Latest news with #TheRiseandFall
The Irish Sun
22-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
I was beaten with a stick from age 2 on Jesus Army farm where paedo ‘prophets' abused kids & ‘deserters' turned up dead
TO casual visitors the Jesus Army's communal farms in a quiet Northamptonshire village appeared idyllic. Children played in the fields, picked fresh fruit and did not face the pressures of the modern world. Advertisement 12 Nathan was born into the Jesus Army and sexually abused by a 'man in his 40s' from the age of ten Credit: BBC 12 New Creation Farm, where preacher Noel Stanton lived Credit: Jesus Fellowship Central Offices/Youtube 12 Noel Stanton founded the Jesus Fellowship Church in 1973 12 Founder Stanton, who died in 2009 aged 82, was among the powerful men accused of assaulting the flock Credit: BBC But for the kids who grew up in Children weren't allowed toys, crisps, television, radio, hobbies, sugar or even to visit museums. A new BBC documentary titled The Rise and Fall of the Jesus Army reveals how children were beaten on a daily basis if they broke these rules and told they were 'possessed'. Even worse was the sexual abuse in a Christian community that was supposed to value celibacy. Advertisement READ MORE FEATURES The controversial church, which began life as the Jesus Fellowship in 1973, closed its doors for good in May 2019 following over 600 allegations of abuse. Founder Stanton, who died in 2009 aged 82, was among the powerful men accused of assaulting the flock. Breaking the spell Stanton's cult had over them is difficult. Nathan, 38, who was born into the Jesus Army and sexually abused by a 'man in his 40s' from the age of ten, says that Noel is 'still someone I respect". Advertisement Most read in The Sun He explains: 'It was my whole life basically. I would spend hours with Noel shouting at us that you would go to Hell for stupid little things you did as a kid.' Stanton, originally from Bedfordshire, ran a stationery business before becoming pastor of the Baptist church in Bugbrooke in 1957. I was trapped in a cult & forced to give all my money to leaders who made me unwell with their 'cruelty' Over the following decade he attracted increasingly 'unorthodox individuals' to his evangelistic sermons. Earlier follower John says: 'He claimed he was a prophet speaking God's will.' Advertisement Fervent believers would speak in tongues and think they had been touched by Jesus. The congregation were expected to be totally devoted to the Jesus Fellowship. John continues: 'It wasn't just a case of just going to church, it was a case of belonging to the church.' 'Extreme and dangerous' 12 Earlier follower John says Stanton claimed he was a prophet speaking God's will Credit: BBC Advertisement 12 Philippa Barnes says children were tightly overseen by Stanton and didn't have time with their mums Credit: BBC 12 The congregation were expected to be totally devoted to the Jesus Fellowship. Pictured: Bugbrooke chapel Credit: Alamy That devotion went further in 1974 when New Creation Hall and New Creation Farm were opened. Stanton's disciples sold their home and all their worldly goods to buy these properties, which they didn't own. Advertisement The homes would be shared by any of the followers living there. Magsy, who was brought up in nearby Upper Stowe, recalls: 'We were playing in the fields and picking fruit. It was beautiful.' But Philippa Barnes, who was aged seven when she moved there, could sense something was wrong. She says: 'We were very tightly overseen by Noel. You didn't have time with your mum. It was extreme. It was dangerous.' Advertisement There were no crisps, no worldly things because that was inviting the devil in Magsy Families were split up, with some children placed with strangers and married couples slept in separate beds. The women were separated from the men, who were in control of the community. Elders, who were always male, were expected to enforce the rules. Magsy recalls: 'There were no crisps, no worldly things because that was inviting the devil in.' Advertisement In the evening Noel and other elders would purge people of their 'sins' as they writhed about on the floor convulsing like something out of The Exorcist movie. Magsy continues: 'There would be people who looked possessed, people laying hands on them, Noel crying out 'the devil'.' Suspicious deaths 12 Magsy was beaten with a stick from the age of two Credit: BBC This remained hidden from the outside world until Stephen Orchard, 19, died in suspicious circumstances in 1978 after leaving the 'cult'. Advertisement His injuries suggested he had lain on a railway track in the path of a train less than a mile from Bugbrooke, but the coroner recorded an open verdict. Stephen wasn't the only one. Eighteen months earlier David Hooper, 24, had died from exposure to freezing temperatures at the farm after being outside partially clothed in early December 1976. Then in 1986, Jesus Army member Mohammed Majid was found floating in an underground water tank on the grounds. Advertisement There would be people who looked possessed, people laying hands on them, Noel crying out 'the devil' Magsy The publicity around Stephen's death did nothing to quell interest in this new way of life. By 1980 their communes had over 430 residents and were running a string of businesses, including a hotel and health food shops. With followers working for the love of the religion, the coffers swelled. For the children who could not escape, it was a