FLOWERS OF ROTTENNESS

“I’ve got more holes in my mouth than Swiss cheese,” John Lydon/Johnny Rotten told the Voice‘s Sharyn Jackson last month, shortly before he led Public Image Ltd. on their first North American tour in 18 years. He wasn’t speaking metaphorically—the “Rotten” surname lives on from his ’70s Sex Pistols frontman days for very good reason—but Lydon’s only more of a punk for ignoring the aesthetics. After all, he rose Public Image Ltd. from the muddy grave of the Sex Pistols into one of the first, best post-punk band of the early ’80s. Cheers to him—and to his dentist, who certainly isn’t “Happy?” right now.

Tue., May 18, 8 p.m., 2010