Pink Floyd, one of the most legendary and influential bands in rock history. With a sound that shaped generations, they’re often hailed as one of the ‘pillars’ of rock and roll.
But not everyone is buying into that narrative. And if there’s one person who doesn’t hold back, it’s former Sex Pistols frontman, John Lydon.
John Lydon has never been shy about his disdain for Pink Floyd. In fact, his hatred for them was practically part of his brand back in the Sex Pistols days. But it seems like time hasn’t softened his stance.
In a recent interview with Classic Album Review, Lydon was asked about Bob Geldof’s claim that Dark Side of the Moon is one of the ‘classic pillars of rock and roll.’
He said:
“I always have fun rowing with Bob. He does such daft things, and he always wants to be taken so seriously. That’s a pretty daft thing to say. I don’t know if there’s any such thing really as pillars of rock and roll, least of all Pink Floyd. My God, you know, maybe just the Syd Barrett period. That was definitely closer to rock and wacky roll.”
He added:
“But no, I like ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ myself, but I wouldn’t call it Rock and Roll. I don’t know if it had a title back then. I remember it just being an absolutely different sense of rhythm and pause and poise – was quite nice landscapes when I was experimenting with LSD.”
This isn’t just about Pink Floyd. It’s about an old war between punk rock and prog rock. In the late ‘70s, punk was all about destroying the old guard of rock music. Bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Ramones saw progressive rock as pretentious, overproduced, and out of touch with the working class.
And Pink Floyd? They were the poster boys for long, experimental songs and massive, elaborate stage productions. Everything punk rock hated.
So Lydon’s dig at Pink Floyd isn’t just some random insult—it’s part of a decades-old grudge match between punk and prog rock.
