Bloc Party's Kele Okereke Calls Sex Pistols' John Lydon 'The Devil'

November 14, 2008

Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke has called Sex Pistols' John Lydon “the devil” just months after the pair allegedly had a fight at a European festival.

The incident is said to have taken place last July after a member of Lydon's entourage racially abused the Bloc Party frontman at Summercase in Spain.

At the time, Okereke said the scuffle had left him with facial injuries, including severe bruising. But Lydon accused the singer of lying about the incident.

Speaking to the Sun newspaper, Okereke said: "I have only one thing to say about that man – John Lydon is the devil in my eyes.

Asked about the incident, Okereke said: "I really wanted to, like, whip his face off. I was lucky I had lots of people around me who were calming me down.

"I didn't really think about what was happening at the time. I'm not really someone who's very good at backing down from fights. I'm just pleased there are witnesses."

Okereke said at the time that he was “disappointed” that Lydon, a person he “held with such high regard”, had turned “out to be such a bigot.”

But Lydon responded by saying that the band have attracted an audience that is “multi-varied, all ages, all races, creeds and colours.”

(by Jason Gregory)

Bloc Party's Kele Okereke Calls Sex Pistols' John Lydon 'The Devil'

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