Johnny Rotten beats up Kele Okereke (bloc party)

Apparently it's a racist thing. I don't. I met Kele at a gig he played in Whelans and he came across as a completely arrogant so and so.

Here's the story:
http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2291957,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront


I'd say its fairly safe to say he gots what he deserved

Karoma

"Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon..."

Aye. It's clear that Mr. Okereke is talking through his arse.

sweetie

"Well johnny, I hear your a racist now."

Chong

Go on Johnny!!!

Creature

I for one would like to see johnny beat up more arrogant singers of **** bands. It could be his new 'thing'.

Latchy

It was only several weeks ago that Lydon apparently shoved and jostled singer duffy when she walked over to have a chat with him at some function .She played it down but friends said she was visibly shaken by incident .Guy sounds like an arse and a bully

SprostonGreen

I would not be surprised at all if it turns out that race was not an issue, but Okereke brought out the race card.

DerekD Goldfish

Lydon may be an arrogant egotistical asshole but from what Ive read of him he is not a racist.
He probably did attack him but I doubt it was completely unprovoked and doubt it was racily motivated.
Surprised he didnt use the gay card as well.
While I dislike Lydon as a person I will always have respect for him being part of one of the most adventurous,influential and just damn great pieces of art of all time(Metal Box).
And of course he was also in the sex pistols who were a major player in the punk movement which although greatly surpassed by what followed it gave music a kickstart it desperately needed at the time.

Goosewad

Your comments all seem completely biased towards Lydon. I like both people involved. I haven't heard Kele speak that often but I didn't think he seemed arrogant any time I have. Call me idealistic, but, I think few people would make false allegations about racial abuse. It would lack any kind of integrity. I could be wrong but I would hold off the judgements until Lydon's made some kind of statement or there is more evidence etc...

loyatemu

Lydon's autobiography was called "No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs" so clearly he is a racist, and doesn't like dogs either.

Vim Fuego

Doubt it was a racist thing. In the aforementioned autobiography, he goes to Jamaica and similar places to soak up the reggae on numerous occasions - seems unlikely he'd bother if he's a racist.

JLemmon

John Lydon, while being an arse sometimes, was as one post mentioned
part of a very influential and important group, i.e. PiL.
Without whom Bloc Party would not exist.
He was also one of the many figures instrumental in bringing reggae, dub and it's various components to a wider audience (and a white one at that), he is well known and respected amoung the reggae community in the uk for his support of there music and culture.
So it seems to be an old punk and arrogant pop star clashing, sad they resorted to the race card, sadly it seems an easy way nowadays to get the great unwashed on your side.
Poptones

JLemmon

loyatemu wrote: »

Lydon's autobiography was called "No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs" so clearly he is a racist, and doesn't like dogs either.

That was the sign above pub doors in the uk back in the 50's and 60's,
Lydon being half Irish felt like an outsider, a feeling he used later in life
yada yada yada ended up in a jungle with an ostrich pecking and him

oldscoil

I was under the impression that the beating came from Lydon, but the racism came from his "entourage". .......which i think he ISN'T accountable for, some of my mates are cnuts, I wouldn't cop flack for them.......

Damo.Smith

it's a disgrace that Lydon was even involved in the fight

Howard the Duck

He got beat up by an old man he should be embarrassed. Id say maybe Lydon's entourage make the racist remarks but not Lydon it's more likely he hit Kele because he thought he was an arsehole.
I'd be interested in what Lydon has to say about it. It's about time the man grew up really what is he 60ish? Even if Kele annoyed him it's no reason to hit the man.
I did read an article in either mojo or uncut which alleged that Lydon once through a glass bottle at a band and it left a girl in the audience blind in one eye.. not sure if it's true but i read it. If it's true then it would seem some anger management course would be the way to go for him.

Xavi6

Is it true that your man from Bloc Party is playing for the other side? Someone told me that before. Coulda been a good ol fashioned hate crime on Lydon's part.

Dudess

I really don't think Lydon would have a problem with gay people - he just seems to dislike ALL people.

oldscoil wrote: »

I was under the impression that the beating came from Lydon, but the racism came from his "entourage"

That's what I think too. I would be so surprised if Lydon resorted to racism - EXTREMELY surprised given his political stances, his links to Black music from the West Indies, his own experiences of ostracisation as a young part Irishman in Britain, and simply his intelligence.
"Your problem is your black attitude" seems to be the extent of the comments, according to this report anyway (to be found in the very right-on Guardian). To me, that doesn't exactly constitute a racist attack - it's no "get back to the jungle you ****ing n*****" - but it's still most unpleasant. I could understand Okereke taking exception to such a comment but I'd say he'd have received the same physical treatment if he was white. I really doubt the attack was based on colour - rather the comments were nastily added in to maximise the effect of the assault.
However, while I too have heard Okereke can behave like a dreadfully arrogant little sh1t, the guy was assaulted. Nobody deserves to have damage inflicted on them physically and I don't agree with comments here that he got what he deserved etc. Shame on Lydon if he didn't try to stop his thug sidekicks. And yes, Lydon seems like an utterly obnoxious pig - even if PIL are one of the greatest and most influential groups of all time.

