Sex Pistol Denies Racist Attack

Sex Pistols singer John Lydon has refuted reports that he was involved in an unprovoked racist attack on Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke.

Okereke had claimed that Lydon and his entourage attacked him in a “racially provoked” incident on Saturday night backstage at Summercase festival in

Barcelona. The singer was left with cuts, bruises and a split lip, and reported the incident to police in
Spain and the

UK.

But Lydon today dismissed the incident, citing Okereke’s “jealousy” at his success, and telling the Bloc Party singer to, “grow up and learn to be a true man.”

The Pistol claimed in a statement, “I feel very sorry for a man who needs to lie about what was a perfect evening. After the show John Rotten and management remained behind to sign autographs, which we did for four solid hours without incident and had a great time talking to other Spanish bands. This seems to have sparked jealousy in certain bands.”

“The trouble was brought to us, resulting in those causing the trouble being physically removed by festival security.”

“We are in the middle of a wonderful tour, after 30 years we are achieving a true unity in our audience. They are multi-varied, all ages, all races, creeds and colours.

“When you are at a festival with bands who are jealous fools, lies and confusion usually follow. If they need publicity so badly this is the allegation universe they run into.”

“When you have achieved as much as I have, come back and talk to me. It’s a shame that the wonderful world of the media is riddled with nonsense like this.”

On Sunday at Latitude festival, Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis, who reportedly intervened in the incident alongside members of Kaiser Chiefs, marked the opening song of his band’s set as an ironic tribute, “to Johnny Rotten and all his meathead friends”.

Philippakis, who had been handcuffed following the confrontation, revealed that his band almost missed their festival slot, having journeyed directly to
Suffolk from

Spain.