LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 02: John Lydon of Public Image Limited performs live on stage at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on October 2, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images, Jim Dyson. All rights reserved.
John Lydon (PIL, Sex Pistols) not only has a heart for punk, but also for grunge – more specifically for Nirvana.
In an interview with Pitchfork, he shared that he was a big fan of their hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit” after initial difficulties with the album title. And I still know how to honor it. He said in the interview: “I remember being very angry that the title of their album was “Nevermind”. I thought “Nevermind”? Have you lost your mind or something? I gave them a direct thrashing, perhaps too sharply. But now I have to say that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is one of the best songs in pop music of all time.”
Lydon further emphasized that Nirvana and especially Kurt Cobain’s ability to capture the spirit of youth created a song that essentially shaped the 90s. In his opinion, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” reflects the fear, hormones and disillusionment that would continue to plague the lives of teenagers decades later.