John Lydon trashes the Eurovision Song Contest just one day after announcing that PiL wants to represent Ireland.
Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has trashed the Eurovision Song Contest just a day after announcing that Public Image Ltd., wants to represent Ireland.
In an interview on RTE’s Radio 1, Lyndon said ‘It’s absolutely awful, the songs. The whole thing of it is disgusting to me. I’m a songwriter, I perform live, and these shows just come across as so dreadfully phony to me. But look, we’re giving it a chance to break out of that mold”
However, after his slagging off of the show, he admitted that he had never watched Eurovision in his life.
PiL has been added to the shortlist of six acts competing for Eurovision glory for Ireland with the song ‘Hawaii,’ a reflective track that’s “a personal yet universal love song that will resonate with many,” the band said in a press release.
The song is dedicated to Lydon’s wife, Nora Forster, who lives with Alzheimer’s disease.
Lydon added in a statement, “It is dedicated to everyone going through tough times on the journey of life, with the person they care for the most. It’s also a message of hope that ultimately love conquers all.”
The heat to determine Ireland’s Eurovision competitor will occur on 3 February, when PiL will perform Hawaii on The Late Late Eurosong 2023 Special. The other artists on the shortlist for Ireland are ADGY, K Muni & ND (Kofi Appiah and Nevlonne Dampare), Leila Jane, Wild Youth, and CONNOLLY.
Follow PiL on Their Socials
Need more Punk In Your Life?

Album review: The Hyperjax – ‘Scars On The Horizon’
Nearly 30 years into their existence, and still bursting with youthful energy; we’d love to know The Hyperjax’s secret. This is the Preston trio’s sixth

Live review: The Psychedelic Furs bring out ‘The Ghost in You’ on Halloween at The London Palladium!
On Halloween night, The Psychedelic Furs complete a highly successful UK tour in the rather grand setting of the London Palladium in Soho, with special

Review: Zombie Killers Drop The Bomb With New ‘Nuked’ EP!
This six-track EP release ‘Nuked’ is a refreshing listen. Zombie Killers are a relatively new band who are not scared to mix up the musical

Live review: The Headlines – Medley, Malmö, Sweden 24th Oct 2025
The relentless Headlines are back, with a new split EP in conjunction with Swedish punk legends Sator, and are celebrating with a sold-out gig in

They’ve done it again! ‘Gaslight’ – the illuminating new single from Healthy Junkies
Punk rock renegades Healthy Junkies unleashed their latest single ‘Gaslight’ on Halloween, a raw, melodic, and emotionally charged anthem about psychological manipulation and the fight

Gig Review: Hang Youth in Leiden, the Netherlands, 18th Oct 2025
On 18th October 2025, Hang Youth, maybe the best-known Dutch punk band, played in the Gebroeders de Nobel venue in Leiden. Support came from Dutch
I’m a London born and bred music journalist, a mediocre bass player and the occasional strummer of the guitar. In the ’80s I worked in recording studios and made a few records you’d probably recognise. I have written a couple of books and made the odd media appearance as a music commentator. I now call Brisbane home.




Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