And what did Okereke do? He had the neck to go up and ask Lydon if there's a chance PIL might reform. Oh how dreadful of him...

Even he is saying the beating didn't upset him as much as the race-based comments, which to me kinda trivialises the violence and maybe he should re-think things and figure out which is more worthy of being highlighted...

MikeHoncho

You just know that this has been blown out of proportion. Apparently Lydon's entourage said that they didnt like Kele's "Black Attitude". Thats hardly the most racist thing ive heard anyone say. It didnt even come from Lydon himself and suddenly he is a racist.:rolleyes:

Still good promotion for Bloc Party's new single and The Sex Pistols ongoing tour. Especially considering they are both complete cack.

yevveh

oldscoil wrote: »

I was under the impression that the beating came from Lydon, but the racism came from his "entourage". .......which i think he ISN'T accountable for, some of my mates are cnuts, I wouldn't cop flack for them.......

Yeah, but as Ozzy said once before, you gotta be careful you choose for your bodygaurds / entourage, cos if one of them breaks somebody's arm it quickly becomes 'Ozzy broke my arm!' - if it was his entourage he'll probably say so in his statement.

Xavi6 - he is indeed gay, he came out around the release of the 2nd album I believe.

JaneyMc

I didnt know he was gay.... your man Lydons an idiot anyway attacking him! Even if it wasn't to do with race or sexuality.

niallk

racism and homophobia aside, your man deserved a good hiding.:cool:

Dudess

A good hiding for what?

Incidentally, I thought he was bisexual.

MikeHoncho wrote: »

You just know that this has been blown out of proportion. Apparently Lydon's entourage said that they didnt like Kele's "Black Attitude". Thats hardly the most racist thing ive heard anyone say

No, but it's not a pleasant thing to hear either. Still though, if he was white and behaved the same, he would have also been beaten up. I think he's playing the "it was cuz I is black" card purely because of the comments. Of course he shouldn't have been assaulted, but I think he's deciding it was racially motivated when that's extremely unlikely.

I remember in Cork a few years ago, two knacker bitches assaulted a French-Moroccan woman so badly that doctors said she might not be able to have kids. The woman and her husband claimed it was racially motivated because of the racist language the girls used while repeatedly kicking the poor woman in the stomach. But the woman had originally asked the girls, who were drunk, to stop urinating in the doorway of her apartment complex - that's what prompted the beating. The two girls were so rotten, anyone who had done the same - white or black - would have received the same treatment, it's just that the racist comments helped to make the attack all the nastier.

niallk

Dudess wrote: »

A good hiding for what?

Just for generally being a pretentious no-talent knob. No wonder he held John Lydon in such high regard.;)

Dudess

Y'know, I'd say a lot of the traits for which Kele Okereke is unpopular make him rather reminiscent of a young John Lydon - except for the class background. Okereke is very middle-class, Lydon (as he never shuts up about) is working-class. Maybe THAT'S why Okereke got assaulted - it's apparently ok to be "classist" (against middle-class people that is...)

niallk

Dudess wrote: »

Y'know, I'd say a lot of the traits for which Kele Okereke is unpopular make him rather reminiscent of a young John Lydon - except for the class background. Okereke is very middle-class, Lydon (as he never shuts up about) is working-class. Maybe THAT'S why Okereke got assaulted - it's apparently ok to be "classist" (against middle-class people that is...)

It's not "OK" to be classist unless you are working class much like racism is a lot more acceptable if you are black or in some other minority.

Dudess

That's what I'm saying - middle-class people are far more fair game for abuse based on their class background and it's a load of crap...

yevveh

niallk wrote: »

Just for generally being a pretentious no-talent knob. No wonder he held John Lydon in such high regard.;)

Dude, Kele has the skills to pay the bills :pac: seriously though, he's a professional musician, made a great first album and an alright second one with some good tunes on it. Who are you to say he's got no talent? It's all well and good criticising styles of music by saying that you don't like it, you think it's sound atrocious, but Bloc Party can most definitely play and play well.

Dudess

Howard the Duck wrote: »

I'd be interested in what Lydon has to say about it. It's about time the man grew up really what is he 60ish?

He's 52 - i.e. still too young to be so old mannishly cantankerous! But then, he was cantankerous at 21 too...

Captain Darling

The Sex Pistols are touring again this Summer are they not??

