Johnny's Still Rotten, Says Foe

The lead singer of British band Bloc Party says he was the victim of a racist attack by the frontman of punk legends the Sex Pistols and his cronies. Kele Okereke, of Nigerian descent, was left with a split lip and bruises after the incident Saturday in Barcelona with John Lydon—aka Johnny Rotten—and an entourage one witness told the Guardian was “a gang of racist thugs.”

“Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon should know better than to bring race into the equation, or socialize with … those who hold such narrow-minded attitudes,” Okereke said of the confrontation, during which he was belittled for his "black attitude." He said he was "disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot." Lydon today denied the incident. (More racism stories.)