The Sex Pistols are a game-changing band. They popularized the punk movement in the late 1970s, and despite only releasing one album, they remain one of the defining punk outfits of all time. A huge part of why the Pistols connected on such a core level was the swagger of frontman Johnny Rotten.
Rotten, real name John Lyndon, was the perfect avatar for UK outrage. He was aggressive and biting, and he knew how to sing atop the musical chaos of bassist Sid Vicious and guitarist Steve Jones. He was the face and the voice of the Sex Pistols, but he's no longer part of the band. What happened?
Rotten last performed with the band in 2008
Well, disagreements. Johnny Rotten fronted the band from 1975 to 1978, then again when the Sex Pistols reunited in 1996. He continued to prove himself a charismatic frontman as the band reunited for different causes and concerts in the 2000s.
Rotten was present for touring stints in 2002-03 and 2007-08. It was a foregone conclusion that he would be part of any future iteration of the Pistols as well. This did not prove to be case, however. He did not return when the Sex Pistols reformed in 2018, and he has not been a part of the band despite their continued touring success into the 2020s.
There are a couple reasons why. For one, the other members of the Sex Pistols do not agree with Rotten's political views. Glen Matlock, the bassist before and after Sid Vicious, told the Metal Voice that he has no interest in working with Rotten again.
Rotten butted heads with other Pistols members
"Johnny Rotten he's on the other side but I don't know if he is," Matlock stated. "I think he just says what he says just to get in the paper. I doubt his sincerity about all that but by whether he voted for Trump or the Tories in England and if you don't mean it I think that's pretty poor."
Another point of tension has been the TV series Pistol, which dramatized the early years of the band. Rotten hated the endeavor, and tried to take legal action to ensure that Sex Pistols could not appear in the show. His gambit failed, however, and the series, which was inspired by Jones' memoir, forged ahead.
Rotten continues to record and release music with his other notable band, Public Image Ltd. Their most recent album, End of World, dropped in 2023.