1996

JANUARY- DECEMBER

JANUARY

John Lydon is hired by 'Mountain Dew' (soft drink) to record a vocal for a short version of 'Route 66' to be used in a US TV commercial. Lydon records the vocal at his own Rotten Studio; in his LA home. He had no qualms in admitting he did it for the money, and stated that the cash went towards equipment for Rotten Studios. He also stated it was a good way of testing the studio out.

The track was originally recorded by session men with a different vocal, however, the producers were not happy with the vocal and Lydon was asked to re-record it (not the backing track).

JANUARY

The release of the album ‘Einstein Was A Bullfighter’ by Doc Tahri. The band fronted by former PiL bassist Bret Helm.

Rumour had it that John Lydon made a guest appearance on the album. However, this is NOT the case. The track 'Arrest This' featured backing vocals credited to "Logan", which had been rumoured was a pseudonym of Lydon. However, John later completely denied this; and it turns out Logan was in fact the singer from the band Thumpasauras (which were signed to the same label). Rumours began when it was said an early press release for the album stated John Lydon would be involved.

JANUARY

Rumours of a possible Sex Pistols tour continue to circulate. Press reports claim the band will decide after John Lydon completes his solo album; and that he will be spending at least 12 hours a day in the studio until February 18th.

MARCH

MARCH 16

The rumours are true…

The Sex Pistols hold a press conference at the London, 100 Club to announce their forthcoming ‘Filthy Lucre Tour'. During the Q&A John mentions PiL are still “going on”. It is also reported that his solo album is finished, but the release will be postponed because of his Sex Pistols commitments.

MARCH

JUNE

JUNE 21 - DECEMBER 7

JUNE 23

Sex Pistols - London, Finsbury Park. John Lydon comes home for a 35,000 people "garden party!" in the park a stones throw from where he grew up.

The show is recorded for an official live album set to be released in July 'Filthy Lucre Live' and is also broadcast live on BBC Radio 1. Video footage of the gig is only shot for the promo video of 'Pretty Vacant' which will precede the release of the live album.

AUGUST 3

AUGUST 8

AUGUST 17

Sex Pistols play Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.
The show is attended by Martin Atkins, who meets up with John Lydon after the show. In a 1998 interview Atkins biliously remembered: "I talked to John after a recent Sex Pistols show. He was very smug about the amount of money he'd made. He sat at a bar and drank 13 pints of Guinness, and I sat at the bar with him and watched him drink 13 pints of Guinness I think John has lost something over the last two years that he can never buy back. He's lost his integrity. I know people who were at the early Sex Pistols shows, the real Sex Pistols shows, and it was something really special to them to be able to say they were there .But apart from looking like a fat idiot and sounding crap, he changed forever the meaning of the Sex Pistols for the people it had a huge amount of meaning for. It's bullshit. You're rewriting history. You're changing the meaning. It's lame to do that just for the money."

AUGUST 17

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

Jah Wobble releases 'The Inspiration of William Blake' (see wobble discography for full info). Having left Island Records by mutual consent the previous year the album is released on Brian Eno's All Saints Records.

Wobble is in the process of starting his own label; 30 Hertz Records.

SEPTEMBER 7

NOVEMBER 2