by John Lydon, the former Sex Pistols frontman notorious for wearing an “I Hate Pink Floyd” t-shirt, revealed he almost collaborated with the legendary band in a resurfaced interview with The Guardian.
In the 2010 interview, Lydon clarified his stance on Pink Floyd. He also discussed a near-collaboration that surprised many fans.
“You’d have to be daft as a brush to say you didn’t like Pink Floyd. They’ve done great stuff,” Lydon said. “There was an aura of ‘Oh, we’re so great there’s no room for anybody else.’ [And] they’ve done rubbish too.”
He went on to praise the band members personally, particularly guitarist Dave Gilmour.
“[In person, Pink Floyd are] not [pretentious] at all. There was kind of a misreading and a misrepresentation in the press and they’re not holier than thou,” he explained. “Dave Gilmour I’ve met a few times and I just think he’s an all right bloke.”
Lydon then revealed that Pink Floyd had actually invited him to collaborate with them.
“They asked me would I come on and do a bit of [it] with them. The idea thrilled me no end. I came so close to doing it,” he said. “[But ultimately] it felt like I was trying to set myself up as some kind of pretentious person. I’m wary of the jam-session end of things.”
He clarified his hesitation was about the public nature of the collaboration rather than working with the band itself.
“I just don’t want to do it. But I wanted to do it. But just not when 20,000 people were there,” Lydon continued. “I’d have gone to a studio and played around with it there. But not for the bigger picture. Privately, I’d love to go into the studio and do something with the album with them.”
The revelation adds an unexpected chapter to the story of Lydon’s infamous “I Hate Pink Floyd” t-shirt. It shows that his relationship with the band was far more nuanced than the provocative statement suggested.
The story behind that iconic t-shirt dates back to a pivotal moment in punk rock history. Louder Sound reported that in 1975, Lydon was spotted wearing the custom-made “I Hate Pink Floyd” t-shirt on London’s Kings Road by Bernie Rhodes, an associate of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. Rhodes invited Lydon to audition for The Sex Pistols. This moment helped foster the image of the Pistols as a rebellious alternative to Britain’s established rock scene.
The t-shirt was more than just a fashion statement. It symbolized the punk movement’s rebellion against what they perceived as the elitism and conservativeness of established rock bands like Pink Floyd. However, Lydon later clarified that the provocative message was meant to challenge the notion that Pink Floyd were “holier than God,” not to express genuine dislike for their music.
The relationship between Lydon and Pink Floyd members proved to be more complex than the t-shirt suggested. Far Out Magazine noted that Lydon was approached by both Roger Waters and David Gilmour at different times for potential collaborations. Waters once invited him to perform live. These invitations demonstrate a level of mutual respect between the punk icon and the progressive rock legends.
Every Record Tells a Story highlighted that Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason appreciated the punk movement while acknowledging the value of keeping some of the older bands alive. This indicates mutual respect and awareness between the two musical spheres. Lydon has also expressed particular admiration for Pink Floyd’s early work with Syd Barrett. This further reveals the depth of his appreciation for the band beyond the rebellious image he cultivated in his youth.
