John Lydon's Socials Announce the passing of his wife Nora Forster
At the age of 80, Nora Forster, the wife of John Lydon, the frontman of the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd., and the mother of the late Slits singer Ari Up, passed away after a prolonged and public struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Nora had been struggling with Alzheimer’s for some time, and John had been her devoted full-time carer. the IG account of Lydon asked people to respect John’s sorrow and provide him some space.
Forster, who was born in Germany and was the heiress of a publishing dynasty, was a big supporter of the punk movement in the U.K. and motivated her daughter, Ariane Forster (later known as Ari Up), to pursue music at a young age. Up eventually created the innovative punk group the Slits, and within twelve months of their forming they were performing with the Clash. Tragically, Up passed away in 2010, aged 48, after battling breast cancer; Forster and Lydon then took on the responsibility of being guardians of Up’s three children.
In 1979, four years after their initial meeting at Vivienne Westwood’s renowned punk store Sex, Lydon and Forster tied the knot. They have been inseparable since.
In 2018, Forster was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, leading Lydon to become her full-time caretaker even when he was touring with PiL. When the band was a surprise contender to represent Ireland in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, Lydon spoke about his wife’s Alzheimer’s and the group performed ‘Hawaii,’ a song he wrote for her.
At the time Lydon said, “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.”
Despite his hopes of representing Ireland in the competition being dashed, Lydon commented on how tough it was to leave his home in Southern California and how he still managed to accomplish his objective of raising awareness for Alzheimer’s.
In February, Lydon remarked that what he once believed to be the worst of pains now appears insignificant. He believes his situation has shaped him into the person he is now and that he will never be able to recover fully. Lydon also expressed that he couldn’t imagine living without his wife and that there was no point in doing so.
He has asked people to respect his sorrow and give him some space.
Follow PiL on Their Socials
Need more Punk In Your Life?
goo Make A Big Splash With Brand New Single Release!
There is something going down in Yorkshire at the moment, and they go by the name of goo. Based in Keighley, this 4-piece outfit has
Interview: Alex chats with Sheffield hardcore crew Nylon
If I hadn’t gone for a browse in London’s excellent All Ages Records a few months ago, I wouldn’t have heard them playing Sheffield quartet
Spunge, London Signature Brew Haggerston, 28th Nov 2025
Spunge, bless them, have long had a fine sense of the ridiculous, and the bizarre antics continue to this day. After all, why make a
EP review: Geezapunx release ‘Banned Practice’
From Basingstoke and Portsmouth, UK, Geezapunx are a cheeky blend of authentic and rebellious 70’s old school punk. They have released their latest EP ‘Banned
Album review: The Puncturists release ‘I’m Not Alright’
Originally forming back in 2022, The Puncturists are a Yorkshire-based, female fronted garage punk band, who have recently released their first full studio album ‘I’m
Live review: Ruts DC celebrate 45 years of ‘Grin & Bear It’ with WitchDoktors and Joe Bitter!
Can you believe it’s been 45 years since The RuTs released their second album ‘Grin & Bear It’? Promising a set to include several rarely-played
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!
