John Lydon on Vacation in Jamaica, 1978 | Don Letts | Premium Footage

[@Staceystacey19]

He is a good guy. I wish the best for him and Nora

[@gostrum1]

1978 would’ve been an amazing time in Jamaica.. So many great singers & players during the heights of reggae

[@chrisdstard5644]

1978 would be amazing anywhere, what a year, what a great decade!

[@chrisdstard5644]

@ArtMusic8 Yes, and I thought it was the best yet, especially the summer of '76.

[@korbendallas7181]

We tend to romanticize anything from a past.

[@chasing_dragons]

John really does seem like a great guy. He really seems like he has a good heart. If he is your friend, he has your back. It is so heartbreaking that the band were only able to make one album, Sid and Nancy passed away, and John's wife allegedly had chronic illness. Great rare video here, thank you.

[@sfewgewssdgdsgh]

they did john wrong and picked the scum manager over him, very misunderstood guy

[@Wicked_R]

Can you really imagine a second Album? Pistols were what they needed to be and them few songs are complete masterpieces.

[@Wicked_R]

@@PeremProzore PILS records better than N.M.T.B?? Are you high?

[@Wicked_R]

@@PeremProzore I understand it depends. What you like .but you did refer to Bollocks as a stepping stone. most would refer to it as a jumping platform.

[@Wicked_R]

Sorry I meant to say You refered to Pistols as a Stepping stone.Bollocks is probably the best debut Album of all time and easily the most Important record between its release and modern day.

[@markwardel6751]

Wow this is great , Lydon is really under rated as a fashion pioneer ...all his looks in this could have come straight from a contemporary fashion show ...great sense of style and look extraordinary in the incongruous Jamaican surroundings.

[@newreast3904]

it's where those ''contemporary'' designers direclty coping from.

[@JMarinelli]

True - he was at his most stylish during that period right after the Pistols’ break-up. It seems as if once he shed himself of all the ripped suits and safety pins he came into his own.

[@bloppysloppy4057]

Underrated as a vocalist too. He had different unique styles with both the Sex Pistols and PIL.

[@smarieintn5955]

The pistols were born of fashion and a fashion statement and a social statement all combined the sex shop in London styled them but I'm pretty sure John would have been kick-ass cool with or without.

[@raisedbyhippies3792]

That is so true

[@tinamitchell7496]

I adore this beautiful human being x

[@plejady]

thank you

[@tinamitchell7496]

@@plejady bog off noddy 🤦

[@tinamitchell7496]

@@notdeadjustlazy John is a flawed, but incredible human being. Yeah, so a bit like Jesus, just with a few more flaws which makes him all the more relatable when compared to the son of God 🤷

[@markkenny3528]

John Lydon once said something which I considered to be very insulting and I took offence to that by calling Princess Diana (1961-1997) a thoroughly useless spare tit in 1998.

[@tinamitchell7496]

@@markkenny3528 what's your point?

[@flinchey6962]

John was a huge reggae fan once a fan wrote to him for his favorite songs and in came a bunch of reggae.

[@andchat6241]

One of his favourites is 'Born for a purpose' by Doctor Alimantado- a great song . ( it was also namechecked by the Clash on 'Rudie Can't Fail ' - "like a Doctor I was born for a purpose " )

[@ktiitfa2491]

gawd what is this rehash avatar

[@Fractalite]

Saw photos of him in the pistols in NME paper , wearing Steel Pulse badges , which put me on to them at the time ( they were a contemporary Birmingham based reggae band with a bit of a technology edge )

[@marguskiis7711]

Absolute unique footage! Lydon is not whining nonstop, at all, not even talking! Ultra rare!

[@Purplenpinkk]

He is so young here @22 years old. I love Jamaica...the culture and people are wonderful.

[@mjh5437]

When they`re not robbing or raping you 😂

[@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa]

And they have an amazing anthem.