Ill advised publicity stunt by Lydon perhaps????

niallk

yevveh wrote: »

Dude, Kele has the skills to pay the bills :pac: seriously though, he's a professional musician, made a great first album and an alright second one with some good tunes on it. Who are you to say he's got no talent? It's all well and good criticising styles of music by saying that you don't like it, you think it's sound atrocious, but Bloc Party can most definitely play and play well.

Sorry I forgot the disclaimer. IMO he is a pretentious knob with no talent. He is an adequate musician but his vocals and lyrics are poor and really annoying. Who am I to say this? I am a music fan and a music consumer. I paid for a Bloc Party CD and was not happy with what I got. I will say that the album (A Weekend in the City) is well produced but has no good songs.

yevveh

niallk wrote: »

Sorry I forgot the disclaimer. IMO he is a pretentious knob with no talent. He is an adequate musician but his vocals and lyrics are poor and really annoying. Who am I to say this? I am a music fan and a music consumer. I paid for a Bloc Party CD and was not happy with what I got. I will say that the album (A Weekend in the City) is well produced but has no good songs.

True, that album isn't really that good. I quite like the Prayer but that's about it. 'Silent Alarm' is much better.

jill_valentine

I find it shocking, genuinely shocking, that Kele Okereke is the lesser of two knobheads in any set of circumstances, but it seems to be the case here. Everybody who was there is seemingly backing his Okereke's account.

Don't think it was racist, really, but Lydon's people were still acting like titwits. I don't like Kele Okereke, and I don't like him a whole bunch, but John Lydon's too old to be acting like some tool outside Doran's.

KnifeWRENCH

They're both arrogant cunts. Can't stand either of 'em.

I sincerely doubt it was racist though. okereke might simply be playing the race card to try and gain some sympathy. He'll get none from me anyway...

jill_valentine

Somebody said Okereke's problem was his "black attitude", and that's been verified by other people that were there. I don't think the scuffle was racially motivated, and I don't think it was Lydon who said it, but it was still a bit twatty.

I think Kele's primary problem here was that he was bothering his arse talking to John Lydon. He's basically that crazy old woman who flings cats at people in The Simpsons.

KnifeWRENCH

jill_valentine wrote: »

I think Kele's primary problem here was that he was bothering his arse talking to John Lydon. He's basically that crazy old woman who flings cats at people in The Simpsons.

I can see the resemblence alright!

rowlandbrowner

It's not important
It's not worth a mention in The Guardian

Lydon’s become a parody of his former self. It’s a shame, if you read interviews from him during the first couple of PIL albums he was actually worth listening to, particularly his critiques of the sham that was Punk Rock. Metal Box is one of the most wonderful albums I know (owing as much or more to Keith Levene and Jah Wooble’s participation). Now he seems to be nothing more than a regurgitation of the character Malcolm Mclaren moulded him into during the first Sex Pistols run. The one that he tried so hard to destroy and get away from, This news story is just further proof and further erodes the legacy he should gained for his work with (early) public image ltd.

Affable

DerekD Goldfish wrote: »

Lydon may be an arrogant egotistical asshole but from what Ive read of him he is not a racist.

Wasn't the bassist in PIL black?

niallk

Affable wrote: »

Wasn't the bassist in PIL black?

Yes and I believe he was once seen ordering a beer from a black barman...
:rolleyes:
Give me a break.

Affable

niallk wrote: »

Yes and I believe he was once seen ordering a beer from a black barman...
:rolleyes:
Give me a break.

You don't think it's unlikely a racist would have a black band member?

lordgoat

niallk wrote: »

Yes and I believe he was once seen ordering a beer from a black barman...
:rolleyes:
Give me a break.

That made me laugh! Good burn!

On topic.

In the immortal words of the fast show- Both bollocks.

Leave em to it.

Doctor J

Has he ever beaten up a white man and, if so, does that make him anti-white too?

stovelid

Papa Smut wrote: »

Apparently it's a racist thing. I don't. I met Kele at a gig he played in Whelans and he came across as a completely arrogant so and so.

Here's the story:
http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2291957,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront


I'd say its fairly safe to say he gots what he deserved

*Prays* with all his might that JR shares a gig lineup with Razorlight and Babyshambles soon.

lordgoat

So i hear you're a racist now Johnny.

monkey9

Howard the Duck wrote: »

He got beat up by an old man he should be embarrassed. Id say maybe Lydon's entourage make the racist remarks but not Lydon it's more likely he hit Kele because he thought he was an arsehole.
I'd be interested in what Lydon has to say about it. It's about time the man grew up really what is he 60ish? Even if Kele annoyed him it's no reason to hit the man.
I did read an article in either mojo or uncut which alleged that Lydon once through a glass bottle at a band and it left a girl in the audience blind in one eye.. not sure if it's true but i read it. If it's true then it would seem some anger management course would be the way to go for him.

I think it was Sid Vicious who blinded the girl