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Anger is an Energy: My Life Uncensored

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John Lydon has secured prime position as one of the most recognizable icons in the annals of music history. As Johnny Rotten, he was the lead singer of the Sex Pistols - the world's most notorious band, who shot to fame in the mid-1970s with singles such as 'Anarchy in the UK' and 'God Save the Queen'. So revolutionary was his influence, he was even discussed in the Houses of Parliament, under the Traitors and Treasons Act, which still carries the death penalty. Via his music and invective he spearheaded a generation of young people across the world who were clamouring for change - and found it in the style and attitude of this most unlikely figurehead.

With his next band, Public Image Ltd (PiL) Lydon expressed an equally urgent impulse in his make-up - the constant need to reinvent himself, to keep moving. From their beginnings in 1978 he set the groundbreaking template for a band that continues to challenge and thrive in the 2010s. He also found time for making innovative new dance records with the likes of Afrika Baambaata and Leftfield.

Following the release of a solo record in 1997, John took a sabbatical from his music career into other media, most memorably his own Rotten TV show for VH1 and as the most outrageous contestant ever on I'm a Celebrity…. Get Me Out of Here! He then fronted the Megabugs series and one-off nature documentaries and even turned his hand to a series of much loved TV advertisements for Country Life butter.

Lydon has remained a compelling and dynamic figure - both as a musician, and, thanks to his outspoken, controversial, yet always heartfelt and honest statements, as a cultural commentator.

The book a fresh and mature look back on a life full of incident from his beginnings as a sickly child of immigrant Irish parents who grew up in post-war London, to his present status as a vibrant, alternative national hero.

519 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2014

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John Lydon

15 books158 followers
John Lydon is best known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten who was the lead singer of the 1970’s punk rock group the Sex Pistols. He is the lead singer of the punk band Public Image Ltd (PiL) which he founded. Lydon is also a visual artist.

In 1995, Lydon published his autobiography Rotten - No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, which dealt with his early life and career in the Sex Pistols. His second autobiography Anger Is an Energy covers the PiL years.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
Profile Image for Nigeyb.
1,285 reviews322 followers
November 13, 2023
I like music biographies. I like John Lydon. I really enjoyed John's first autobiography Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs. I like PiL. I like the Sex Pistols. I like punk rock. I like autobiographies. What could possibly go wrong?

The introductory publisher's note should probably have set the alarm bells ringing. Ostensibly apologising for typos and words which may not exist because this is John "in his own words" but, having read the thing, I suspect it was as much an apology about the lack of any kind of editing.

John is frequently not as interesting or entertaining as he thinks he is. He takes every opportunity to give an opinion on other people and frequently to settle a few scores. Let it go John. Better to say nothing than always want the last word. Reading this book often felt like being trapped next to the pub bore who is slightly pissed, wants to hold court, and goes on endlessly whether you're interested or not.

Now then, this being John who is, after all, one of the most important cultural icons of my life, he does manage to be sporadically interesting and entertaining. Indeed, as the book went on it got better. I was especially touched by the sections about how he brought up his grandchildren after Ari Up, their mother, couldn't cope and then tragically died young. The sections on his family and his life away from music were where I thought we got to see a different John, one focussed on the really important aspects of life. References to his wife Nora; his father, his mother and his brothers; and his good friend, and now manager, Rambo; were similarly generally very interesting and a welcome counterpoint to the other stuff.
November 21, 2014
Don't listen to anyone who tells you this book is anything but worth reading.  As usual, John Lydon delivers the truth and, like it or not, if you can't handle what he's written here, you are still waiting for a bus that's not coming.  Anyone who grew up in Lydon's cohort, especially the dirt poor, downtrodden, and disenfranchised, will appreciate the candour and honesty in his look back on a life jammed with experience.  Those who were more comfortable with the Joe Strummer brand of pseudo-proletarian  philosophication will no doubt consider this another act of indulgent, self-gratification by the former Johnny Rotten.  But there is nothing written in these pages that does not set the record absolutely bang-on accurately straight about the Sex Pistols, punk, the music industry, social class, and the undiluted power of focused, purposeful wrath in changing the environment around you and the entire fucking universe.  If you've stopped believing in that possibility, then you're better off reading Noam Chomsky and listening to U2.
Profile Image for James.
436 reviews
December 18, 2017
‘Anger is an Energy’ is John Lydon’s second attempt at an autobiography, following 199 4’s ‘Rotten – No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs’. (Clearly one of the drawbacks of writing an ‘early in life’ autobiography, is that there may well be a lot of life still left to live and still left to write about).

