Punk legend John Lydon has opened up about the devastating loss of his wife, admitting he’s ‘only half the person’ he was before her death.
The former Sex Pistols frontman, 69, lost his beloved wife, Nora Foster, in April 2023 after caring for her through Alzheimer’s.
Now, after two years of mourning, he’s preparing to hit the road with Public Image Ltd (PiL) in a bid to heal.
John revealed to Metro: ‘I’ve come out of wallowing in alcohol and sadness and self-pity, which you can’t avoid, it just happens, it’s just in your nature.’
He went on to recall how ‘painful’ Nora’s last day was, with her in ‘physical and emotional torment.’
Nora died aged 80 after a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease – a life-limiting neurodegenerative condition.
Punk legend John Lydon has opened up about the devastating loss of his wife, admitting he’s ‘only half the person’ he was before her death
The former Sex Pistols frontman, 69, lost his beloved wife, Nora Foster, in April 2023 after caring for her through Alzheimer’s
The singer often spoke about being a full-time carer for Nora, who he previously said he ‘always loved’ and couldn’t live without.
In a heartfelt statement on his account he said: ‘It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that Nora Forster – John Lydon’s wife of nearly five decades – has passed away.
Nora had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. In which time John had become her full-time carer. Please respect John’s grief and allow him space. Rest in Peace Nora.’
The pair first met in 1975, at Vivienne Westwood’s famed King’s Road clothes shop Sex and were at first warned off each other by friends, but despite this, John said they had an immediate and explosive connection – one which would last a lifetime.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2022, he confessed: ‘It’s love, you know. I’ve always loved that woman. And she knows it. When we met we didn’t expect to get on. We’d both been told the other was a bad’un. But blimey. Sparks flew. It was instant attraction.
‘And that’s never gone. I never expected to feel like that. I never thought I was in any way attractive. Or anyone’s idea of a good date.’
Shortly before Nora’s death, John released Hawaii, an incredibly intimate song inspired by his wife’s condition.
Despite entering it into the Irish Eurovision competition in 2023, he said he is still not ready to take it on tour as it would be too sad, but added Nora had heard it which was a ‘blessing’.
He went on to recall how ‘painful’ Nora’s last day was, with her in ‘physical and emotional torment’ (Pictured together in 2005)
The pair married in 1979 and were at first warned off each other by friends, but despite this, John said they had an immediate and explosive connection
Shortly before Nora’s death, John released Hawaii, an incredibly intimate song inspired by his wife’s condition and despite entering it into the Irish Eurovision competition in 2023, he admitted he was still not ready to take it on tour as it would be too sad
The God Save The Queen singer has also had to process the death of his best friend and longtime manager, John ‘Rambo’ Stevens, who passed away just seven months after Nora.
Despite his grief, he insists the upcoming 28-date Not The Last Tour isn’t a farewell – just a tongue-in-cheek dig at bands who falsely claim they’re bowing out.
‘The industry is riddled with artists claiming they’re on their final tour but have already booked themselves for five years after,’ he quipped.
The UK and Ireland tour, opens on May 22 in Bristol and closes on August 16 in Belfast.
Talking about the tour, John admitted age has caused him to slightly mellow out his act and his stage presence is slightly more relaxed.
Now, after two years of mourning his wife and best friend’s death, he’s preparing to hit the road with Public Image Ltd (PiL) in a bid to heal
John insists the upcoming 28-date Not The Last Tour isn’t a farewell – just a tongue-in-cheek dig at bands who falsely claim they’re bowing out
Over the decades, John was known for falling off stages and being a touch wild, but now admits it was ‘punishing to be [on stage] as a sad sack drunk.’
The Rise singer is also taking on a 50-date spoken word tour of the UK and Ireland almost immediately after the PiL tour from September 5 through to November 24.
As for a Sex Pistols reunion? It doesn’t look likely with John slamming his former bandmates’ recent tour as ‘karaoke’ and branding them ‘impossibly difficult’ to deal with.
He added: I think going out and doing this is in extremely poor taste. If you don’t want me around, that’s all well and fine, get your stand-up comedian in my place, but leave my words out of it, because it’s clear you don’t understand them.’
