Comments on: Johnny Rotten http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten a blog by Will Kemp Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:29:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Juls http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-187 Juls Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:40:33 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-187 haha fair call! And yes I think that is the flat i read about, sounded like a crazy place- the poor neighbours! haha fair call! And yes I think that is the flat i read about, sounded like a crazy place- the poor neighbours!

]]> By: will http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-181 will Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:37:47 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-181 The flat was just off Camden Road, near the Brecknock pub, Camden Town, as far as i remember. There's no name dropping inolved though. I think the guy's a dickhead. I've got not time for him at all and haven't had for decades. Even Rohan's not silly enough to say i shouldn't write a story if someone famous happens to come into it! :D The flat was just off Camden Road, near the Brecknock pub, Camden Town, as far as i remember.

There’s no name dropping inolved though. I think the guy’s a dickhead. I’ve got not time for him at all and haven’t had for decades. Even Rohan’s not silly enough to say i shouldn’t write a story if someone famous happens to come into it! :D

]]> By: Juls http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-180 Juls Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:26:33 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-180 I'm jealous too- of the actual gig as much as ended up at John's flat... I'll bet I know the flat you mean as I've read Lydon's autobiography- (sorry Will, you didn't get a mention!) I was going to say there's no way John Lydon is a racist- I heard about those accusations... however having read some of the comments, especially Camerons'- it's true, noone really knows anyone else, especially celebrities! Still though, his best friend since he was a teen is Don Letts & they've been to Jamaica together and worked with many of the top reggae artists over there who Lydon clearly has a great deal of respect for... nah, I don't buy it! Good story though Will, nothin wrong with a bit of namedropping!!! I’m jealous too- of the actual gig as much as ended up at John’s flat… I’ll bet I know the flat you mean as I’ve read Lydon’s autobiography- (sorry Will, you didn’t get a mention!)
I was going to say there’s no way John Lydon is a racist- I heard about those accusations… however having read some of the comments, especially Camerons’- it’s true, noone really knows anyone else, especially celebrities!
Still though, his best friend since he was a teen is Don Letts & they’ve been to Jamaica together and worked with many of the top reggae artists over there who Lydon clearly has a great deal of respect for… nah, I don’t buy it!
Good story though Will, nothin wrong with a bit of namedropping!!!

]]> By: Gav http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-173 Gav Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:21:46 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-173 Cameron, I agree with you there - the older I get the smaller my circle of friends. I don't think I've changed all that much, just got a bit wiser about who my real mates are and who is just part of the background. I've certainly had that shock of finding out someone I trusted was in fact a right tool. Still hurts to this day - what was worse was half my so-called friends refused to believe the truth! Cameron, I agree with you there – the older I get the smaller my circle of friends. I don’t think I’ve changed all that much, just got a bit wiser about who my real mates are and who is just part of the background.

I’ve certainly had that shock of finding out someone I trusted was in fact a right tool. Still hurts to this day – what was worse was half my so-called friends refused to believe the truth!

]]> By: will http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-171 will Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:00:34 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-171 Yeah, that's true enough. I'm certainly not likely to threaten anything, and i'm sure Jow won't. But i dunno about that Rohan - them Territorians are a strange bunch! ;-) Yeah, that’s true enough.

I’m certainly not likely to threaten anything, and i’m sure Jow won’t. But i dunno about that Rohan – them Territorians are a strange bunch! ;-)

]]> By: Cameron http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-166 Cameron Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:20:31 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-166 Shit, how well can you really know a person? Someone I trusted just turned out to be a guy who thinks it is OK to smack his ex-girlfriend up and threaten to cut his kid up with an axe. People seem to hide shit: as if they have an inner and outer persona. I think that famous people are the hardest people to work out, as their public persona is encouraged and trained to the point where... I reckon even they forget who they are. People in general are a mystery. The older I get, the less I fucking know. Will, Jow, Hans... You guys aren't gonna call and threaten to kill me, are you? Shit, how well can you really know a person? Someone I trusted just turned out to be a guy who thinks it is OK to smack his ex-girlfriend up and threaten to cut his kid up with an axe. People seem to hide shit: as if they have an inner and outer persona.

I think that famous people are the hardest people to work out, as their public persona is encouraged and trained to the point where… I reckon even they forget who they are.

People in general are a mystery. The older I get, the less I fucking know.

Will, Jow, Hans… You guys aren’t gonna call and threaten to kill me, are you?

]]> By: will http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-164 will Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:30:03 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-164 Strewth! That comment's longer than my original post! I was referring only to the anti-racism of the punk scene in London in the late 70s. It was genuine. There was considerable collaboration between (mainly white) punk bands and the (mainly roots) reggae scene and black activists. Dub and punk went hand in hand. Both were similarly political too. My comment wasn't meant to refer to any aspects of late 70s punk politics other than the anti-racism. For an example of anti-racist punk politics in action, check out the history of "Rock Against Racism" - a movement that undoubtedly had a profound effect on racism in this country. Strewth! That comment’s longer than my original post!

I was referring only to the anti-racism of the punk scene in London in the late 70s. It was genuine. There was considerable collaboration between (mainly white) punk bands and the (mainly roots) reggae scene and black activists. Dub and punk went hand in hand. Both were similarly political too.

My comment wasn’t meant to refer to any aspects of late 70s punk politics other than the anti-racism.

For an example of anti-racist punk politics in action, check out the history of “Rock Against Racism” – a movement that undoubtedly had a profound effect on racism in this country.