Autobiographies generally fall into one of a few categories, either – the ‘warts and all’/kiss and tell/exposé variety, or the vacuous (minor) celebrity pointlessness type, not forgetting the shamelessly self-promotion/self aggrandisement’ version – or a combination thereof. Lydon’s book doesn’t fall fully into any of these categories, although at times definitely veers into self aggrandisement territory.

‘Anger is an Energy’ is reads and is written in a conversational manner – ‘a cosy chat with John Lydon/Rotten’ perhaps and it is interesting (for the most part) to see what JLR has to say. As an individual and leader of both the ‘Sex Pistols’ and the ‘Public Image Ltd’ JLR has undoubtedly, not only changed music and culture, but with the ‘Sex Pistols’ – the way that we think and life in England itself – at the time, sending shock waves around the world. For those that were not around at the time in England (1975-1978) it is perhaps hard to imagine the seismic impact that JLR’s band had – from disgust and apoplectic outrage, to a new kind of excitement, a new kind of music and a different way of thinking – an enlightenment. The influence of which is still felt today.

Sadly though, although interesting to hear what JLR has been up to since 1994, the ongoing antics of PiL, JLR’s adventures in reality television and his views on life in general (although much of that we already know) this is a book that is badly in need of significant editing. There is a lot of waffle here and a lot that reads in the manner of being delivered by the local ‘bar room philosopher’.

Ultimately and apart from being overlong and somewhat repetitive, I’m not sure what ‘Anger is an Energy’ adds to what JLR delivered in the earlier ‘Rotten – No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs’.

A ‘Revolt into Style’ indeed. Let the music speak for itself.
Profile Image for Kristen.
576 reviews39 followers
February 4, 2016
John Lydon embraces chaos and contradiction, is frequently loud and rude, and doesn't care if everyone hates him. The funny thing about him, though, is that he's actually quite likable and charming -- and pretty insightful as well. This book is a bit of a ramble, but Lydon is a natural raconteur and it's really enjoyable if you go with the flow. He delivers a solid narrative ride through the his impoverished childhood in North London, the Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd., his bizarre emergence as a reality show star/nature show host in the 90s, and an unexpected turn to family life in the 00s. What really stood out to me in in the book (and I often find this in biographies) is the way that Lydon captures certain cultural moments in a personal way: English footfall culture and violence in the 70s; the NYC art and music scene in the 80s; and California life and culture from a Brit's perspective. There are also a few fun "interlude" type chapters -- these address everything from Lydon's love for his wife to the value of good dental hygiene learned the hard way!

And as with all books about music, you can't really get the most out of this unless you can hear it too. I made a Spotify playlist to accompany this book as I read: https://open.spotify.com/user/kristen...
Profile Image for Andrew.
860 reviews13 followers
January 20, 2015
The second autobiography by John Lydon though this one plus far more expansive than the first.
The first was ultimately a book about the Pistols a almost 'setting the record stranger's tome in regard to the early punk years ,this book does go over that ground but in more concise form and expands further by embracing the post pistols years from PIL to TV work and beyond.
As such I enjoyed this book far more...much as I appreciate the Pistols musically I was more in tune with PIL and as such I enjoyed this book far more.
Though aware of his cultural worth its interesting to see Lydon define his songs as Pop songs not choosing to dress them up as alternative rock or something..this is a small thing but I liked that..I liked the fact that he doesn't seem too precious in regard to how his sound is defined.
It was also of interest to see him speak of artists he admires or whom maybe he isn't the biggest fan but has found some worth in on human terms...in the past the pithy sound bites haven't maybe reflected who or what inspired him so it's great to see John being open to a whole host of stuff.
All in all I have read better biographies but there's a lot to admire in regard this one ...if only the fact that as the years have progressed John's willingness to challenge himself appears not to have dimmed...future pursuits outside music seem likely in regard to this and I can't help but be optimistic this will be so as John is always a colourful character....in more then hair alone...
Profile Image for Stephen.
1,874 reviews406 followers
June 19, 2017
enjoyed this autobiography charting his early life and the music of the sex pistols and PIL sometimes gets bogged down but on the whole was enjoyable.
Profile Image for Sharon Barrow Wilfong.
1,119 reviews3,955 followers
November 21, 2019
John Lydon is a complex mix of irreverence, vulgarity, crassness and loyal, caring, sensitivity. He has the attitude and vocabulary of the poor street kid who grew up in the slums of London. That is because that is exactly how he grew up. And his family was Irish to boot, so he was a misfit in his own home town.

