No Future

As mentioned below, the latest random book read for me was Josh's copy of Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs by John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, with Keith and Kent Zimmerman (1995). This autobiography reads like an oral history of Lydon's life growing up in an Irish family in London, pre-Pistols hanging out, Sex Pistols extravaganza, the US Tour and subsequent break-up of the Pistols, and a brief bit of post-Pistol Public Image Limited talk. The majority of the book comes from Lydon, but it is peppered throughout with comments from Steve Jones and Paul Cook (the other members of the Pistols, besides Sid Vicious and Glen Matlock); his wife, Nora (who is also the mother of Ari Up of the Slits); Chrissie Hynde; Lydon's dad (he is my favorite); Billy Idol; Don Letts; and a whole host of other folk.

Lydon is very smart and witty, and this book is fun and interesting to read. He reminisces on his past without, generally, looking at everything through airbrushed nostalgia glasses. He has a lot of good and bad things to say about music then and music now, and doesn't fall into the trap of complaining that everything good and interesting happened thirty years ago. The book also includes a bunch of engaging photos from the albums of Lydon and his friends, as well as sections from depositions given in Lydon's eight-year legal battle against Malcolm McLaren and his management company for his share of the Sex Pistols profits.

Speaking of Lydon and legal battles, and (again) of the joys of YouTube, shouldn't you all be watching: John Lydon on Judge Judy? Yes, I think you should.