Johnny Rotten’s Cordial Letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Next to the Sex Pistols, You’re ‘a Piss Stain’

in Letters, Music | July 10th, 2013 7 Comments

johnny rotten hall of fame

The Sex Pistols certainly weren’t the first to balk at showing up to receive a trophy at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. They were, however, notable for the style in which they declined to attend. When word came in early 2006 that the Pistols would be inducted, the band’s singer John Lydon, whose stage name was “Johnny Rotten,” faxed the Hall of Fame a handwritten note. “Next to the SEX-PISTOLS rock and roll and that hall of fame is a piss stain,” wrote Lydon. “Your museum. Urine in wine. Were not coming. Were not your monkey and so what?” You can read the rest above, or watch below as a bemused Jann Wenner, co-founder of the museum, reads the letter out loud during the ceremony.

via Letters of Note

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  1. Hanoch says . . . | July 10, 2013 / 11:34 am

    Good boy, Johnny. Now its time to practice our “ABCs”.

  2. jan ostrom says . . . | July 10, 2013 / 11:39 am

    Johnny, let’s see, uh, is he still alive?

  3. Fred says . . . | July 10, 2013 / 4:33 pm

    Thanks JR for not selling out.

  4. Dylan says . . . | July 12, 2013 / 2:48 am

    While they didn’t refuse the induction, one of the members of Rush (sorry, never been a fan of the band, though always respected their musicianship) gave the best acceptance speech in history, commenting on the absurdity of the enterprise in what was essentially – well, an absurdist performance piece:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKuO1FpCWRI

    Start it at 4:20 for fun.

  5. donkeypant says . . . | October 16, 2013 / 11:34 am

    Kudos to him. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a joke. No rhyme or reason. Arbitrary nonsense. I don’t know why anyone feeds into it.

  6. dan says . . . | August 26, 2014 / 3:54 am

    not selling out!!!….hmmm Country Life

  7. Mike says . . . | October 9, 2014 / 1:33 pm

    I think Jan was plastered

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