Added to that, when he was eight years old, he came down with meningitis and was hospitalized for a year.

Lydon grew up rebellious and angry.

Today he is still rebellious, and still angry. He certainly is energetic. But is it still anger? Or is it more accurately described as passion?

The first part of the book was less interesting to me because it was mostly rehashing his years with the Sex Pistols. I'd read most of this in his first book, No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs.

There is a lot of ranting against just about everybody he knew. That got a little boring, I must admit. OK. You hate everybody. I get it. You're opposed to anything, structured, decent or normal.
The spirit of Punk.

Yet there were cracks of light shining through the frothing at the mouth rage. There were people he loved.

He loves his family. He loves helpless people. He loves orphans. He fights for the underdog.

There were glimmers of wisdom, showing that while Lydon may be Johnny Rotten, dirty street rat, he's also a highly intelligent, well-read, creative man. Maybe this is what is underneath the hard gloss.

He and his wife adopted her daughter's twin boys. They were wild and out of control. As teenagers they could hardly speak intelligibly. They couldn't read or write. Not many people would have taken that on, and Lydon wasn't even related to these children. Yet he took them in. I wish he had spoken more at length about them. I would have liked to know how they turned out.

I also respected how he did not sugarcoat his stepdaughter, Ari Up (lead singer of the girl punk band, The Slits), her life style and how she failed her children. Reading this section, one can't help but think of a kindly old, but deft minister admonishing out of compassion the plurality and hypocrisy of famous people that show one side to the public, but are horribly selfish people that ruin their own family. I thought it was both brave and honest of him.

He speaks with nothing but love and respect for his wife, Nora. They married when he was twenty and she was thirty-six. He's closer in age to his step-daughter, Ari Up, than his wife. But they've been married for the last 51 years. Bravo!

This isn't in the book, but I have learned from other sources that his wife now suffers from Alzheimer's, and he is her primary caregiver. I don't care what kind of foul-mouthed punk he is, that alone commands my respect. Again, bravo!!

Lydon has never acted as though he cared what others said. He openly criticized Bob Geldof and other rock stars who participated in Live Aid. Did they even know where the money went? Who did they actually help? He summed it up as a lot of virtue posturing inside a safe, fashionable cause.

He also performed in Israel against popular opinion as well. Kudos to him.

Finally the piece de resistance: he supports Trump.

If it weren't for his actions, one could accuse him of a lot of hot air. But he puts his money where his mouth is. He really doesn't care what other people think. He may have a filthy, potty mouth, admirable to an adolescent, but he doesn't pretend to be anything other than he is.

If you're a Sex Pistols and Punk Rock fan. You will probably enjoy adding this book to your library.
Profile Image for Michael.
Author 56 books62 followers
November 2, 2017
I would have to say that I'm more of a fan of Lydon than I am of the Pistols or PiL. Here's a man who tells it like it is, and doesn't give a damn who offends. That's what I've loved about him. You ask the man a question, you got an honest answer, and if he didn't like the questions he'd tell you. I've noticed over the years that Lydon's mellowed a bit in his old age. The interviews are interesting, but still hold the same amount of honesty we've come to expect. I read No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, and wasn't all that impressed. The inside of the story of the Pistols was finally revealed, but it wasn't I was expecting.

Enter My Life Uncensored, and I knew at some point I would read it, but what I didn't want to read was another celebrity bio that fills in the gaps with stuff we already know. There isn't much insight into the person, just a rehashing of various facts. Lydon's book is a bit disjointed at times, but let's be honest, this is the way John wanted the story told. The ghost writer doesn't try and rein in him, or even keep him focused so the narrative sometimes goes all over the place. If it had been told any other way, it wouldn't feel like John's story at all, and just another product being shoved down our throats.