[@Sarah-gf9ed]

I absolutely love Johnny. What a beautiful human being. ❤❤❤❤

[@Sotangy247]

Loved watching this . Had no idea it was even a ' thing' before stumbling upon this video. Such a cool dude, without even trying

[@realsinisterminister]

Wow............an honor to see this stuff had no idea it existed!

[@terryannmaes5538]

Love this man. A real gem.

[@nicoladouglas3270]

He has the man who fell to Earth vibe ..

[@Eire_Go_Deo]

Man that girl on the beach with John is gorgeous 👌🏻

[@matthewstollar2678]

there seems to be two of them. maybe there was a hair color change. great tits! voluptuous moments!

[@GuudBaay]

Rotten, put some cream on my legs.

[@dkizxpt-su3ze]

Who is she?

[@monnytoth]

This is a treasure, thank you so much for posting it :) Johnny is just... Wow... cute little smile makes me wanna kiss his face all over 💕

[@Sarah-gf9ed]

Me too! I have an insane crush on Johnny! Saw him with PIL last weekend. Couldn't take my eyes off him! He is a very handsome man both inside and out ❤❤❤❤

[@LORDPHANTOMM]

Thanks for this. Needed this after his 1st book back in 97

[@icequeen917]

Ah! John in his absolute prime! :)

[@Thoraxziod]

One thing that I do notice from this footage is that even if Rotten has a frequent 'bad attitude' he has above all integrity (he is honest to himself)...and even has the will power to not be swayed by access to easy moments of pleaser.

[@ThatFilmisGnarly]

That bad attitude is mostly an act. Watch his more candid stuff like his interview with Janet Street Porter, or some more stuff like this and you'll see he's always been a nice bloke. He's only rotten when he's playing the role of Johnny Rotten.

[@marlenedeslandes6947]

Très belles images. Ce jeune homme a l air très malicieux et blagueur. J espère qu il a pris des couleurs ...Arc en ciel !

[@jaykennedy2921]

Very clear footage for its time

[@mikeroberts1060]

I was out of work at the same time. Glad to know they enjoyed themselves.

[@spodge1233]

He looks like someone clearing his head. Good on Branson for trusting his impeccable ears and giving him this opportunity.

[@theward2425]

Wicked footage cheers

[@Jeremiah7-ox2nj]

Looks like a smashing time had by all.

[@persephone6896]

He has a signature unique pose in all of these videos . Always appearing Laid back and kinda nonchalant

[@josephsaroce4991]

Amazing footage

[@Crashed2023]

Amazing! Spot the rock star!

[@drea4195]

John in a rare, coy mood. What a cute lil' smile. I love how he wears big hats and long, baggy clothes to the beach 😅.

[@Aceface007]

Ginger people don't fare well in the sun.

[@ianmangham4570]

Awesome guy

[@bluecat798]

Fab footage though-fascinating!

[@richardfowler5163]

Holy fuckin shit. Where the hell did THIS footage come from?? Kino. Fantastic. We need more. Since they pulled the switch 2 years ago, this will be archive material that needs to be kept.

[@sirandrelefaedelinoge]

Don Letts

[@dkizxpt-su3ze]

Don Letts

[@trout65]

Just finished Don's book so great to see this footage.

[@petergleeson8020]

Fun trip.

[@marcellosgarbini759]

Nice man, intelligent and speaks the Truth.

[@michaelharris4651]

Yeah , Marcelo I like everything about the man and of course his great sense of humour JL cracks me up 🤣

[@trikkke11]

Seems like a really fun guy to have around on holiday, djeez. He enjoyed the mountain hike particularly, it seems, since he went twice !

[@garymclaughin]

Nice part of the world. Must see. Sawadee Khap.🤠

[@FranzSanchez-ky9up]

I get the feeling John is a pretty shy person, deep down.

[@ianwhitehead691]

When john came back he started the Great PUBLIC IMAGINE LTD & still going Strong today. 👍✌️

[@sexobscura]

Yes he did. 'Going strong' is another point. Once Wobble and Levene were no longer around, PIL ceased being PIL and became the Johnny Rotten Cabaret Show

[@ianwhitehead691]

@@sexobscura I have been going to P.I.L gigs since 1980 right up to 6.6.2022 & I have never seen John perform at a nightclub or restaurant while the Audience eat or drink at tables.

