The Public Image Ltd front man and former Sex Pistols says the Russian President owes him money.
The PiL Frontman frontman, John Lydon, has spoken out against Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him “rotten”. He also criticised Putin’s leadership and alleged corruption.
“He’s rotten to the core, I’m sorry,” said Lydon. “If you’re a leader of a country, you should be there for the people, not just to fill your own pockets.”
Lydon’s attack on the embattled Russian leader came about when he was asked what his worst decision was, John answer?
“Playing in Ukraine with PiL just before the Russians invaded. We got ripped off. The promoter didn’t turn up with the money. They left us stranded there and we had to get out of the place as quickly as possible. “And perhaps foolishly I said in an interview, ‘Now Putin can pay us what the Ukrainians owe. That was a lead balloon of serious proportions.”
PiL is set to release 13 new song on August 11th followed by a UK and European tour in September and October. The band’s lineup has undergone changes over the years, resulting in a distinct and innovative sound that blends various genres such as rock, dance, folk, pop, and dub.
Lydon has guided PiL from their debut album ‘First Issue’ in 1978 to the influential ‘Metal Box’ in 1979, and onwards to ‘That What Is Not’ in 1992, before embarking on a hiatus that lasted 17 years.
In 2009, Lydon revived PiL, embarking on extensive global tours and releasing two highly acclaimed albums: ‘This is PiL’ in 2012 and their 10th studio album, ‘What The World Needs Now…’ in 2015. The latter reached a peak position of number 29 on the official UK album charts.
In 2018, PiL commemorated their 40th anniversary with a comprehensive box set and a documentary titled “The Public Image Is Rotten,” along with a 32-date tour across the UK, Europe, and additional performances in Japan.
End Of The World can be pre-ordered here. PiL’s UK and European Tour Kicks off on Monday, September 11 at the Patti Pavillion in Swansea and concludes Monday 30 October in Milan at the Magazzini Generali. Full tour dates are below.
Follow PiL on Their Socials
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Live review: Mexican, Israeli and Utrecht punk in Dutch Hilversum
Venue Hillyweird in Hilversum, the Netherlands, announced a concert on 19th June 2025 by Pissebed from Utrecht, Holocausts, from Israel, and Los Intrusos from Mexico.
Album review: Rival Pack – ‘Burn’
It’s only recently that I came to realise just how rich the Benelux region is in metallic hardcore. From the recent return of veterans such
EP review: Already Dead – ‘I Think It’s Time To Leave…’
Blink and you’ll miss this one! At only ten minutes long, ‘I Think It’s Time To Leave…’ doesn’t stick around, but the passion and energy
Album review: M.U.T.T. – ‘Toughest Street In Town’
Here at Punktuation, we like it when bands blend punk and rock n’ roll with a sense of humour, and in that respect, this second
Dion Lunadon/Los Pepes, London The Lexington, 20th June 2025
Be it venturing into the crowd (with his guitar, natch), inviting a random crowd member onstage to play keyboard, or even playing his own instrument
Live review: John McKay’s Reactor make their live debut at Reading’s Facebar!
One of punk’s great pioneers, John McKay has returned after 35 years in the musical wilderness. Promoting his long-lost and excellent ‘Sixes and Sevens’ album
Fri Sept 8 -Sheffield, Leadmill.
Sat Sept 9 – Farsley, Old Wollen.
Mon Sept 11 – Swansea, Patti Pavillion
Tue Sept 12 – Margate, Dreamland
Wed Sept 13 – Lincoln – Engine Shed
Fri Sept 15 – Blackburn, King Georges Hall
Sat Sept 16 – Buckley, Tivoli
Mon Sept 18 – Sunderland, Fire Station
Tue Sept 19 – Aberdeen, Beach Ballroom
Thurs Sept 21 – Edinburgh, O2 Academy
Fri Sept 22 – Manchester, O2 Ritz
Sat Sept 23 – Holmfirth, Picture Dome
Mon Sept 25 – Coventry, HMV
Tues Sept 26 – Brighton, CHALK
Thurs Sept 28 – Bristol, O2 Academy
Fri Sept 29 – Torquay, Foundry
Sat Sept 30 – London, The Forum
Monday 02 Oct -Köln, Die Kantine
Wednesday 04 Oct – Amsterdam, Paradiso
Thursday 05 Oct -Gent, Vooruit
Friday 06 Oct – Stuttgart, Im Wizemann (Halle)
Sunday 08 Oct – Hamburg, Gruenspan
Monday 09 Oct – Götebor, Pustervik
Tuesday 10 Oct – Stockholm, Nalen
Thursday 12 Oct – Tallinn, Helitehas
Friday 13 Oct – Helsinki, Ääniwalli
Sunday 15 Oct -Berlin, Metropol
Monday 16 Oct – Prague, Lucerna Music Bar
Tuesday 17 Oct – Brno, Fleda club
Friday 20 Oct – Madrid, Shoko Madrid
Saturday 21 Oct – Barcelona, La Salamandra
Sunday 22 Oct – Bilbao, Kafe Antzokia
Tuesday 24 Oct – Porto, Hard Club
Wednesday 25 Oct – Lisboa, LAV – Lisboa Ao Vivo
Friday 27 Oct – Paris, Le Trianon
Sunday 29 Oct – Lausanne, Les Docks
Monday 30 Oct – Milan, Magazzini Generali
Punktuation Magazine For All Your Daily Punk News, Features, Interviews, Lifestyle and more!
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!