What struck me was just how nice he is. Not all what I expected, but that's the thing about celebrity and even the media. Hell, John himself is just as much to blame for his public persona as the media is. At times he's still rude, and abrasive, but that's just who is. There's an honesty that runs throughout the book, and he tells the story his way. He holds nothing back. Surprisingly, Lydon comes off as a nice guy, someone you'd want to have a talk with at a pub. It's a bit weird, but you get used to it.

Lydon's story is never boring, and he even justifies the moments fan would say he sold out. He did do television, but didn't dilute himself to achieve it. While most people would find this boring, or just a way for Lydon to gain more fans, it's a little more than that. This is the story of a man who never sold himself out to gain success, and relished in the fact that he's more infamous than famous. It's an interesting book that fans will appreciate, but non fans will turn their noses up at it.
Profile Image for Michael Wylde.
43 reviews
June 18, 2015
16/6/15: Still working through this one...so far, not as enjoyable as "Rotten" (1994). Lydon's term with PiL (who I followed as well), and his subsequent career as a campy TV celebrity is somehow not as inspiring as his halcyon days as a Sex Pistol...

18/6/15: OK, I truly could not finish this book. Professional blowhard,loudmouth,raconteur and now wealthy Brit Lydon, enjoying his California mansion, boat, lovely wife, net worth $15 million dollars!!Oh yes, he's really living on the edge...is his opinion still relevant?
Lydon is a damaged dude, still pontificating, still raging. Being obnoxious when you're 20 is almost acceptable, but at 59?

Pass.
Profile Image for Shawn Thornton.
99 reviews41 followers
February 10, 2016
Mr Rotten is not so rotten. The pantomime villain of punk comes across as quite a nice guy in this autobiography. Yes he's angry and a little bitter at times however he also doesn't appear to take himself too seriously. I love punk music and while the Sex Pistol's aren't my favourite band " never mind the bollox" is one hell of an album. I also love john's band Pil very underrated. I was lucky to see the Sex Pistol's when then reformed in 2008, what a night. I'm given this book five stars. It's not for everyone but if you have an interest in punk it's a must. I could be wrong, I could be right but one things for sure anger is an energy.
Profile Image for Dey Martin.
39 reviews11 followers
May 20, 2015
The world according to Johnny Rotten: Or, How I leveraged Sex Pistols fame to become a TV celebrity!

Rotten Tells All: Keith Levine's a C**t

This bio should set the record straight and cement Lydon's legacy with his version - the real story. Is their a JL presidential library in the works?! I'm kidding.

In fairness I should say that, no, I did not read his other earlier opus.

I really loved this bio. I laughed out loud many times. So funny funny funny. Hilarious!!!

In it Lydon is very forthcoming about his relationships with friends and band mates and he pulls no punches. He ridicules and in no uncertain terms flatly curses those that have been self serving and greedy and stupid in friendship, and business dealings. I.e. A&M Records who signed then instantly dropped the Sex Pistols when Herb Albert discovered that this vile and troublesome British band had been signed to his label. I think they were dropped in two days. LOL.

Or when Pistols members routinely accused Johnny of not being able to sing (duh) but then years later formed a short-lived Sex Pistols copy band, sans Lydon (he said no way am I doing a Pistols reunion), with a Rotten style copy cat singer. What a bunch of pilferers! Ha!

His relationship and reluctant association with Malcolm McLaren his "manager" is laid out in truth and we see what a talentless, gutless and greedy do-nothing Malcolm really was.

But it is obvious that John also has a heart of gold and that he accepted and stood by his closest friends' idiosyncrasies (a nice way to put it) and all, and often helped them through very difficult times (drug addiction). All this while basically footing the bill for parties and tours that many times were disastrous bombs.

I should say though that he rambles and pontificates and offers up advice and so much of it I did not care to read about. Like okay John, we don't fucking care that you rarely brushed your green rotten teeth. Haha.

After so many kicks in the face he kept on taking risks and falling down again and again but somehow Lydon survived and now prospers as an anti-hero, PIL frontman and step-father. It is because of his determination to make the best out of the 'shitstem' he was born into but I also think his ability to seize on and capitalize on opportunity and to never quit that is his greatest asset. Lesson learned. Thanks John. May the road rise with you.

