Rory went straight into ‘Bullfrog Blues’, the perfect start. The gig just went into full throttle, getting better and better, and the fans were going mad.
Standing in front of us was one Johnny Rotten aka John Lydon (of Sex Pistols fame), along with Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats and a publicist I was to meet later, as well as a few other friends of theirs. Lydon had come in with this bucket of urine, and his friend had another one, and they threw it at the band. Me and Lloyd rushed over to stop the second bucket being thrown. The security was quickly there and they were thrown out. Yes, Sir Bob included! Rory was raving, although none of the urine reached him. If it had gone on his guitar or the amps they could have been electrocuted or set alight.
There was a reception after the gig and the newly formed Hot Press was handing out awards to the bands. It was a nice reception. Gerry, Lloyd and me were standing at the bar, when who walks in but Johnny Rotten. As he came rowling up to the bar, Gerry, remembering the earlier incident, said, ‘I’m going to kill him.’
Gerry threw the best right-hander he had ever thrown, but Lloyd blocked it and I grabbed Gerry. I told him, ‘That’s what he wants, cheap publicity. Don’t let it show.’
By this time, Rotten had run away. This whole incident was filmed by a German film crew, and Gerry has a copy of it, which will be nice to see one day.
http://shadowplays.com/blog/?p=2292