[@mikegraham4255]

@@ianwhitehead691 1980 - on the US tour?

[@thevelointhevale1132]

Lydon was shipped to Jamaica by Virgin to be an ersatz A&R 'Talent Scout' - to help Virgin sign up new acts. That is why he is there ... and for a Holiday. Watching him try and descend the beach cliffs in Brothel Creepers is hilarious ... total fish out of water.

[@moonskyrocket]

Any idea what bands/artists did he scout for Virgin? Virgin Front Line released a ton of great albums that year and also the next one.

[@moonskyrocket]

@ArtMusic8 Thanks!

[@icequeen917]

I thought it was the BBC that had sent him to do a documentary on reggae that never materialized. Maybe the trip was a bit of both?

[@paolaginelli5277]

Smile Jamaica !!!!

[@prodforte]

love all this footage of the Congo’s!

[@londoncalling1757]

Me and a couple of friends at school were thinking whats he going to do now, then he came out with the fantastic public image, public image single a great kick back at being sacked..

[@ivandemko3360]

This looks dope asf

[@yurikhan5691]

Love.. John..oooh dearr

[@williamwoody7607]

Thanks that was really scintillating.

[@Ack359]

I detect sarcasm

[@Essexgeezer]

This was when Virgin Records wanted him and Don Letts to check out some reggae artists for their Front line label.

[@HighlandMike325]

Yep, it was a favour repaid to Richard Branson. Frontline Records was the label.

[@andchat6241]

Please see my reply to Cafe del Casual for an 'overview' of 'Virgin/Branson & Front line label'

[@paull.6026]

On the first PiL single you see Keith Levene wearing a FrontLine sweatshirt.

[@Essexgeezer]

@@paull.6026 Yes,of course,I forgot about that as I no longer have it.I know two Frontline compilations were issued.

[@Essexgeezer]

@The mysterious Miss X I think you will find I know for a fact that what the visit was for,I have been a Sex Pistols fan since April 1976.

[@Poppaea-Sabina]

Love the card dealer visor

[@fluxfotos22]

F*cking hell man, John was wearing those massive diddy man style hats decades before boy george.

[@ignatiuskhan]

Wearing creepers on the beach. Pure class ;)

[@juianjimenez1357]

Peace on mind , peace on heart .

[@polo7155]

Great video! Funny how it's like an un-written law, everytime you wear a hat , someone wants to take it off your head....

[@amaliagrassi6870]

Oh my. Unique!

[@ellysee-t1o]

What a gem...johnny is extraordinarily funny...a natural comedian which comes from a place of total honesty. I met him a couole of times back in the day...b4 the sex pistols explosion...he seemed a sweet guy...playing the fools..best wishes to you and your lovely wife Nora....

[@dkizxpt-su3ze]

Where did you meet John? Where he grew up in Cornwall?

[@ellysee-t1o]

@@dkizxpt-su3ze i met him in london when we all hung oug out with vivienne and malcolm. I worked in the shop called 'let it rock' b4 it turned into 'sex'...mad times. Clubbing and the famous chelsea cruising with steve jones and paul cook&wally in a stolen car!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@yassassin6425]

@@ellysee-t1o You may be unaware that Nora passed away in April of 2023.

[@CarinaPrimaBallerina]

I love the hat... .... and I love the man wearing it :)

[@patrickguitar8676]

Nice times

[@markschroeder5559]

Amazing film quality. John way of dress looks more of what I'd expect from Joe Strummer.

[@regretto]

I like John.

[@assistantto007]

I thought he didn't want a holiday in the sun!

[@michaelharris4651]

Great pistols number!

[@Joe-kt7zp]

Must of been a heavy time; being that young through it all...

[@sirandrelefaedelinoge]

Sun is Shining

[@coldkissofsteel]

Wouldnt it have been more appropriate for the title to say "John Lydon on Holiday in the Sun?"