It is also divulged that JL is an expatriate and now a US citizen that he is quite proud of. One reason he gave for the switch: The British government never let up on him after a years ago drug conviction and this mark on his record made international travel very taxing.

Anyhow just read it. It's a kick in the arse. But like I said there many times where you'll think, damn John, this is waaay too much information; TMI!
Profile Image for Lara.
83 reviews
June 23, 2015
John Lydon a/k/a Johnny Rotten of the great English punk band the Sex Pistols, brings us his second volume of memoirs (the first being "Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs") and boy it is something to read! Like a blunt guy? Like someone with the courage to tell things the way they are? Someone with firm values and opinions he's not afraid to voice, yet who is open to all experiences and attempts to see the positive in the worst of situations? Would you expect that of Johnny Rotten? Sure! But it's also John Lydon is, and he tells his life story with gusto and verve and passion. You can't help but be mesmerized!

From his days in the Sex Pistols to working with his current band, PiL (Public Image Ltd.), Lydon's prose literally rolls down each page at breakneck speed, going from one subject to another with seamless energy. You might not think of Johnny Rotten as well-read, a HUGE book lover, a history buff and, most of all, a totally dedicated husband and father. But that's Lydon - however, Johnny Rotten is still in there, quite firmly. Both personalities pull no punches but they don't do what they do and say to hurt others, they do so because they feel they have something to say that needs to be said. He seems to cover everything from appearing on live TV to current trends in music/rock and roll to the true place of the Pistols in the history of punk, and all the seemingly daft things Lydon's done over the years (cage swimming with sharks for the program "John Lydon's Shark Attack" and hanging with chimpanzees and silver-back gorillas in "John Lydon Goes Ape" - plus he loves the Bee Gees! You'd never guess that one, would you?) I had a lot of respect for Lydon before but I feel even more his intelligence, his wit, his love of life - you feel you'd love to hang out with him at his house in Malibu for a day (but be prepared because he doesn't suffer fools gladly.)

