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John Lydon thinks The Rolling Stones should retire
8 May 2025, 11:54
The former Sex Pistols frontman believes he's "not short of a song idea or two".
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John Lydon believes its time for The Rolling Stones to retire.
The PiL (Public Image Ltd) frontman and former Sex Pistols rocker made the comments on Good Morning Britain as part of a conversation about going back to work after his beloved wife Nora Forster died of dementia, aged 80 in 2023.
“If I just sat back and retired, that’s not me," he told presenters Ed Balls and Susanna Reid.
"I’m not that kind of person. By all means, The Rolling Stones should retire, I’m not short of a song idea or two, so there’s a difference.”
He added wryly: “I’ve offended music lovers.”
He brought 'Anarchy to the UK' nearly 50 years ago, but after sadly losing his wife Nora in April 2023, and his best friend and manager just 8 months later, former Sex Pistol John Lydon thought he'd never tour again.
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 7, 2025
But two years on, the pioneering godfather of punk is back… pic.twitter.com/Nr7oN6WBSZ
Read more:
- John Lydon on losing his wife: "The loneliness kills me"
- John Lydon tells fans who still want Nevermind The Boll***s Part 2: "F**k off!"
- John Lydon says he'll never return to "woke" Sex Pistols and is "shocked by how awful" their gigs are with Frank Carter
Lydon may think The Rolling Stones should pack it in, but the band scored a UK number one album with Hackney Diamonds in 2023.
Lydon and PiL meanwhile will support their 2023 album End of The World with dates their 2025 string of UK & Ireland dates, dubbed This Is Not The Last Tour.
Tickets for the dates are on sale now.
See PiL's 2025 This Is Not The Last Tour dates:
MAY 2025
- 22 – O2 Academy, Bristol
- 23 – Stone Valley Festival South, Ware
- 24 – O2 Academy, Bournemouth
- 26 – The Foundry, Torquay *new date
- 27 – Chalk, Brighton *new date
- 29 – Birdwell, Barnsley
- 30 – Boiler Shop, Newcastle
- 31 – Epic Studios, Norwich
JUNE 2025:
- 12 – 3Olympia, Dublin
- 13 – Dolan’s Warehouse, Limerick
- 14 – Depot, Cardiff
- 24 - Dreamland, Margate
- 26 – White Rock, Hastings
- 27 – Stone Valley Festival Midlands, Newark
- 28 – O2 Academy, Oxford
JULY 2025:
- 01 – Parr Hall, Warrington *new date
- 03 – O2 Academy, Leicester
- 04 – Engine Shed, Lincoln
- 05 – Guildhall, Portsmouth
- 30 – Leadmill, Sheffield
- 31 – Roadmender, Northampton
AUGUST 2025:
- 01 – Picturedrome, Holmfirth
- 07 – Town Hall, Cheltenham *new date
- 08 – Stone Valley Festival North, Durham
- 09 – Empire, Coventry
- 15 – City Hall, Cork
- 16 – Putting The Fast In Belfast, Belfast
Read more:
- The 20 Best Rolling Stones cover versions
- What are The Rolling Stones' biggest songs?
- What's the meaning behind the Rolling Stones tongue and lips logo?
