Rating: 
Summary: Rotten to the Kore
Review: I was born in 1979 so I was too young to even know about the Sex Pistols. However, growing up, I heard a lot about them and became quite fond of them. I would hear these crazy stories about the band but I didn't know what to believe. Now picking up this book I know what to believe and what not to believe.Lydon has nothing to hide in this book and that is evident when you are reading it. He gives his honest feeling towards the Pistols, former band members, record executives, British royalty, the music business in general, etc. However, what many people don't realize without reading this book is how intelligent Lydon is and how right-on he is with his views. Lydon has always been comical to me. He says funny things and acts in outrageous ways that always makes me chuckle. This book maintains Lydon's wit while also being upfront with many issues (i.e. Sid's death). I would highly recommend this book to fans and non-fans of the Pistols. This book is more a history of a movement and what it was like to be involved in the chaos. Great job Lydon!
Rating: 
Summary: Great book, a must if you want the facts and perspective
Review: I'm only 15, this being my first book and the fact that I actually read it completely amuses me. I've liked Sex Pistols for about 3 years now and definately like them more now after reading this book. Johnny is brutally honest in this book, and the fact that the former band members contributed to this book didn't hold back his criticism of them, wich surprised me, and it works the other way around too. It gives you the facts and perspective from the guy who was there taking heat from the press and so on. The fact alone that they did this in the 1970's earns them some serious respect, it was new, unique. One of a kind, in my opinion. This book was released 10 years ago though, so I'm looking forward to Johnny's next book, in an interview('02) he said he'd write "several" and mentioned one about his band, Public Image Limited and another one about political process.
Keep your eyes peeled.
Rating:
Summary: I have no time for lies and fantansy and neither should you.
Review: If you want the true story of John Lydon and his counterpart Johnny Rotten and the rest of the Pistols, this is the one and only book to get for the whole story. Starting from from his childhood and moving forward Lydon leaves nothing out. At all. Anything that happened is in this book, from the beginning of the Pistols to the End. What he thought about Sid's murder accusations and Sid and Nancy. All his opinions in print, so you get nothing wrong. From How much he disliked being compared to the Ramones and Clash to things like how he found his wife. This book is certainly worth the money, and is perfect to pass around to your friends, that is, if you want to share one of the best books ever with those scumbags!
Rating: 
Summary: Great History Lesson
Review: If you want to learn the real story of punk rock and the Sex Pistols, read this book. This is not written in traditional format, but includes chapters written by different people (Paul Cook, Steve Jones, John's wife and even his dad among others) talking about their experiences with Johnny and/or the Sex Pistols. John's sarcasm and humor make this a great read. This is a very informative book which begins with John's childhood and goes up to PiL and his court battle with Malcom McClaren. Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: One word...POOPIE!
Review: It seems that Mr. Lydon has originated more things than Howard Stern. Just ask him! He'll tell you! I'm glad I only borrowed this book. It actually should have been called No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, No Shame. What a sore LOSER!
Rating:
Summary: Lydon is Genious
Review: John Lydon has an amazing way of relaying the story of his life growing up and with the Pistols. Interesting info on the Punk movement seen through his eyes. His story is told in a conversational style, and many times made me laugh out loud. Made me wish he would write more books. A must have for anyone who's into music.
Rating:
Summary: Poorly wriiten by a egomaniac
Review: John Lydon's book read like the confessions of an overbearing child. I thought the book would give some insight into early English punk, but all Lydon did was babble on about his obviously diluted version of "the way things were". He never made mention of the massive underground punk movement that was developing at the same time his band achieved commercial success. There are no mentions of bands like Discharge or Crass or any of the cultural/political/radical movements that sprang up with them. The goal of the book was not necessarily to critique the punk movement of the 70's, or give an accurate account of it, but that's what John lydon seemingly attempted to do, throughout the whole book. I was a teenager in London in the late 1970's and I was "involved" in the punk scene for several years. I never saw the Sex Pistols and it always seemed that they made more of an impression with students and middle class kids and the mainstream media during that era. Back then, London's punks were listening to Oi! music, going to Sham 69 concerts and trying to avoid Skinheads from London's East end. If you're REALLY that interested in Johnny Lydon and what he has to say, this book is for you. If you're looking for a well-rounded account of the Sex Pistols and the embryonic days of punk, look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: A Not So Rotten Review
Review: John Lydon's Rotten was a great read. I am a person who enjoys the Sex Pistols and i have always been curious about how they came about being so different. This book sticks you right in with the everyday hardships of the band and its like you get to know all of them personally. Not only do you get to learn about the Sex Pistols and Johnny Rotten but also Punk Rock and its history. The only thing is that there were a few too many details for me, i think they took a little too long to get to the interesting parts. Other than that a great and educational read.
Rating:
Summary: Rotten=Readworthy...
Review: Johnny Rotten. Who would believe that the same man who was at the center of punk rock would be such a noteworthy author! Mr. Lydon's autobiography is an interesting, informative history of the Sex Pistols, and the rest of his fascinating life. If you've ever wondered why punk rockers wear safety pins, or what Sid Vicious was really like, or just want to read a good ol' fashioned true story, this is the book that I recommend that you read.
Rating:
Summary: He's not all Rotten, really!
Review: Judging by the cover of my copy of "Rotten," I expected good old Johnny Rotten (lead singer for the Sex Pistols) to use his autobiography to deliver a snarling attack on both other rock musicians and the world at large. I was only half right. While a good portion of the book is devoted to allowing the voices of other punk musicians to describe the era, there is a high level of anger toward other bands and punk figures. Sid Vicious comes across as a clothes-rack on drugs, while almost every other band labled punk gets called 'copier.' Quite a lot of snarling goes down, which gets old after a while. At the same time, Lydon spends much of the book trying to dispell the myths and legends surrounding his role as the menacing personification of punk. In fact, as I was reading, I got the feeling that his underlying message was, "Hey, everybody, I'm not so bad after all--I'm really just a regular guy!" I found myself comforted by his rational and very un-menacing explanations of everything from the origin of gobbing to the Pistols' infamous and contraversial R-rated talk show appearance. Johnny Rotten even tells us that: 1) he loves his mum, and 2) he wanted to be a teacher! Most startling, however, are the very human reactions Lydon describes when detailing events such as the death of Sid Vicious and the breakup of the Pistols. However, just when I get cozy with this new image and accept him as a shy man blown out of proportion by the media, Lydon gives us anecdotes about cooking his own waste in a pan and serving it to guests. Is this the real Johnny Rotten? Or are we just being pulled in as part of a Rotten plot to fool the personality-hungry types who read autobiographies? Although Lydon comes across as an extremely intelligent, interesting man, the pull of his media personality is so strong that I had trouble resisting it enough to allow myself to accept what the man says about himself as truth. I guess that's why he hates the media so much. Overall this is a smartly written book, very entertaining, with a thorough look into the life of a fascinating person. For all of Johnny's explanations of the facts, though, I felt that he left out some of the intangible things surrounding the Pistols that made the whole thing come together: the feeling of the time, his own personal charisma, and the luck of discovery.
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