THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEW WAS AT THE ROCK GARDEN, MIDDLESBROUGH, AFTER THE PISTOLS HAD PLAYED TO A FULL HOUSE OF POGOING PUNTERS. LARRY OTTOWAY ASKED THE QUESTIONS AND ALL THE PISTOLS WERE PRESENT.

LARRY: Right Johnny, fantastic thing tonight, what did you think of it?
JOHNNY ROTTEN: I didn't.
L: You thought what?
JR: I did it, I didn't think about it, i just did it.
L: You just did it eh, what do you think about M'boro?
(At this point a girl kisses Johnny)
JR: Well don't swallow me for fucks sake!
L: I'll have a word with someone else, right, we'll go back to Johnny Rotten.
What do you think of M'boro, The Rock Garden, fantastic, eh!
JR: It's not bad for a laugh.
L: Is it the best place you've been yet?
JR: NO!
L: Which is the best?
JR: I dunno, I can't remember, Wolverhampton.
L: Wolverhampton, what's wrong with the Rock Garden then?
JR: Nothing at all.
L: But it's good, innit. What's it feel like being a sort of bogey man to everyone in Britain over the age of 20?
JR: I don't give a shit.
L: You don't give a shit.
JR: Why should I, we outnumber them.
L: Where do you think the whole new wave thing started?
JR: It started right here with us.
STEVE JONES: Istanbul you twit.
JR: Cleethorpes.
L: Cleethorpes. Yeah, you're the start of it are you.
SJ: Honestly they did.
PAUL COOK: No the Damned started it, I read in an interview that the Damned started it.
JR: Our old roadies said they started it.
L: Great, that's fine. So where do you take your influences from?
SJ: Oh, Bach, Beethoven.
VOICE: Bruce Ruffin.
JR: From all the people we don't like, the Beatles.
L: Like who for instance?
JR: Like any big band.
L: What sort of big band?
JR: The Heartbreakers.
L: Was Glen Miller the original punk?
SJ: He was a silly old cunt.
PK: He was a steamer.
L: Who was the original punk then?
JR: Me!
L: When was that?
JR: What do you mean, when was that.
L: How long have you been a punk?
VOICE: When he first tasted mushy peas.
SJ: After he stopped being a hippy, two weeks ago.
JR: Hike it.
L: What do you reckon to the other new wave groups.
SJ: They're all shit, I hate them, they're all crap, every one of them, I'm gonna kill them.
L: Which do you think is the worst?
SJ: All of them, the Clash, Joe Strummer looks about 90.
L: Well if you think he looks about 90 what about the Stranglers?
JR: Oh they're the grandads.
L: Grandads of pop.
JR: They've got Clive Dunne for a lead singer. He wears a wig.
L: The drummer's 52, is that a fact?
PK: That's really true, he told me.
SJ: We'd never have guessed.
L: Where's the new wave going then?
JR: We're going back to London, we're going home.
L: Are you all going to become millionaires and give up all the kids who've been dancing for you down there?
PK: We could have done that by now, stupid.
L: You could have what.
PK: We could have done that by now if we'd wanted to.
JR: If that was our intention we'd now be in America.
L: And you're not going to America?
JR: No.
L: I gather Malcolm's been over in America, negotiating film rights.
PK: How do you know?
L: I read about that in one of those crap magazines.
VOICE: Well don't believe the crap magazines then.
L: That's wrong, is it?
JR: He wasn't negotiating film rights he was just getting someone to make the bloody thing.
L: And who's gonna make it.
JR: Russ Meyer, we think. We don't wanna do it.
L: What sort of film that's gonna be then?
VOICE: Sex film.
JR: Awful, terrible, hideous.
SJ: Really boring and dreadful.
L: Sex film?
VOICE: With girls.
SJ: Plenty of knockers.
L: Gonna have any music in it?
SJ: Really far fetched.
JR: Just the T & A review (? --ed.)
L: When's that gonna be coming out?
JR: Probably never.
VOICE: Late September.
L: When are you gonna be filming for it?
SJ: Fuck knows.
JR: Dunno, no idea.
L: That's about it. I think.
SJ: Why do you wear those awful jackets?
(Points to Larry's checked suit jacket with 'trendy' wide lapels.)
L: I dunno, it makes me incredibly sweaty.
