John Lydon labels Sting a 'soggy old dead carcass'

courtesy of NME.com Thu Sep 20, 8:00 AM ET

Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has ripped into a whole host of artists and celebrities this morning (September 20), during a phone interview with Christian O'Connell on Britain's Virgin Radio.

The punk legend was only too keen to lay into the likes of Sting, spitting at comparisons made between the recently confirmed Sex Pistols gig at London's Brixton Academy on November 8 and the recent reformation of the Police.

"That's really a reformation, isn't it?" he deadpanned, before continuing, "but, honestly, that's like soggy old dead carcasses. You know, listening to Stink try to squeak through 'Roxanne' one more time, that's not fun. It's like letting air out of a balloon."

Asked to relay his thoughts over the drug addictions of contemporary musicians such as Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse, Lydon was quick to compare their tabloid antics with ex-bandmate Sid Vicious.

"There's not much going on in their head with them. They're not thinking. They're not doing this for the right reasons. They obviously don't enjoy what they're doing. And that's why you turn to drugs. And that's what happened with Sid, he wasn't happy about what he couldn't do.

"It's a slow suicide," Lydon added, "and it's a cry for help because they're in pain, they're in mental pain. And this is a disgusting industry because people just cut you dead."

Meanwhile, NME.com is organizing a campaign to get the Pistols' classic single "God Save The Queen" to number one in the U.K. The song was reportedly denied the top spot when it was originally released way back in 1977, because authorities didn't want the band's punk sentiment to jar with the Queen's Jubilee celebration that year.

As the single is reissued on seven-inch vinyl to celebrate its 30th anniversary, NME.com is calling on all fans to buy or download it during the week beginning October 8, to hopefully we can send it back up the charts where it rightfully belongs.

For more on the Sex Pistols, check out their NME.com page.