The reason I was in Airdrie last night, when I took the picture of Caprain Dugwash, dog groomers, that I put up in the Photos wot I took section was to see 'An evening with John Lydon'. It's only the second time I've been in Airdrie, anyone I was friendly with at school that came from that area in Lanarkshire, lived on the Coatbridge side of the sectarian divide.
Airdrie Town Hall is now an arts venue that has a mix of shows from Blame It On The Bucky, and many in Airdrie have a lot to blame on Bucky, to the 50th anniversary tour of Showaddywaddy, which I hear in Jimmy Savile's voice.
Lydon was doing a talk event, and is followed later in the year, by Huey Morgan, and Shaun Ryder!.
I was slightly younger than the average attendee, and a pop generation younger than Lydon who is 68. He appeared much younger like a slightly bloated version of his PIL days, still filled with vintage pics and vinegar.
In the 25 minutes I saw he covered his early childhood memories of Cliff Richard and being the disc changer for the Dansette at his patents' parties. He also had a short tirade about Islam being an anti women religion, and an insult for Diane Abbott for her comments on discrimination.
He'd talked about growing up in a house with no inside toilet, and I presume no Sky TV, and having a potty under the bed. He had a potty with him given to him by a friend to illustrate for those unfamiliar with a gazunder.
He then moved on to talk about his mother using the potty when he was 4 and then 5 to contain what was expelled in 2 miscarriages, and him having to take it to the outside toilet and flush the contents away. In the case of the second miscarriage, he saw a tiny hand as he flushed it, which he said was part of the inspiration for Bodies, link below.
At this point my wife felt faint, not because of the story, but it was very warm and we left to sit in the foyer for a bit. Having decided that it was better just to go home we got a taxi about 15 minutes later, and as we left some other people dod having appeared to walk out, and overheard in passing 'That was not anti establishment, that was just misogynist'. Don't know what prompted that.
He's a very accomplished performer as a speaker, no pauses, though occasionally doesn't quite know what He's going to say next. He still has the famous stare. It's an odd thing to be doing but the venue was packed and he did a at least one show in Gladgow earlier in the week. He sells his art which I liked in the foyer.
https://youtu.be/vxkQXK0kRd0?si=gTmq6W8tMsTqZnlj