JR: Arsenal will lose the league yet again.
L: Who's gonna win the league?
JR: Scunthorpe.
VOICE: Hartlepool.
L: Scunthorpe, how do you work that out?
JR: 'Cause I'm stupid.
L: Stupid.
SJ: He's not really, he just sez that, honestly.
JR: This is my act, my act, for all the masses.
L: What' s underneath the act then?
JR: Skin.
SJ: A poxy little bastard, a poxy little wanker.
L: You're into football? Which club do you support?
JR: I've never been in a football in all my life.
L: Anything to say to the BBC, when did you last talk to the BBC?
SJ: Mumble that again.
JR: (pointing to Sid) He's in it as well I think.
L: In what.
JR: The group ain't ya.
SID VICIOUS: Yeah, I just do sessions I come and go, y'know.
JR: This is porky, that's fatty, I'm John, and this is Yid Wishous.
SJ: Sid is really a jew.
SV: I'm not honestly, I'm not. You must believe me. I'm not, honestly, my son.
JR: He is too, I tell you.
L: When's wonderful Radio One gonna get their next exclusive then.
JR: Oh! Who cares.
VOICE: Do what!
L: Oh interview you, y'know.
JR: Don't be daft, I don't want nothing to do with those people.
L: What do you think is all screwed up about the music scene.
SJ: Oh, Tony Blackburn.
PK: David Hamilton.
L: Have you been on Tony Blackburn?
PK: Two big ruddy queers.
JR: You're joking.
PK: He's an old steamer.
SJ: I saw Alan Fremman the other day I know where he lives, shall we go and call on him.
JR: Oh god, we'll give him shit pies.
PK: He's a right steamer. All the people on BBC are queer.
L: How often do you get your music on Radio One?
JR: John Peel. He's the only one who plays it. I don't like him anyway.
L: What's wrong with him?
SJ: He's a Northener.
L: What's wrong with the fucking north, you're in the north now, the kids in the north tonight, they've been fucking crazy for you...
JR: What have they got to do with John Peel?
L: well, you just said that John Peel was crap because he was a northerner.
JR: Well this is the problem you see, we've got nothing to moan about. We came up here to moan and complain and be awful.
L: What are you moaning and complaining about.
JR: Oh, anything that comes along.
SJ: You're just trying to catch us out, aint ya, you're looking for a nut on the head.
L: What d'you mean?
SJ: I'll set Sid on to you mate.
SV: I'll kick your head in with my steelies.
L: Seriously, have you got anything against the north, I mean don't you think the new wave is happening in the north?
JR: My backside on the way back to London!
SJ: I hate the food.
L: I know the north is behind the south in terms of Punk Rock, but why the hell shouldn't we get on the thing.
JR: It isn't.
SJ: It's behind London in everthing.
JR: No it isn't.
L: Have you heard our local group, Blitzkrieg Bop? Have you heard their record?
PC: Who?
L: Blitzkrieg Bop.
SJ: That's a rip off from the Ramones.
L: I know it's a Ramones tune, have you heard their record?
JR: No.
L: You haven't heard it?
PC: What's it called?
L: Let's go.
JR: Where are they going?
L: Oh, fuck knows, where do you think they're going?
JR: I dunno, I don't care.
L: Where are you going?
JR: I'm going back to London.
L: What have you got lined up in the next couple of weeks, apart from a load of these secretive gigs?v SJ: Nothing man, we're existentialists and live from day to day, spend our money by Sunday.
L: Why is this tour so secret?
PC: It hasn't been secret.
L: It has been bloody secret, you've been 'Acne Rabble' in the Gazette, why have you...
SJ: 'Cos we can't fucking play anywhere you silly cunt.
JR: If this gig had been advertised they wouldn't have given them a license.
L: And that's why...
JR: That is a fact...get your facts right, you wimp.
PC: Hey, do you want a fight with him.
L: Not really, no.
JR: They can't stop us playing.
L: So every council in the country would stop you if they knew you were in their area.
JR: They already have. The Anarchy tour, there's a fine example.
SJ: Of what?
JR: Of being banned.
SV: I bet you're from the council.
L: I'm not from the fucking council, I'm from the BBC, much better than the coucil, establishment shit.
SJ: You're wearing a council jacket.
L: Hey?
