John Lydon Quotes

My biggest fear is mindlessly and stupidly repeating myself.

You know, I've been to some superstars' houses, and I've been really disgusted when I see their platinum discs hanging in the toilet. They're just there on the walls glaring at you when you're trying to be occupied with other things.

I never thought of Green Day as a punk band. Just bubblegum, really.

When you talk like an asshole and look like an asshole, you're an asshole

People think I hate the Royal Family, but that's not true.

I mean, the genuine roots of culture is folk music.

Any new ideas go into PiL. My inspiration is everything that the human being gets up to. I don't listen to any music when I'm in PiL-zone, because influences can poison your well. Otherwise, I listen to anything.

I cannot comprehend fundamentalism. It's fundamentally wrong.

I'm not one for like soul-searching, sour fizzy moments. I come from the school of hard knocks, "f**king get on with it", that's it.

As a young concert-going person, I was never enamoured with celebrities who would walk out to feature in certain songs and then walk off.

I keep falling off the edge of the stage because I can't see it. I can't see my wrinkles in the mirror either, though.

Isn't it odd I've made some friends in the Republican Party, but that's in spite of the fact that I cannot agree with not any one single thing they stand for. That's the irony in the joy of being a human being in that we don't resent each other for our different thought processes, but anything that offers the attitude to me of "I'm going to stop you because that offends my religion", then I'm going to stop them. So I have one more note against that ideology, and the idea of a real estate agent running the universe is just not acceptable.

I wanted to wear the most impenetrable suit of armour ever known to mankind. 'Hello, Mr. Rotten...' You can't say anything about me. You can't put me down in any way shape or form - I'm rotten to the core... you know, what's left for you? Pleasantries? I suppose the worst insult you could sling my way is 'Oh, he's really nice, him.'

The so-called alleged 'art' of the video - well, the video has killed the radio star, but the video star killed the live musician, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

I'm not going to pontificate and tell you to execute your government at dawn, but it wouldn't be a bad idea.

The only good political movement I've seen lately was Occupy Wall Street. They had no leaders, which was genius. But unfortunately it always ends up with some hippy playing a flute.

The real color of my hair is mouse. I always want to be ginger, which I was when I was born, or blond, because I live in L.A., and I want to look like I go surfing without any physical effort.

I had an Irish Catholic education. Horrible nuns, vindictive and cruel.

For me, the anarchy movement is hilarious. It's all under .org, which is of course government sponsored websites, and then they're all wearing corporate clothing from the Dr.Martin's to the back sacks and the cell phones, they're all flying around on corporate jets and using corporate highways. Very anarchistic!

If you are pissing people off, you know you are doing something right

I like lime-flavoured yoghurt. The end. There is no religion. It’s a man-made fabrication. Once you understand that, you’ll be a happier individual. Atheism is as pointless as satanism.

Meat isn't murder, it's delicious.

I don't believe in pets. I like animals to be wild and free. But I can sit and watch an ant run up and down the floor for hours. I use a magnifying glass to look at the beautiful shape of the thing.

This is a very difficult thing to remain independent and persistent.

I'm not here for your amusement. You're here for mine.

I don't like the monikers, and I don't like being pigeonholed. You know, I'm a human being.

The only notes that matter come in a wad

Remaining childish is a tremendous state of innocence.

Love is two minutes fifty-two seconds of squishing noises. It shows your mind isn't clicking right.

I'm just permanently agitated by everything and everyone.

Every single lyric I've ever written I meant.

I never take any commitment lightly, and I certainly don’t take my wife lightly. I never did and I never will. That’s permanent. That’s true love.

For me all governments are my enemies and I've never made any bones about it any other way other than directly, and I don't fly the left flag or the right flag, me, I'm common sense.

It's a loser's emblem (swastika), because the Nazis lost the war. It's ridiculous to suggest we are involved with fascists. All my best friends are black, gay, Irish or criminals.

I've never said I'm a communist.

I will always pay respect and homage to my early years, because that's what gave me the initial push to go on and do what it is I do. That's where I learned the love and respect for music.

My words are my bullets.

I could never be a member of a single party. I want the best of all worlds, thank you.

You have moments of grief in life, and if you can put pen to paper and capture that, that's something wonderful. I can revisit actual songs about past deaths, and I know that emotion is as true now as it was then.

The sounds of anger are not melodic.

I love American ski resorts because they're open to everyone, are not incredibly expensive. They're not snobby and you can have fun all day long on the most excellent mountains.

Some visualize the Pistols era in shades of black and white. It wasn't. Actually, the colors I envision are neon or army dirt green with fluorescent pink--anything that would annoy."

That's where money comes from, you work hard and you earn and then you spend it on correct things, and Public Image is a correct thing.

Heaven is on this earth. There are no angels on the clouds with twanging harps... That's just another man's fantasy.

It's no good being nice and young and naive. There's no good in that at all. You've got to do it all yourself, and you've gotta learn quick. And you can't look for sympathy either.

The idea of hearing, 'Great gig, man,' one more time just turns my stomach over.

I love discordancy. It makes people ill at ease and wakes up a part of their brain that's normally asleep.

My way of thinking as I approach any human being on this planet is, 'What are you doing now?' That's what interests me. I don't come at anybody with a whole bunch of assumptions.