brutal upbringing with regular punishment beatings. Advertisement Magsy, who was beaten with a stick from the age of two, says: 'I was rodded every day. The brothers decided if you were defiant.' Sexual abuse 12 Sarah recalls how brazen one senior member of the church was, putting his hand on her leg while his wife was across the room Credit: BBC 12 When the Jesus Fellowship was thrown out of the Baptist Union and the Evangelical Alliance in 1986, Stanton launched the Jesus Army in 1987 in a bid to bring in fresh converts Credit: BBC 12 Church members were sent out into cities such as London to find waifs and strays in need of a bed Credit: Alamy Advertisement 12 The Jesus Army held raves in warehouses, with people singing 'we are generation J' and talking about getting a 'natural high' from God Credit: BBC John was the first of the disgruntled grown-ups to leave and to go public with his concerns. As a result the Jesus Fellowship was thrown out of the Baptist Union and the Evangelical Alliance in 1986. Unperturbed, Stanton launched the Jesus Army the following year in a bid to bring in fresh converts. Advertisement Church members were sent out into cities such as London to find waifs and strays in need of a bed. They opened up a Battle Centre in the capital and more communities in places such as Sheffield. Next up were raves in warehouses, with people singing 'we are generation J' and talking about getting a 'natural high' from God. But word got around paedophiles that the Jesus Army offered easy access to young children. Advertisement And the elders failed to crack down on reports of sexual abuse. I was rodded every day. The brothers decided if you were defiant Magsy Sarah recalls how brazen one senior member of the church was. She says: 'He would put his hand on my thigh under the table while his wife was across the room. He just shut me down.' When Philippa told the police that a Jesus Army member had sexually assaulted one of her friends he was sentenced to six months in prison. Advertisement But he only served half of that time inside and was welcomed back as leader. After Noel died the new leaders introduced safeguarding training and safeguarding officers. The damage, though, had been done. An investigation by Northamptonshire Police titled Operation Lifeboat uncovered 214 allegations of abuse. Advertisement Only five of the abusers were prosecuted and only two of them received custodial sentences, the longest being Nigel Perkins and Alan Carter, who received three year jail terms in 2017 and 2018 respectively. DC Mark Allbright explains: 'It was difficult, there was closing of ranks.' An independent review in 2017 carried on behalf of the Jesus Army found that Stanton had abused boys and that the leaders had failed to act. Facing hundreds of compensation claims the church closed two years later. Advertisement Those cases are ongoing and many more victims are yet to come forward, with one in six children in the Jesus Army believed to have experienced abuse. The Jesus Fellowship said: 'We continue to hold out an unreserved apology to anyone who has been affected by abuse and failings of any kind in the Jesus Fellowship. 'In 2013 we, as the senior leadership of the church, initiated a wide-ranging process that invited disclosures of any kind of abuse, both historic and recent, and referred all such reports to the authorities.' The Rise and Fall of the Jesus Army airs on BBC2 on Sunday July 27. Advertisement
Scottish Sun
22-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
I was beaten with a stick from age 2 on Jesus Army farm where paedo ‘prophets' abused kids & ‘deserters' turned up dead
Even crisps were banned because they were seen as 'inviting the devil in' COMMUNE CULT I was beaten with a stick from age 2 on Jesus Army farm where paedo 'prophets' abused kids & 'deserters' turned up dead Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TO casual visitors the Jesus Army's communal farms in a quiet Northamptonshire village appeared idyllic. Children played in the fields, picked fresh fruit and did not face the pressures of the modern world. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 12 Nathan was born into the Jesus Army and sexually abused by a 'man in his 40s' from the age of ten Credit: BBC 12 New Creation Farm, where preacher Noel Stanton lived Credit: Jesus Fellowship Central Offices/Youtube 12 Noel Stanton founded the Jesus Fellowship Church in 1973 12 Founder Stanton, who died in 2009 aged 82, was among the powerful men accused of assaulting the flock Credit: BBC But for the kids who grew up in rural Bugbrooke under the terrifying regime of wild-haired preacher Noel Stanton, it was a nightmare. Children weren't allowed toys, crisps, television, radio, hobbies, sugar or even to visit museums. A new BBC documentary titled The Rise and Fall of the Jesus Army reveals how children were beaten on a daily basis if they broke these rules and told they were 'possessed'. Even worse was the sexual abuse in a Christian community that was supposed to value celibacy. The controversial church, which began life as the Jesus Fellowship in 1973, closed its doors for good in May 2019 following over 600 allegations of abuse. Founder Stanton, who died in 2009 aged 82, was among the powerful men accused of assaulting the flock. Breaking the spell Stanton's cult had over them is difficult. Nathan, 38, who was born into the Jesus Army and sexually abused by a 'man in his 40s' from the age of ten, says that Noel is 'still someone I