John Lydon has spoken out against the newly announced Sex Pistols compilation, The Original Recordings.
Universal Music are set to release the record, which contains 20 of the pioneering band’s recordings from 1976-1978, on May 27.
Following the announcement of the compilation, a statement was published on Lydon’s Facebook page denouncing the record.
“Universal Music Group have announced the release of a new Sex Pistols compilation entitled The Original Recordings,” the statement from the former Pistols singer reads.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, John Lydon has not approved this compilation and does not endorse or support it. He has not approved the artwork or tracklisting.
“He and his team were not involved in producing this compilation and consider it substandard compared to previous Universal releases since 2012.”
Universal Music Group have announced the release of a new Sex Pistols compilation entitled ‘The Original Recordings’….
Posted by John Lydon on Wednesday, March 30, 2022
The compilation will arrive just ahead of the premiere of the new Disney+ Sex Pistols biopic Pistol, which is set to air on May 31.
“The furious, raging storm at the centre of this revolution are the Sex Pistols – and at the centre of this series is Sex Pistols’ founding member and guitarist, Steve Jones,” a synopsis for the series reads.
“Jones’ hilarious, emotional and at times heart-breaking journey guides us through a kaleidoscopic telling of three of the most epic, chaotic and mucus-spattered years in the history of music.
“Based on Jones’ memoir Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol, this is the story of a band of spotty, noisy, working-class kids with ‘no future’, who shook the boring, corrupt Establishment to its core, threatened to bring down the government and changed music and culture forever.”
Lydon similarly refused to endorse Pistol, and was taken to court by his former bandmates Steve Jones and Paul Cook last summer after the singer refused to license the Sex Pistols’ music for inclusion in the show.
“John Lydon did not ask for the recent proceedings,” a statement posted on Lydon’s website read after he lost the legal battle against Jones and Cook. “He was asked to allow the Sex Pistols works to be used without any prior consultation or involvement in the project. He took a stand on principle for what he sees as the integrity of the Sex Pistols legacy and fought for what he believed and continues to believe was right.”