Defiant to the end: Johnny Rotten has his day in court
John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, smokes outside the Rolls Building at the High Court, London, where he is giving evidence in a hearing between two former Sex Pistols band members and the frontman over the use of their songs in a television series
Former Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten has said that an agreement at the centre of a High Court dispute between him and his ex-bandmates “smacks of slave labour”.
Former drummer Paul Cook and guitarist Steve Jones are suing the punk group’s ex-lead singer, real name John Lydon, to allow their songs to be used in TV drama Pistol, which is directed by Danny Boyle and due to air next year.
The six-part series, which is being made by Disney, is based on a 2016 memoir by Mr Jones called Lonely Boy: Tales From A Sex Pistol.
Mr Jones and Mr Cook argue that, under the terms of a band member agreement (BMA) made in 1998, decisions regarding licensing requests can be determined on a “majority rules basis”.
But Mr Lydon, who has previously told the Sunday Times he thinks the series is the “most disrespectful s*** I’ve ever had to endure”, argues that licences cannot be granted without his consent.
Giving evidence at the Rolls Building in London yesterday, Mr Lydon said the Sex Pistols have so far managed to agree how to conduct their business with “unanimity”.
In a witness statement before the court, he said: “The BMA has never been applied in anything we have ever done since 1998.
“It also seems completely unnecessary because there is no point in me being here or ever was if it is the case that I can just be completely outvoted by the vested interests of all in one management camp
… and there is no way around that.
“That is like a total trap or prison and my fear is that they’re demanding that I agree to sign over the rights to a drama documentary that I am not allowed any access to.
“To me that smacks of some kind of slave labour.”
He added :“id on’ tu nd er stand how Steve and Paul think they
have the right to insist that I do something that I so morally heart and soul disagree with without any involvement.
“It is infuriating to me. It has always been that with regard to all decisions about the Sex Pistols music and imagery, that they are unanimous.”
Edmund Cullen QC, representing mr jones and mr cook, suggested to Mr Lydon that his reference to “slave labour” is a sign of “how deeply you regret having signed the BMA”.
The barrister also said: “Given that you regard it as slave labour, you will do whatever it takes to try and get out of it.
“You will do whatever it takes up to and including giving false evidence.”
Mr Lydon replied: “False evidence? I’m sorry, how? Where?”
He also said: “I don’t think the BMA applies so I would resist that. I didn’t ask for this court case, it was brought to me, so I will naturally defend myself.”
Mr Lydon said he cannot understand legal documents and they “terrify” him, adding: “It’s obvious that I didn’t understand what the BMA was.”
He said it has“never come up” before in their years of working together and added: “Unanimity is what has made this band as a business tick over.”
During further cross-examination by Mr Cullen, Mr Lydon said: “I care very much about this band and its reputation and its quality control andi will always have a say if I think anything is being done to harm or damage (it).”