Johnny Rotten
Ex-Sex-Pistol wants to go to the ESC with Ireland
John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten.
© imago/Pacific Press Agency
Johnny Rotten wants to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. The ex-Sex Pistols singer is competing with a song for his ailing wife.
Punk legend Johnny Rotten (66) wants to go to the Eurovision Song Contest. The former front man of the legendary Sex Pistols takes part in the Irish music competition with his band Public Image Ltd (PiL). PiL gave the news known on their website.
On 3 February 2023, PiL will face off against five other contestants in a special on Irish broadcaster RTE’s late night show. National and international juries and the public vote on the winner who will represent Ireland at the ESC in Liverpool on May 13th. John Lydon, the singer’s real name, was born in London as the son of Irish immigrants.
Musical love letter for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease
PiL compete with the love song “Hawaii”. The band describes the song as “a love letter to John’s longtime wife, Nora, who has Alzheimer’s.” John Lydon has been married to Nora Forster (80), the daughter of the German publisher Franz Karl Maier (1910-1984), since 1979.
In the song, Johnny Rotten recalls a beautiful moment on vacation in Hawaii. “Do You Remember Me? I Remember You,” he sings (“Do you remember me? I remember you”). The band describes the song as “a thoughtful, personal, yet universal love song that will appeal to many”. It is said that the singer has never poured out his heart like he did here. “It’s dedicated to everyone who’s going through tough times on life’s journey with the person they care about most,” Rotten writes. “It’s also a message of hope that love will eventually conquer all.”
Johnny Rotten founded the post-punk band Public Image Ltd under his real name in 1978 after leaving the Sex Pistols. After splitting up in 1993, the group reunited in 2009. In addition to his musical career, Rotten took part in the British jungle camp and the US version of “The Masked Singer”.