hotpress.com was on hand yesterday as John Lydon (nee Rotten) announced that the Sex Pistols are reconvening on July 27th for a show at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

Despite being in Hollywood exile for the last umpteen years, John hasn't forgotten Ireland's most fortnightly publication.

"Hot Press? I remember you. You gave me an award, didn't you? Fucking broke. You cheapskates!"

Asked why the Pistols' shindig is happening after the Queen's Golden Jubilee bash, he explained: "'Cause that's her fun, and quite frankly it's absolutely guaranteed that her lot will be fucking dismal. Let that taper out then come back and I'll remind you what being British is really about.

"This is our country, this is our flag, they're our monarchy, they don't work too well at the moment but let's make the fuckers do a good job. Let's get rid of the useless ones and keep a few of the goodies."

It's all relative, of course, but who are the biggest villains?

"Prince Charles – as long as Elizabeth keeps him off the throne she's doing a good job."

Asked whether doing only one show is a sign of him getting old and lazy, Lydon retorted: "I'm not interested in a full tour. It's my jubilee, 25 years on and you bastards still haven't learnt anything."

Meanwhile, June 3rd sees the release of a 3-CD box-set comprising the whole of Never Mind The Bollocks, the Spunk bootleg, demos and their previously unavailable 1976 Screen On The Green show.

Of most interest to fans, though, is the inclusion of two original compositions, 'Understanding' and 'Flowers Of Romance', that have never made it onto record before.

We’ll have more – much more – on the Sex Pistols in our 25th birthday special, which hits the shelves in June.