It's that wide streak of unpredictability and openness to all new experiences in Lydon's character that makes him a fun, driving author. He's the antithesis of what you'd think Rotten/Lydon would be. And he'll tell you so - so if you can't take it, this book isn't for you! It's a full on joy to read and it'd be a real shame to miss out on this one. You really don't have to read "Rotten" first to love one of the most refreshing, unpretentious autobiographies to come down the pike in ages. But I'm going to start it now!
Profile Image for James Hartley.
Author 9 books135 followers
September 30, 2020
Waaaay too long and in need of some serious editing, this is entertaining enough for its first god knows how many pages before meandering off into contradictory, self-serving rants. It picks up again in places but by the end it became - for me at least - a chore.
I haven't read Lydon's first autobiography, which sounds great (he writes/talks brilliantly and evocatively about his childhood and family) but the later stuff is mostly point-scoring and bitching. This is fine when the subject is something as interesting as his Sex Pistol or even PiL days, but it becomes dull when he's on about his nature documentaries and I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!
Profile Image for Stewart Tame.
2,364 reviews98 followers
December 7, 2015
Good book! Although I've not closely followed Mr. Lydon's/Rotten's career, I've generally enjoyed what I've experienced of it. He's more articulate and thoughtful and personable than one would expect if one knew him only as the lead singer of the Sex Pistols. This is actually the second autobiography of his that I've read. The first, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs (or something like that. I'm relying solely on memory here) was largely concerned with the Pistols era. This volume goes into more detail on his childhood and post-Pistols career, which has been long and interesting. Among other things, it inspired me to unearth my old Public Image Limited CDs and have another listen. I was a bit disappointed to hear his comments on Jon Savage's book, England's Dreaming, as it's one of my favorite books on punk. It's depressing to think that any of it could be disputed. Having read both Lydon books, Savage, Greil Marcus' Lipstick Traces, and The Wicked Ways of Malcolm McLaren by MM (not to mention, watching The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle), it seems that there are several versions of Sex Pistols history. Lydon's version strikes me as the most credible of the lot, and he would certainly have been in a position to know. In any case, the book is highly entertaining, and well worth the time spent reading it. Cheers to John Lydon! It makes me smile to know that he's out there in the world enjoying life and working on whatever pleases him to work on.
195 reviews2 followers
February 8, 2015
A very readable romp through his life and you hear his voice throughout so much that there is a warning from the publisher that it has been edited but they've left it as it is, spellings etc, so that it is authentically his voice. Though this is meant to be about PiL there is plenty about his early life and the Pistols,"We were just an easy target, a bunch of saucy boys from the wrong side of town who were making a racket and were easy to shoot down." (p133) and the language and its use is just so enjoyable, as the quote shows. It does defend the things he's done but isn't really defensive. Is is warm and humorous. A worthwhile use of a few days reading. Give it a go, you might be surprised how much you like it
Profile Image for Autumn.
1,000 reviews28 followers
May 28, 2015
OK, so I stopped reading and started flipping pages around 1980. But I really enjoyed all the stuff about Lydon's growing up as a poor kid who hung around at the library all the time and his no-holds-barred account of the beginning of punk. The guy is not a bit impressed with punk mythology or hagiography cause duh, he was there and is naturally contrary. Thus, many unflattering remarks about Vivienne Westwood. A bit windy, could have used a stronger edit, but worth a look if you find this time in history interesting.
Profile Image for John.
333 reviews1 follower
June 20, 2015
Uneven. Some have noted it seems dictated instead of written. Also, I've always found PIL to be dull. I do want to see the nature shows he hosted for Discovery. He is a witty, smart guy but a bit too all over the place for a book. Could be titled THIS NEEDS EDITING.
Profile Image for Scott Lemke.
17 reviews
December 17, 2015
I'd rate it a 2.5 if I could. The man has led an interesting life, but without editing his story becomes tiresome and repetitive. Lydon seems to have never listened to anyone else's opinion or ever been at fault in a disagreement. This too becomes tiresome.
Profile Image for David.
Author 69 books1,224 followers
July 24, 2016
Like having Johnny sitting on your shoulder shouting in your ear for 500+ pages. And that's a good thing.
Profile Image for Elliot Chalom.
368 reviews20 followers
March 18, 2016
There is something about the story of John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, that I never realized prior to reading his latest autobiography “Anger is an Energy.” That is that he and I are very much alike. And he’s probably more like you and every man/woman than any of us would have suspected. This is hard to believe. After all, as he’ll tell you himself, he’s Johnny F—king Rotten. The original punk. There is and can be only one. And I bet you don’t want to believe that you’re like him any more than you can imagine that he’s like you. But as his autobiography makes clear over and over, Johnny Rotten, aka John Lydon, is just a man like you and me. He has beliefs, opinions, talents, weaknesses, vices, feelings, and everything else that make us who we are. And if not for staggeringly poor dental hygiene we might not think of him the way we do at all.

When it comes to knowing a person, the difference between perception and reality can become quite blurred. Are you the person you believe yourself to be, or are you the person that others perceive you to be? More than 90% of people believe themselves to be above average drivers. Obviously that’s not correct. So maybe perception is the truth and your own reality is not? Rotten’s life is all about public perception. To some extent he’s to blame for that (you can’t sing “God Save The Queen” in 1976 UK and expect it to go down lightly) but mostly he’s spent the better part of 40 years waging a war against a persona that isn’t really what he believes himself to be. You see, Johnny Rotten got his nickname because a variety of factors – perverse government incentives, a bad childhood experience at the dentist – led him to never brush his teeth. Never. And so when he met original Sex Pistols’ member Steve Jones, Jones saw his smile and called him “rotten.” And the name stuck for life. Of course as we know, Lydon happily embraced the name and embodied it as the front-man for the Pistols, and years later when former manager Malcolm McLaren tried to claim the name as his property to bestow on a new Pistols lead singer Lydon fought for it and won it in court, so obviously he wanted to be Rotten. The problem is that the public took this moniker to be more than that, and immediately (and permanently) in the public eye Lydon ceased to exist and only Rotten remained. This autobiography is the tale of the boy who became Rotten and then struggled for the rest of his life to figure out if that’s who he really was or if he was Lydon.