SJ: It's real tat that jacket.
L: I can't help it.
SJ: I wouldn't go about in rubbish like that, it's awful.
SV: What does jour dad do?
L: He's got a shop, he's a middle class shopkeeper, so what?
JR: This is not right, we're being interviewed by a man wearing a tee shirt advertising drugs.
L: Drugs?
SJ: You evil burke.
L: Where did you get that from?
SJ: Don't you know?
JR: He doesn't know, (squeals with laughter)
L: Why, what't fucking Chinese Rocks.
SJ: Don't you know what Chinese Rocks is?
L: You tell me.
SJ: Heroin you fucking fool.
L: Oh, well, there you are.
PC: It's a rock just off China.
JR: As in Brighton.
L: So what happens to you tonight then, now?
JR: Oh well, we'll do the usual decadent things y'know.
L: At the Dragonara, at £12 a night.
JR: Oh, leave it out.
L: The Post House at £10 a night.
JR: Next door.
L: You're staying at the one next door to the Dragonara, at £15 a night, great.v SV: Hey mate, (pointing to arm) do you wanna play noughts and crosses?v L: Noughts and crosses? I haven't got a pin or a nail.
SV: I wouldn't let you play noughts and crosses on my arm, anyway.
VOICE: You've got enough there haven't you, hey?
L: That is about the end of it, that is fine, that's great, we've got about ten minutes of pure shit there, that's wonderful.
JR: It'll make a real good radio interview.
SV: Are you gonna put that out over the rainbow, er.. radio.
JR: I admire your courage.
L: Anything that anyone would like to say to this wonderful microphone?
SJ: All together now... fuck off you wankers.. .hello mum!
ROADIE: You should make some more mushy pea factories, and best bitter.
SJ: Brains beer.
JR: That's Wales, silly Steve.
SV: Silly stupid Steve.
L: So when are you coming back to the Worth East next then?
JR: Tomorrow, I'm coming up almost immediatly, I hope.
L: Tommorow, in the North East, so you're at Newcastle tomorrow?
JR: No, no. I couldn't get a gig there.
L: Couldn't get a gig at Newcastle, where are you going next, no, you're not allowed to tell me that 'cos of the music mags, are you?
PC: We're going home.
L: You're going home next, this is the final gig is it?
SJ: Stop trying to catch us out, willya?
PC: We don't fucking know, they only tell us about a day before the gig.
SJ: It takes so fucking much to organise them it has to be totally secret.
L: That's it, thanks a lot.
JR: Goodbye, goodbye to all my fans.
SJ: Hey mate, do you wanna go steady, listen, do you wanna have a date, do you wanna sleep with me.
JR: Or walk in the park.
L: Are you gonna do 'This is Johnny Rotten on Cleveland'...he's not.
SV: This is a session man on Cleveland.
SJ: Do they know Elvis Presley's dead up here?
L: I heard that yesterday, we were first with the news.
SJ: We're really sad about that.
JR: RIP Elvis. (laughs all round)
L: What do you think of Elvis Presley.
SJ: Rest in piss.
L: (Proudly) Don't you think that Elvis Presley was THE greatest rock and roll singer ever?
SJ: (mockingly) OH, UNDOUBTEDLY.
(Laughs, screams and guffaws all round.)
JR: We don't like rock and roll.
L: You don't, what's your music if it aint rock and roll?
JR: It's commercial pop.
L: But commercial...
SJ: You were trying to catch us out, weren't yer?
L: You're trying to make money.
JR: We're just a front for a big industry...I mean everybody knows that.
L: What about ICI, they're the biggest round here.
JR: Yeah, that's it, ICI.
L: Oh great, and EMI.
SV: We're not painters and decorators you silly cunt.
(at this point the door is opened and the Pistols 'Anarchy' blasts through)
SJ: Listen to the fans go wild.
L: You're not gravediggers like the Damned and Rod Stwwart are you?
SV: Yeah, all of us are.
L: Ex-millionaires.
SV: We're all ex-gravediggers.
PC: No, we're just ex-graves.
SV: We were gonna dress up in vampires outfits but Dave Vanian did it first.
L: It sounds pretty good, you'll be into batman next, just like the Jam.
SJ: You've got enough there, haven't you? We're pissing off.
L: Yeah, we'll piss off.