Public Image Ltd’s John Lydon on coining Sid Vicious nickname, more

Johnny Rotten has been dead since 1978, the year the Sex Pistols broke up. That year, John Lydon, the artist formerly known as Johnny Rotten, reclaimed his birth name to form Public Image Ltd (PiL). Forty years later, the post-punk effort is still going strong, despite a relatively high turnover of band members, and is the topic of a new documentary, The Public Image Is Rotten

The band also recently released a huge compilation box set, The Public Image Is Rotten – Songs From The Heart, a multi-disc set that traces the band’s history through singles, b-sides, live tracks, remixes and videos. It’s the most concrete example yet of the amazing legacy the Lydon and PiL established with classic songs like “Rise,” “The Body,” “(This is Not a) Love Song” and many more. The box set also contains a book of photos, poster images, and a list of many of the musicians who have passed through the PiL ranks over four-plus decades.

“(This is Not a) Love Song” – Public Image Ltd.

“Rise” – Public Image Ltd.

Is John Lydon still angry?

Why did John Lydon become an American?

John Lydon on coining the nickname Sid Vicious