On May 27, 1977, the legendary English punk rock act the Sex Pistols released their hit anthem “God Save the Queen.” The single acted as a ferocious condemnation of Queen Elizabeth II, describing her as “not a human being” and her reign as a “fascist regime.” On September 8, 2022, that very same queen has passed away, over four decades after the song was released. Now, Consequence of Sound has reported that three of the surviving members of the punk rock outfit have all delivered varying responses to the news.
Guitarist Steve Jones gave perhaps the most predictable reaction of the three, posting an image of the cover for the band’s 1977 anthem, and for fans thoughts on the song. His tweet simply asks fans “How do you feel?” without directly stating any of his own thoughts on the queen’s passing.
Bassist Glen Matlock gave a more provocative response, repurposing the lyrics of the 1977 track to fit with the new monarch. His tweet reads – “God save the king – hope he’s not a silly old thing.”
John “Johnny Rotten” Lydon delivered the response that differed most staunchly from the band’s attitudes four decades ago, respectfully wishing for her to rest peacefully, his post reading “Rest in peace Queen Elizabeth II. Send her victorious. From all at johnlydon.com.” The response came after decades of Lydon growing increasingly conservative and increasingly distant from the rest of the Sex Pistols.
Lydon has recently been a staunch opponent and critic of many of the band’s activities in recent years, a fact which has led to a lawsuit over the rights to the band’s music, which Lydon lost. The former frontman previously described his time with the band, and its resulting fame, as “hell on earth.” Steve Jones has also become less thrilled with the band recently, stating in June that he’d “rather listen to Steely Dan” than the Sex Pistols’ music.
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