Johnny probably could have overcome the perception issue by becoming someone completely different. We’ve seen celebrities remake their images so many times it’s comical. But he refused to do the one thing necessary to become (again, in the public eye) anything but the punk he was. He refused to stop being Rotten. Had he given the name and persona up to McLaren, had he sung only cheery music going forward, had he stopped speaking his mind on TV in an unfiltered way – basically, had he become someone he wasn’t – he could have not been Rotten. But he wasn’t willing to be something fake in order to not be misunderstood. The stories he tells and the message he conveys over and over again in his autobiography is that he had multiple opportunities to give in and become mainstream, which would have cleared his name, but he couldn’t do that either. Lydon has forever been caught between a rock and a hard place. His reputation is on one side of the spectrum and to be anything else he’d have to move to the other side completely. And, like most of us, he’s somewhere in the middle. Neither Rotten nor Lydon completely suits him. Each and every chapter of this autobiography beautifully illustrates one man’s struggle to fight against society’s perceptions without losing his own identity. Can’t we all relate to that?

That there is a consistent overarching theme (and a universal one at that) is the primary reason I love this book. But there are many more. Lydon tells his story more or less chronologically, but is willing to take detours where necessary. It is smart without being “intellectual.” It’s both serious and silly. I don’t always agree with what Lydon has to say, but much more often than not I do and it consistently made me think. It is properly edited while staying in his own voice. It is at its core the biography of a musician, but it strikes the right balance between the music and the rest of his life – family, friends, other interests and pursuits, views on life, etc. He tells the truth (I hope) about his personal and professional disagreements and feuds but he does so in a manner that is respectful of the other individuals involved (not easy for Rotten!). He admits his mistakes. Most of all, the book just plain entertained me from start to finish while never being “just” entertaining. I really felt like I lived through the life of Johnny Rotten, which is a fascinating life to live.

You don’t have to love punk music to enjoy “Anger is an Energy.” I could honestly argue that you don’t even need to love music. This is a character study of one of the most interesting and controversial men of the past 4 decades, done intelligently by the man himself. If that interests you I highly recommend you read these 500 pages – it will be a breeze.
Author 7 books6 followers
February 22, 2015
If you know what you're getting into with John Lydon, this is one hell of a fun read. Unapologetic (unless it's warranted), angry (often to a hilarious, 'this situation is so ridiculous it's a comedy' degree), cantankerous (but only because he truly does love you all in that Irish way), and always heartfelt...that's John. And he loves to use the 'c' word a lot--never as a sexist slur but always in the British sense of 'he's a ****ing idiot'. Underneath all that lies an actual true friend, someone who cares deeply about everyone he meets, and never does things half-arsed.

From his childhood bout of meningitis that very nearly cost him his memory, to his school days, his early awakening of his love for all kinds of music, all the way to the rise and fall of the Sex Pistols, his less-than-glowing view of Malcolm McLaren, and his musical rebirth under the PiL moniker, all the way up to the present day with his television and film appearances, it's all there.

And yes, he does mention the Judge Judy episode! :)

If I had to take anything out of this, it's that I was impressed by how he viewed the punk ethos--not so much the music scene but the mindset. From the start he'd always viewed it as an alternative way of thinking, and not as a surface-level, reactionary anti-mainstream way of life. He never wanted anarchy for the hell of it--'anger is an energy' because it can be used to make a positive change. I have to admire someone, especially who many consider the godfather of the ethos, who believes in that.
Profile Image for Betsy.
Author 2 books1 follower
January 28, 2016
John Lydon's second autobiography is essentially his manifesto. He uses it as his personal outlet to tell his side of the story but he also uses it to rant. A lot. No one in this book is immune to his criticisms (and often times, contempt) except his beloved Nora. It's like Lydon's sneering color commentary for the story of his life. You can't say he didn't warn us in the title.

I enjoyed the journey of this book. It felt like taking a tour with Lydon as your personal guide. He tells his story but he also pauses to champion those without a voice, the disenfranchised, the misunderstood. He calls it when he sees it and politeness is definitely not his thing. I like that about him. No wishy washy I'm-friends-with-everyone here, he says what he means and he owns it. It appears he may have softened a bit since the release of his first book published in 1993, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, but he clearly still has teeth.

