Hi. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish this book. I have to return it to the library, and I didn’t have time to finish it and I really, really want to. So I’ll probably end up returning it and then asking for it right back, because this book, and I will show you the title here, is one of the best, most brilliant books about a celebrity I’ve read in a long time, and I’ve read some good ones and I’ve read some that I go, yeah, okay, that’s nice. But John Lyden’s book here called Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs. It’s just absolutely the most brilliant bloody book I’ve read in a while. I mean, seriously wonderful. He just speaks his mind and tells you straight out stuff that happened to him and it really reached me. I really felt that we have certain things in common and we have great differences as well.

His childhood was just wreckage in so many ways. Medically, family-wise, situation-wise. Oh goodness. But I do love that he started off the book with one of my favorite lines. “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?” I didn’t do that right, but that’s the idea. Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?Yes, I have now and then gotten the feeling definitely that I have been cheated for sure. I don’t know what accent I’m doing, so don’t mind me. I can’t do his accent to save my life, but what a great book. Just freaking brilliant. Honest to God. I love this book and I’ve only just gotten up to … what chapter, I’m not even sure. I’ve only just reached, is that the sixth chapter?

“I Want You to Know that I Hate You, Baby.”

“Destiny. Do you really believe in destiny? Things happen because you make them happen. There’s no such thing as destiny or fate or any of that. Everything seemed impossible to the Sex Pistols, even gaining an audience. During our heyday, it was the arty farty lot, the socialists and trendies who would come to the gigs. I especially liked the working class bit creeping in. That didn’t appeal much to Malcolm McLaren and his friends because they were pushed to the back of the hall very quickly. Those were the chaotic days. The only real violence we would get would never be from our audiences. It would be from outsiders. Usually the men wearing blue uniforms. The regular boot boys–football hooligans–never needed victims. They were vicious gangs of drunkards that roamed the streets looking for anything to prey on as long as there were fifteen of them and one of you.”

Okay, I will stop there, but it is just the most awesome read and everybody should read it, I think. Anyway, if you love music, if you love biographies, if you love memoirs, this is priceless stuff. Brilliant. Bloody brilliant. Thank you very much and I’ll be seeing you.

PS: I promise to finish this one and write something more like an actual review! 🙂

As soon as I get through the thousands many other books I need to read.

PPS: Okay, I just couldn’t resist it! Ah ha ha! 🙂