]]> By: Rohan http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-163 Rohan Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:37:45 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-163 Nice bit of name dropping there Will! Dunno about this whole Johhny Rotten thing, I like the guy think he's interesting and intelligent but fucking arrogant. But 70's punk politics being 100% real and I sense you mean anti-racist-hmmm. I don't have a spirit of 77 tattoo with a Union Jack, I wasn't there but correct me if I'm wrong but Sid, and I believe Johhny, both wore swastika's as part of their 'look,', so not sure how wearing the iconography of racist politics translates into non-racism. As for real, the Pistols wern't 'real', Rotten may have had some idea of what anarchy really was but the rest would'nt have had a clue. Anyway they were really a creation of Malcolm and Vivian, they were the prototype band for such creations as The Spice Girls and other bands manufactutured for the market. Their politics was one of aesthetic radicalism, not politcal radicalism, they were about as radical and Green Day or Limp Bizket (or limp dickwits as I like to call them) and I'd hazard a guess that most of their fans and those in the 'scene' were much the same. To say that 'it goes totally against the grain of what 70s punk was all about. And multiracial punk politics in those days was 100% real' is like saying all the fans of Midnight Oil were into Landrights, paying the rent and anti-nuclear. So I don't know if Rotten made a racist comment or someone from his band did and he may well associate with people who have racist tendencies. After all, sadly, most people do as we live in a racist culture so the detrius of that inhabits us like a virus and let's not forget dear Johnny called the police to evict some squatters from his mansion in France many years ago so I'm not sure 100% real that is in terms of 70's punk politics Nice bit of name dropping there Will! Dunno about this whole Johhny Rotten thing, I like the guy think he’s interesting and intelligent but fucking arrogant. But 70′s punk politics being 100% real and I sense you mean anti-racist-hmmm. I don’t have a spirit of 77 tattoo with a Union Jack, I wasn’t there but correct me if I’m wrong but Sid, and I believe Johhny, both wore swastika’s as part of their ‘look,’, so not sure how wearing the iconography of racist politics translates into non-racism. As for real, the Pistols wern’t ‘real’, Rotten may have had some idea of what anarchy really was but the rest would’nt have had a clue. Anyway they were really a creation of Malcolm and Vivian, they were the prototype band for such creations as The Spice Girls and other bands manufactutured for the market. Their politics was one of aesthetic radicalism, not politcal radicalism, they were about as radical and Green Day or Limp Bizket (or limp dickwits as I like to call them) and I’d hazard a guess that most of their fans and those in the ‘scene’ were much the same. To say that

‘it goes totally against the grain of what 70s punk was all about. And multiracial punk politics in those days was 100% real’

is like saying all the fans of Midnight Oil were into Landrights, paying the rent and anti-nuclear. So I don’t know if Rotten made a racist comment or someone from his band did and he may well associate with people who have racist tendencies. After all, sadly, most people do as we live in a racist culture so the detrius of that inhabits us like a virus and let’s not forget dear Johnny called the police to evict some squatters from his mansion in France many years ago so I’m not sure 100% real that is in terms of 70′s punk politics

]]> By: will http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-161 will Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:18:57 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-161 The bit of Australian "jungle" they overuse in that appalling "reality" program "I'm A Dickhead Get Me Out Of Here"? It's actually an old cow paddock near Murwillumbah. I think there's a few trees there and, by using strategic camera angles, they manage to make it look like it's on the edge of some sort of scrubby forest. It's totally pathetic. I think you're probably right about him not being prejudiced about who he hates. From what Jow says about his nature shows though, his hatred may only apply to humans. So even though he's not racist, he probably <i>is</i> speciesist! ;-) The bit of Australian “jungle” they overuse in that appalling “reality” program “I’m A Dickhead Get Me Out Of Here”? It’s actually an old cow paddock near Murwillumbah. I think there’s a few trees there and, by using strategic camera angles, they manage to make it look like it’s on the edge of some sort of scrubby forest. It’s totally pathetic.

I think you’re probably right about him not being prejudiced about who he hates. From what Jow says about his nature shows though, his hatred may only apply to humans. So even though he’s not racist, he probably is speciesist! ;-)

]]> By: Rob Kemp http://willkemp.net.au/blog/20080730-johnny-rotten/comment-page-1#comment-160 Rob Kemp Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:52:29 +0000 http://snapandscribble.com/?p=220#comment-160 Rotten appeared on some dreadful 'Carry on up the jungle' show ... set in the 'Australian jungle', how d'ye like that ... a couple of years ago. I saw him on it and at first didn't recognize him because he wasn't grumpy enough. He didn't even appear to be psychotic - in fact he seemed quite nice. Most disappointing. I only saw a very brief segment of one episode though so it may have been an aberration. I have to say I've always detested him because he is just so gratuitously unpleasant. (Or was, until he got stuck in the Australian jungle.) I don't think it would be fair to call him racist either - I think he probably hates everyone equally, whatever their race creed or colour. Rotten appeared on some dreadful ‘Carry on up the jungle’ show … set in the ‘Australian jungle’, how d’ye like that … a couple of years ago. I saw him on it and at first didn’t recognize him because he wasn’t grumpy enough. He didn’t even appear to be psychotic – in fact he seemed quite nice. Most disappointing. I only saw a very brief segment of one episode though so it may have been an aberration.

I have to say I’ve always detested him because he is just so gratuitously unpleasant. (Or was, until he got stuck in the Australian jungle.) I don’t think it would be fair to call him racist either – I think he probably hates everyone equally, whatever their race creed or colour.

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