Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones and original frontman John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, haven’t shared the stage since the band’s 2008 tour. Nor have they spoken to one another since.
In a new interview, Jones revealed that he’s been estranged from the singer for well over a decade — since that ’08 tour — and the guitarist isn’t eager to patch things up.
“I haven’t spoken to him in years,” Jones said on the Rockonteurs podcast (watch below). “2008 was the last time I spoke to him. We did 30 shows around Europe. We did a bunch of festivals and all that, Japan, Australia. We ended up at Hammersmith Odeon, Hammersmith Apollo, and then we had one more show in the Basque country and that was it.”
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He continued, “I was done after that, no more. Too much. Too old, too much, not enough done.”
The 2008 shows followed occasional one-off performances and the high profile “Filthy Lucre” reunion tour in 1996, with the Jones-Lydon version of the Sex Pistols being otherwise non-existent in the intervening years since their first breakup in 1978. And considering Lydon sued his former bandmates over the Pistol TV series, that appears to be the end of it.
Meanwhile, Jones has revived the Sex Pistols alongside drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock, tapping UK punk singer Frank Carter (of Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes) to take over Johnny Rotten’s place on lead vocals. The reunion has been warmly received, with the group having completed a series of shows earlier this year.
“This is different,” Jones said of the reunion. “It’s a different vibe. Night and day.”
Praising Carter, Jones said: “He doesn’t try to be John. It’s just fun. You know what I mean? And it comes across as fun. Plus we’re playing it how it should be played. And you got this lunatic jumping around all over the place. And he brings a big element to the fun part of it.”
Jones added that more shows with Frank Carter are currently planned for 2025. “We are going to go on the road next year,” said the guitarist.
In fact, Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter were just announced as part of the lineup for the 2025 edition of the UK’s massive Download festival in Donington Park in June.
Meanwhile, Lydon, who has made headlines with his pro-MAGA stance in recent years, just announced a 2025 UK tour with his band Public Image Ltd (PiL).
