John Lydon

If you were to look back at me as a school kid you'd see a very quiet little church mouse kind of character.

One of the most beautiful things about Britain, apart from the NHS and the free education, is the British Army.

My way of thinking as I approach any human being on this planet is, 'What are you doing now?' That's what interests me. I don't come at anybody with a whole bunch of assumptions.

I love America. I love Americans.

I have one major problem with the Internet: It's full of liars.

You'd have to be daft as a brush to say you didn't like Pink Floyd.

Situationism is a ludicrous proposition. It's ill-formed and it's perfectly French. That Gallic disposition towards common sense. L'Anarchie!

I'm no one's lap dog, you can't put me on a leash.

Being born into the Royal Family is like being born into a mental asylum. Marrying into it is not something to be taken lightly.

People don't like other poor people, and rather than blame the people that make you all poor, you blame each other.

I don't tolerate liars. When somebody lies to me, that's really, like, just unbearable.

Move to Italy. I mean it: they know about living in debt; they don't care. I stayed out there for five months while I was making a film called 'Order Of Death,' and they've really got it sussed. Nice cars. Sharp suits. Great food. Stroll into work at 10. Lunch from 12 till three. Leave work at five. That's living!

It's no good being nice and young and naive. There's no good in that at all. You've got to do it all yourself, and you've gotta learn quick. And you can't look for sympathy either.

Don't accept the old order. Get rid of it.

Do what I want, be honest to myself and then it would do good for others, that's all, full on.

It's a repressive society where you can't be horrible, I'm not horrible, they made me horrible, I'm just honest.

You'll find that empty vessels make the most sound.

If you give me the chance, I'll destroy America for you.

I think national pride leads to nothing but wars and hate.

Do not stand in the middle, go to the right or to the left.

The day I run out of ideas is the day I stop making records.

Music can describe emotions far more accurately than words ever can. As soon as I realised that, I knew music was where I wanted to be.

Pop music I have always loved best.

I have one major problem with the internet: It's full of liars. There doesn't seem to be any way to answer to people lying about you.

I've never said I'm a communist.

Rules are important, but they're temporary and they're always supposed to be changed.

I have values. But morals are Christian. There's no religion here. Values. Don't hurt when you don't need to, but don't let anybody step over that line - it's an invisible line, but it's respect for somebody's space.

If anyone asks for your autograph they're showing you respect and give it back to them.

I keep falling off the edge of the stage because I can't see it. I can't see my wrinkles in the mirror either, though.

I nearly die of fear before I go on stage. Something wicked. I can't eat a thing the day before a gig.

I think I have something valid to say. My words are my bullets. I like to brag that somehow I got it right.

I love being alive so much. When you come out of comas in your childhood, every moment awake is a joyous occasion.

Remaining childish is a tremendous state of innocence.

Gossip is a very dangerous tool. We should be more wary of the gossiper, and not the gossip they're trying to relay to you.

I'm not blowing my own trumpet here, but I made a rap song 20 years ago with Afrika Bambaataa.

I'm not here for your amusement. You're here for mine.

Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won't understand how anyone can have a problem with how they're treated.

I love consumerism, TV culture, shopping malls. There's nothing I'd ever buy, but I like being there. It's wacky.

If my leg falls off, I'll get a prosthetic. There'd be no deep sadness about. I'd just get on with it! It's called life, and I love life. You have to be positive, and you have to crack on no matter what.

I don't release records to be anything but enjoyable.

I like crazy people, especially those who don't see the risk.

Oscar Wilde turned the world upside down and was able to laugh at it, and hopefully by the time I'm 120 and worn out, that's what I will achieve. I love being alive so much.

You're made to feel ugly, and I made ugly beautiful. Just by sheer persistence. Nobody has the right to say that I am ugly, and I will not be a professional victim, you know. Sorry!

There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.

Love is 2 minutes and 52 seconds of squelching noises.

Words cannot express quite a lot of feelings, whereas a noise or tone or drone or sound, an accordion falling down a staircase, can somehow capture an emotion much better.

My words are my bullets.

I was a very sickly boy when I was young; nearly died when I was 7. I had a life-threatening attack of meningitis, and that put me in a coma for a few months. It took me four years to get my memory back.

I've been asked over the years to compile a list of desert-island discs. I couldn't do that. If I was trapped on a desert island, I don't think I'd want 10 songs to bring with me.

I hate death; it takes people away from you. You're left feeling rudderless.