SEX PISTOLS - ROTTEN SPEAKS OUT

ROTTEN SPEAKS OUT

The Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten has compared Pete Doherty's drug problems with those of his former bandmate Sid Vicious.

The Babyshambles frontman has been struggling to avoid jail over drug use for well over a year and his band have never shied away from confronting their drug culture in the studio.

Rotten, real name Johnny Lydon, is less than impressed by this "old fart" approach.

"They obviously don't enjoy what they're doing. And that's why you turn to drugs. That's what happened with Sid [Vicious], he wasn't happy about what he couldn't do," he told the Mirror.

"It's a slow suicide and it's a cry for help because they're in mental pain. Its destructive, it's not self pity... the pressure of being in a band."

Amy Winehouse is also criticised for allegedly using her drug problems as a publicising "centre showpiece", but it is Sting who attracts the worst condemnation of all.

Criticising The Police for joining the trend of long-gone bands reforming for another crack at glory, Rotten said: "That's like soggy old dead carcasses. You know, listening to Stink try to squeak through Roxanne one more time - that's not fun."

The Sex Pistols reform for a one-off gig at the Brixton Academy on November 8th.