“You need the past as a guideline. The history of music is a good basis, but to escape that stuff, that tortuous rulebook, you have to learn it first. It's kind of like religion - once you've written the Bible, that's it, move on.”

English singer, songwriter, author, and television personality

John Lydon, known for years as Johnny Rotten, is an English singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. Born John Joseph Lydon, he came to prominence as the lead singer of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He also leads the post-punk band Public Image Ltd, which he founded in 1978 and fronted until 1992, before returning to it in 2009. His public work has been tied closely to punk and post-punk music, alongside writing and television appearances.