I think there are studies around that show you get more racist as you get older. No shit. The part of your brain that's like "Prejudice sucks" slowly turns into "BLARRRRRRGH COLOUREDS." Beyond that, you can have black friends and still be racist. One doesn't necessarily preclude the other. So Lydon's attitude in the 70's might be different from his attitude today. Shit happens.

I find it interesting that at no point has Lydon actually denied that the assault was racially motivated. He did say this:

The Guardian wrote:His only reference to accusations that Kele Okereke was the victim of a racially motivated assault is to say: "We are in the middle of a wonderful tour, after 30 years we are achieving a true unity in our audience. They are multi-varied, all ages, all races, creeds and colours. When you are at a festival with bands who are jealous fools, lies and confusion usually follow."

More a statement about his audience than about himself.

I'll wait til I hear the stories of the other two musicians first, but either way why the hell did Lydon's entourage beat Okerke up? Still don't understand that part.

EDIT: Gruff Rhys has confirmed it was unprovoked and backs Okerke's side of the story. A couple of links later I found out that I guess he called a bunch of other bands "homos" at an Isle Of Wight festival last month.

If we're going to have people punched in the face for being in bands, can we at least reserve it for bands like Crazytown or Brokencyde? You know, have it mean something?

Johnny C wrote:If we're going to have people punched in the face for being in bands, can we at least reserve it for bands like Crazytown or Brokencyde? You know, have it mean something?

Yeah, what's punching Johnny in the mouth going to do? Fuck his teeth up?

lemur68 wrote:punching Johnny in the mouth

Does Bloc Party have anything to do with Linkin Park? Probably...

"Your problem is your bloc attitude."

Pure L wrote:I think the best thing would be to settle it on Judge Judy.

As a man who watches a lot of Judge Judy, it's important to note that she generally doesn't handle these kinds of cases. Unless they were roommates and one of them didn't pay rent at the time of the verbal exchange.

Also, for the record, I believe Kele is gay, so atleast they took it easy on him and were just racist instead of racist and homophobic, right?

Kennymk2 wrote:

Pure L wrote:I think the best thing would be to settle it on Judge Judy.

As a man who watches a lot of Judge Judy, it's important to note that she generally doesn't handle these kinds of cases. Unless they were roommates and one of them didn't pay rent at the time of the verbal exchange.

He was on Judge Judy for real?

He is many things, but I wouldn't think he'd need to go on TV to get his hunnit dollaz that nigga owe him.

Yeah! Check out the full case here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=p2CnwYPhcQk

The drummer Lydon was suing on Judge Judy was former Captain Beefheart drummer Robert Williams.

Williams did an album with Hugh Cornwell of the Stranglers called Nosferatu, which would be actually be a great item for the Sendspace thread.