John Lydon, the iconic voice behind the Sex Pistols, stirred the pot in ’76 by flaunting a ‘I hate Pink Floyd’ tee. Fast forward to a recent BBC Radio Scotland interview, and he’s asked: “What if someone wore an ‘I hate the Sex Pistols’ shirt?”
John, ever the provocateur, quipped, “It’s not the same buzz, is it? Back then, my shirt was a bold move, and I loved the cheekiness of it.”
Pink Floyd, in those days, were rock royalty—almost untouchable. But John admits, “I have a soft spot for some of their early stuff, especially the Syd Barrett era.”
In a past chat with The Quietus, he’d dished about Pink Floyd’s perceived high and mighty vibe, which wasn’t his cup of tea. Yet, face-to-face with some band members, he found them grounded, contrary to media portrayals.
Back to the infamous shirt: John confessed to BBC Radio Scotland that it was more about causing a scene. “Did I loathe them? Not really. But ruffling feathers? Absolutely.”
Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour wasn’t ruffled, though. In a chat with Q Magazine, he chuckled about the shirt drama, saying, “The Sex Pistols? I quite liked them! I’ve even shared a stage with Johnny. He told me he was actually a bit of a Floyd fan. And really, who could genuinely not like us?”
