John Lydon has issued a statement on the death of the Queen.
The punk icon drove the Sex Pistols to media infamy, with their Jubilee-baiting single ‘God Save The Queen’ becoming a vinyl-based culture war. For many, it became the anti-Royalist soundtrack to 1977’s Silver Jubilee, and it remains a blast of white hot punk rock.
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II saw streams of the single shoot up, and all eyes were on John Lydon for his statement. In the end, however, it was much more empathetic than some fans anticipated – a tender tribute, saying “send her victorious…”
Rest in Peace Queen Elizabeth II.
— John Lydon Official (@lydonofficial) September 9, 2022
Send her victorious.
From all at https://t.co/vK2Du0ZzDS pic.twitter.com/kq4M6WfeML
As much as fans eager for a sizzling tabloid-ready quote were disappointed, this position is entirely within the realm of what John Lydon has been writing for some time. Appearing in the Times earlier this year, he wrote:
“I’ve got no animosity against any one of the royal family. Never did. It’s the institution of it that bothers me and the assumption that I’m to pay for that. There’s where I draw the line.”
Chatting to theQuietus back in 2017, he commented on the song: “That’s about a political situation and the demand for obedience to a monarchy I don’t believe in. But that’s a human being and I would sorely miss her as a human being on planet Earth.”
“Hello Brave World!” Read an archive interview with John Lydon.