[@paulhoughton534]

No

[@tinamitchell7496]

@@paulhoughton534 LMAO 🤣

[@lennywebb6740]

Obviously not. People would think it was the record. Idiot.

[@coldkissofsteel]

@@lennywebb6740 Who is the bigger idiot? the person that comes up with a clever title that some people may misconstrue or the person with poor reading comprehension?

[@pfzt]

i was thinking the same thing, that song immediately jumped in my head 😂

[@markgreet3543]

This is very rare bit I knew about 15 years back it existed I'm a huge pistol fan 25o items in my collection I've john and Glen seen pistols 6 times on reunion tours.iv seen public image ltd 5 times john got annoyed with the leicester lot some bell ends said something.funny story way back in 1989 I bought first issue were I worked a young lady my age at that time asked what record you bought when I showed her her face dropped what the f is that ha some people I've been a big fan of john since 1986 first pil song I liked was rise

[@arsenpisahov2409]

John cool guy

[@thomaswillans4085]

Nice hat, Johnny!

[@yassassin6425]

Which one?

[@haxio17]

Would have loved to go to Jamaica back then to do some ancestor research

[@JnOProductions]

I see the Congos around 1.00 and Prince far I at 3.58 posing for the Prince Far I & King Tubby's in the Vocal House of Dub album cover no?

[@roterfuchs8201]

Even though that fine Caribbean queen wanted some of John's Dong and his hat he stayed true to his woman

[@AndieZ4U2]

John is cool as shit

[@jordyundieground3270]

Rest in peace to nora

[@buserror1]

Here's some fun subtext to this film.... It was during this same trip to Jamaica in 1978 that Lydon agreed to meet with Richard Branson, and unbeknownst to Lydon, Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale of Devo were also flown in. Lydon was offered the job of lead singer of Devo. Branson also pitched the idea to Devo of having Lydon as their lead singer. Apparently, both sides refused -- The net result being Devo went on being Devo, and Lydon formed PiL. Kind of a hare-brained scheme, but, kind of weird to think there's a parallel universe out there that has no PiL, and John Lydon in a red energy-dome hat. As bummed out as Lydon seems in this film, it makes me wonder if he had agreed, but was met with a No from Devo. :) The band were fans of the Pistols, and were well-aware of their break-up earlier in the year, but likely refused on the grounds they already had a working, successful formula as a band.

[@flowersofromance0195]

I’m convinced that he’s pissed off because wasn’t it not McLaren had sent this film team out to spy on him… I couldn’t be wrong tho

[@buserror1]

@@flowersofromance0195 I've been listening to an audiobook of Lydon's "Anger Is An Energy" recently.. he recounts the story differently. IIRC, he had no desire whatsoever to depart from his plans to continue with PiL, and found the idea of fronting Devo preposterous. It was neither band's idea--apparently just Branson's weed-fuelled attempt at a smart business decision. Regardless, this must have been an absolutely awful time for Lydon. You have to remember this guy was literally still just a kid when all this was happening, barely 21-22 years old. Tough as nails, though.

[@flowersofromance0195]

@@buserror1 I honestly feel a lot of sympathy for him at this point in his life, Sid and him were no longer mates and imagine having a cockroach like Malcolm on your back

[@ryancarona4199]

Im sure his love for reggae brought him there

[@simonedwards5564]

@MusicProductionAndSheet HARD,,,, FUKKIN UNIVERSALLY MENTALLY HARD YOU KNOW THAT !!!!!!!

[@MrYossarianuk]

Or came from

[@marguskiis7711]

Never loved reggae

[@MrYossarianuk]

@@marguskiis7711 John Lydon is well known for loving reggae, PIL have reggae influences too

[@steverosten7101]

cool day in jamacia

[@dwdeclare1965]

in the thumbnail on youtube, john kinda looks like mark ratner from fast times.

[@monotribe6506]

I wondered how big John's hat was gunna be by the end, bit disappointed with the green visor. Wanted to see a full on sombrero!

