tells it like it is and that what makes him such an interesting character,the mans a genius in my eyes.i'm not a huge fan of the sex pistols but you don't need to be to enjoy it, i finished it in a week i couldn't put it down.
buy it!
Book Review: ROTTEN? No way more fantastic read
Summary: 5 Stars
Must say from the start I was there when punk rock started. Reading this book tells not only who started it but why & when. John tells it as it is and so funny too. You don't have to like punk or Sex Pistols or be interested in music, fashion to like this book as it is pure fun. I could not put it down and found knowing John and how he talks I could hear him in every word. One big thing I love of this book compared to others is John let's those he knows tell the story too. So not only are you getting words and wisdom from John Lydon but from the likes of Billy Idol, Chrissie Hynde and even his father has a word or two to say. Truely loved every word. It is worth the money alone just to find out the real truth about "The Greatest Rock'n'Roll Swindle"-buy itBook Review: Quite disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
Having read all the glowing reviews I was disappointed by this book. I didn't find the childhood descriptions very interesting, and the Pistols era was described in a very disjointed way. Also, the writing and insight are both simplistic, and a better ghost writer would have made it more readable. It's worth reading for the Pistols era anecdotes but in my opinion Julien Temple's excellent film The Filth and the Fury pulls these together better. And Lydon's provocative views are more enjoyable when you can hear his intonation or see his facial expressions.I was also irritated by the American style, at least in this edition. This is a British edition and the author and the publisher are British so why is there American spelling throughout? And in an apparently direct quote why does Lydon go home on "the subway" rather than "the tube" after a London gig? I found this lazy on the part of the publisher, and it's not a cheap edition.