We've had a lot of fun with the crazy talk that has come out of Johnny Rotten's mouth of late. Unfortunately, Rotten's attitude has apparently taken a darker turn. At Barcelona's Summercase festival, Rotten's crew allegedly physically attacked Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, who had approached Rotten asking if Public Image Ltd. would ever get back together. According to Okereke, Rotten told him he had a "black attitude," and his crew proceeded to pummel him. Rotten himself did not actually engage in the alleged physical attack.
Said Okereke of the attack:
"It's not an issue of the physical assault, even though it was an unprovoked attack. It is the fact that race was brought into the matter so readily. Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon should know better than to bring race into the equation, or socialise with and encourage those who hold such narrow-minded attitudes. I am disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot."
It's unclear how much of the purported beatdown was determined by Rotten's bigotry or by his general annoyance. Whatever the case, this would be a tasteless and anti-progressive act by a punk legend.
Bloc Party »
That's some shîtty, disappointing, news right there.