[@theurbanghost]

Anyone know the tune from 2:40 plays for about 10 seconds, thanks

[@ianmangham4570]

A fine example of a human being

[@mattiemclean9882]

you've got that wrong!

[@ianmangham4570]

@@mattiemclean9882 Fuzzy wuzzy was a woman!

[@lucy__v]

John has always adored reggae, and Jamaican culture, and he talks a lot about this trip, very fondly and nostalgically in his book, but he joked that he was insecure there based on how pale he was, and tried to cover his skin up because of it lol

[@stevedorefromtyneside9993]

This was when Paul and Steve were in Rio with Ronnie Biggs.

[@matthewcody1757]

Those red brothel creepers 😋 , style .

[@ethanblackhurst8593]

He should take this to Disney to make a 6 part tv show.

[@krainey]

John was rocking this style of hat way before Boy George got to it ;)

[@PurpleTT99]

Ken Dodd's Diddy Men may have been a bit earlier than John...;-)

[@paulreuben7343]

John lydon is a guy i would love to meet a true Free thinker and Free man. No fakeness so Black people rate him.

[@michaeldherbage9948]

God. He must have been fun to go to the beach with!

[@hernanbet7768]

👑

[@Crashed2023]

Back then, when poor British kids never went abroad, Isle of White, Or Calais for the day was as good as it got.

[@lennywebb6740]

It was Skegness for us.

[@eddiegeorge6114]

"We used to drink our tea through a rolled up newspaper" 😉

[@pagethreemodel]

@@eddiegeorge6114 haha I'm proud of myself for understanding this reference.

[@Essexgeezer]

@@pagethreemodel ‘Without milk or sugar ………or tea!’.

[@SKR1967]

Was this just after the bands break up?

[@robertfenyk3132]

This trip is discussed in his biography

[@Rarecoolstuff]

What AGwan!!!

[@GRACEORT]

Hardcore Rock n Roll wearing all that clothing in such stonking Hot weather. Doesn’t even looked bothered. I’ve been and in just thin shorts it’s still too Hot 🥵

[@paulamanzanarescarrero3556]

esto es una puta fantasía

[@stacyperalta555]

woooowww

[@wotdoesthisbuttondo]

He deserved a holiday after all the crap he'd gone through with Malcolm.

[@dkizxpt-su3ze]

Malcolm was the reason that John ever had any success at all

[@wotdoesthisbuttondo]

@@dkizxpt-su3ze Malcolm was a pedo wasn't he? he had that shop Sex luring local kids in to try and degrade anyway, amazed he never got arrested in that mass investigation after stripping a 14yo girl completely naked for the Rock and Roll Swindle and making her look exactly like Sue Catwoman who had nothing to do with it after kicking Johnny out eh? Funny how he was left alone over that Yewtree thing.

[@MusicalAddictionOnlineLessons]

Is that Nora in there?

[@sauluribe7082]

Could it be this was done by an 8mm home film with sound?

[@survivorsha1764]

And THE jamaica tapes of johnny???

[@pianobanter]

Also on holiday in Jamaica was Joni Mitchell who invited John and friends to her rented villa for a listening party (to listen to what? Why her new album of course! "Don Juan's Restless Daughter"). It didn't go down well. The atmosphere was too formal and that didn't suit John and his Rasta friends. At one point, Joni was playing her song "The Tenth World", a 7 minute rhythmic bongo workout. "It makes me want to eat white people" said one of the Rastas. They all fell about laughing, except Joni who had them thrown out.

[@Cristiano48239]

I think some spliffs were partaken in.

[@OlafProt]

God it must’ve been so good to go there with Don Letts. Get away from All the McLaren / Pistols crap. Some Good company, good food and good music, and warm sunshine. Cos contrary to what all the people say England wasn’t better back in 1978.

[@hyperbaroque]

Draw the body language lines on those frames.

[@witchsouthwest692]

And there he decided to give us maybe the first post punk band PIL