The fight between Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke and Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has escalated, with a press statement alleging that members of Lydon’s entourage racially abused Okereke.
The incident occurred backstage at the weekend’s Summercase event in Spain, where Sex Pistols were performing. Okereke approached Lydon and asked him to reform Public Image Limited – the legendary avant garde project Lydon created after the initial dissolution of the Sex Pistols.
Members of Lydon’s entourage, and allegedly Lydon himself, then became angry and assaulted Okereke leaving him with severe facial bruising, cuts to his face and body, and a split lip. Members of Foals and Kaiser Chiefs then intervened on the Bloc Party man’s behalf.
In addition to this, it is alleged that one member of Lydon’s crew shouted “your problem is your black attitude!” at Okereke. Quite why being black equates to being a Public Image fan is beyond me – I like and last time I checked I was kind of peachy, with freckles.
Okereke had the following to say:
“It’s not an issue of the physical assault, even though it was an unprovoked attack, it is the fact that race was brought into the matter so readily. Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon should know better than to bring race into the equation, or socialise with and encourage those who hold such narrow-minded attitudes. I am disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot.”
