Billy Idol comments on John Lydon’s stinging Sex Pistols criticisms
Idol briefly fronted the Generation Sex supergroup
Billy Idol has shared his thoughts on John Lydon’s barrage of criticisms about the Sex Pistols reunion with new vocalist Frank Carter.
‘White Wedding’ singer Billy Idol co-founded the short-lived punk supergroup Generation Sex in 2018 alongside Generation X bassist Tony James, and Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook.
They played a clutch of UK and European shows in summer 2023, including a surprise set at Glastonbury, but are no longer active.
Although John Lydon didn’t directly criticise Billy Idol fronting Generation Sex, he did joke in 2023 that Idol was the “Cliff Richard of punk”, and asked “What has poor Billy taken on?”
However, in multiple recent interviews, John Lydon has been much more scathing of his former Sex Pistols band mates since they reunited with Frank Carter on vocals in 2024.
After previously dismissing Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter as “karaoke” and accusing them of “‘trivialising’ the band’s legacy, Lydon told Louder Than War in March: “I’ve been shocked how awful it is. It just seems like they’ve rented a puppet and there it is. It is truly karaoke I think with really mediocre results.”
In another interview, he blasted Sex Pistols as “Walt Disney woke” and vowed to never work with them again.
Asked by Heavy Consequence about his thoughts on the Sex Pistols reunion, Billy Idol said: “Well I think it’s fantastic that Jonesy, Cookie, and Glen wanna play.
“Johnny doesn’t wanna do it. He wants to do Public Image, so I totally understand that. What’s wrong with them finding some guy that they really believe can deliver those songs?
“I think it makes more sense than me doing it, ’cause I’m really Billy Idol already. I’m better off doing my own music. We’ve got this killer album. I won’t be out there just doing retread music. I’m gonna be doing some old stuff, but we’re gonna be doing a lot of new stuff on this tour.
“So for me, I’m really excited about what I’m doing and I’m excited for them that they’ve found someone that they feel can deliver those songs in the way they want them delivered.”
Commenting on John Lydon’s stinging comments about the Sex Pistols, Idol replied: “Of course John’s gonna be pissed. He’s been like this for a while.
“At the same time, he’s into Public Image. That’s really what he wants to do, so I think we’re all in a good place, really. It’s just John’s always been super opinionated and rightly so, probably. He’s never held back what he truly thinks. So, yeah, it doesn’t bother me. I love him and everything, but I know where I’m going with my music and I’m happy with what I’m doing.”
Billy Idol plays a headline show at London OVO Arena Wembley on Tuesday 24th June, two days after his slot at the inaugural Forever Now Festival at Milton Keynes National Bowl.
Tickets to both events are on sale from Planet Rock Tickets now.
Billy Idol also releases his first album in a decade, 'Dream Into It', on Friday 25th April 2025 via Dark Horse Recordings.
The nine-track record features collaborations with pop punk singer Avril Lavigne (on the song ‘77’), the legendary Joan Jett (‘Wildside’) and The Kills singer Alison Mosshart (‘John Wayne’).
The real names of famous rock stars, including Billy Idol:
Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks
Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović
'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'
Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker
John 5’s real name: John William Lowery
Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback
Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont
Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano
Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock
King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen
Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson
Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm
Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga
Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano
Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti
Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose
Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott
Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick
Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III
Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara
Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary
Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein
Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib
Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal
Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III
Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison
Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg
Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz
Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray
Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.
Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier
Slash's real name: Saul Hudson
Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard
Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona
Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson
Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer
Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones
Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler
Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks
Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell
Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen
Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton
Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan
Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black
Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister
John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin
Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin
Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp
Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion
Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth
David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman
Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie
Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley
Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank
Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor
Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld
The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans
Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday
Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico
Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne
Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi
Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini
Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis
Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson
Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner
Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad
Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler
Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo
Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel
Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield
Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks
Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch
Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk
Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira
Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)
Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt
Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan
Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke
Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford
M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders
Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett
Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine
Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls
Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews
Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis
Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum
Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain
Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder
Steel Panther’s real names
Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.