Controversial, yes. He's probably a royal pain the ass to his friends and family. Some of the not-so-nice rumors about him may even be true. He probably stirs the pot just to do it. I would even say he craves attention. But he isn't heartless and he certainly doesn't pretend to be perfect in this book. Whatever he may have said or done, forgivable or not, is all part of who Lydon is on the outside. Inside, as in this recent interview, he's much softer.
Profile Image for Ian.
118 reviews4 followers
November 16, 2020
I bought this book a couple years ago when we bought PiL tickets, and finally got to it. What the book made me realize is that I should never read another punk rock autobiography again. Whether from John Lydon or Keith Morris or Harvey Flanagan, it’s all the same story/character, just a new town; everyone else is an idiot, no one gets it, I’m the only pure one, blah blah blah. Self reflection usually amounts to something like, “I’ve learned that everyone is a phony and I can only trust the one true genius I know: myself.” It’s basically “The Fountainhead” set in a squat. I probably should have known better, but I do now.
Profile Image for Tim.
Author 100 books43 followers
October 27, 2015
Interesting. You can imagine the editor's despair when he/she was presented with this book, and you can see why they decided to leave it in Rotton-ese, but at times it makes for tiresome reading. If they'd cut out all the guff this could have been half the length it is. Still, it's Johnny so what can you say?
Profile Image for Kevin Schaeffer.
125 reviews8 followers
November 2, 2015
It was pretty good, I like Lydon's story and his attitude, but it went on way too long. Lot of redundancy, and more detail on PiL than I really cared about. And I re-listened to some PiL stuff and honestly, his voice is terrible, his music career has been carried by the musicians around him who he repeatedly whines about throughout the book.
Profile Image for John Porcellino.
Author 50 books204 followers
September 28, 2015
A great and inspiring read! Chock full of useful and inspirational quotes all told in a charming, conversational style. The book bogged down for me a bit when it gets into his TV years, but that's only cuz I'm not very familiar with that work, no fault of the book or the writing.
2 reviews2 followers
September 11, 2015
Excellent; obviously a sort of update of his "no blacks, no Jews, no irish" earlier tome - but, if anything, even. Ore searingly honest.
Profile Image for Lena.
249 reviews6 followers
August 21, 2021
3 Stars + a piece of my heart

Throwback to younger times. Uh how I loved it.

Auf eine witzige Art schräg und inspirierend.
Man sollte sich vielleicht ein wenig mit den Ereignissen in Johns Leben auskennen, denn manches Wissen wird vorausgesetzt um Zusammenhänge zu verstehen oder ein Thema nicht zu überlesen, das mal eben so im Nebensatz erwähnt wird. Andererseits wüsste ich nicht, wieso man das Buch lesen sollte, wenn man nichts mit John Lydon, PiL oder den Sex Pistols anfangen kann.
Aber irgendwie passt diese chaotische Art des Erzählens auch zu ihm, somit habe ich zumindest das Gefühl, dass er selbst wirklich mit voller Seele hinter diesem Buch steht.

Ich möchte behaupten, sehr viel beim Lesen des Buches gelernt zu haben. Über Musik, über Mode, über die Umstände der Zeit und über John als Person. Das ist der inspirierende Part.

Manchmal hatte ich allerdings Schwierigkeiten seinem Die-Ganze-Welt-Gegen-Johnny Gerede Glauben zu schenken. Er zieht über Menschen her, aber behauptet im selben Moment er würde jeden auf der Welt respektieren, aber nie was für seine Leistungen zurück bekommen. Manchmal kommt so ein Widerspruch dann schon sehr unreflektiert rüber. Es raubt dem Gesagten die Glaubwürdigkeit und Ernsthaftigkeit, dabei sagt er oftmals keine dummen Sachen, dass die Guten wie die schlechten Argumente dann gleichsam so entwertet werden ist schon etwas schade. Aber ich will ihm das eigentlich nicht entgegenhalten.
Allgemein scheint er einfach ein sehr gefühlsbetonter Mensch zu sein, was ich grundlegend schätze. Er redet gern frei von der Leber weg (auch das Buch liest sich so, als ob er einfach ein Aufnahmegerät bei diversen Monologen mitlaufen hat lassen) und hat keine Angst davor auch mal unangenehmes Auszusprechen.
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