respect". He explains: 'It was my whole life basically. I would spend hours with Noel shouting at us that you would go to Hell for stupid little things you did as a kid.' Stanton, originally from Bedfordshire, ran a stationery business before becoming pastor of the Baptist church in Bugbrooke in 1957. I was trapped in a cult & forced to give all my money to leaders who made me unwell with their 'cruelty' Over the following decade he attracted increasingly 'unorthodox individuals' to his evangelistic sermons. Earlier follower John says: 'He claimed he was a prophet speaking God's will.' Fervent believers would speak in tongues and think they had been touched by Jesus. The congregation were expected to be totally devoted to the Jesus Fellowship. John continues: 'It wasn't just a case of just going to church, it was a case of belonging to the church.' 'Extreme and dangerous' 12 Earlier follower John says Stanton claimed he was a prophet speaking God's will Credit: BBC 12 Philippa Barnes says children were tightly overseen by Stanton and didn't have time with their mums Credit: BBC 12 The congregation were expected to be totally devoted to the Jesus Fellowship. Pictured: Bugbrooke chapel Credit: Alamy That devotion went further in 1974 when New Creation Hall and New Creation Farm were opened. Stanton's disciples sold their home and all their worldly goods to buy these properties, which they didn't own. The homes would be shared by any of the followers living there. Magsy, who was brought up in nearby Upper Stowe, recalls: 'We were playing in the fields and picking fruit. It was beautiful.' But Philippa Barnes, who was aged seven when she moved there, could sense something was wrong. She says: 'We were very tightly overseen by Noel. You didn't have time with your mum. It was extreme. It was dangerous.' There were no crisps, no worldly things because that was inviting the devil in Magsy Families were split up, with some children placed with strangers and married couples slept in separate beds. The women were separated from the men, who were in control of the community. Elders, who were always male, were expected to enforce the rules. Magsy recalls: 'There were no crisps, no worldly things because that was inviting the devil in.' In the evening Noel and other elders would purge people of their 'sins' as they writhed about on the floor convulsing like something out of The Exorcist movie. Magsy continues: 'There would be people who looked possessed, people laying hands on them, Noel crying out 'the devil'.' Suspicious deaths 12 Magsy was beaten with a stick from the age of two Credit: BBC This remained hidden from the outside world until Stephen Orchard, 19, died in suspicious circumstances in 1978 after leaving the 'cult'. His injuries suggested he had lain on a railway track in the path of a train less than a mile from Bugbrooke, but the coroner recorded an open verdict. Stephen wasn't the only one. Eighteen months earlier David Hooper, 24, had died from exposure to freezing temperatures at the farm after being outside partially clothed in early December 1976. Then in 1986, Jesus Army member Mohammed Majid was found floating in an underground water tank on the grounds. There would be people who looked possessed, people laying hands on them, Noel crying out 'the devil' Magsy The publicity around Stephen's death did nothing to quell interest in this new way of life. By 1980 their communes had over 430 residents and were running a string of businesses, including a hotel and health food shops. With followers working for the love of the religion, the coffers swelled. For the children who could not escape, it was a brutal upbringing with regular punishment beatings. Magsy, who was beaten with a stick from the age of two, says: 'I was rodded every day. The brothers decided if you were defiant.' Sexual abuse 12 Sarah recalls how brazen one senior member of the church was, putting his hand on her leg while his wife was across the room Credit: BBC 12 When the Jesus Fellowship was thrown out of the Baptist Union and the Evangelical Alliance in 1986, Stanton launched the Jesus Army in 1987 in a bid to bring in fresh converts Credit: BBC 12 Church members were sent out into cities such as London to find waifs and strays in need of a bed Credit: Alamy 12 The Jesus Army held raves in warehouses, with people singing 'we are generation J' and talking about getting a 'natural high' from God Credit: BBC John was the first of the disgruntled grown-ups to leave and to go public with his concerns. As a result the Jesus Fellowship was thrown out of the Baptist Union and the Evangelical Alliance in 1986. Unperturbed, Stanton launched the Jesus Army the following year in a bid to bring in fresh converts. Church members were sent out into cities such as London to find waifs and strays in need of a bed. They opened up a Battle Centre in the capital and more communities in places such as Sheffield. Next up were raves in warehouses, with people singing 'we are generation J' and talking about getting a 'natural high' from God. But word got around paedophiles that the Jesus Army offered easy access to young children. And the elders failed to crack down on reports of sexual abuse. I was rodded every day. The brothers decided if you were defiant Magsy Sarah recalls how brazen one senior member of the church was. She says: 'He would put his hand on my thigh under the table while his wife was across the room. He just shut me down.' When Philippa told the police that a Jesus Army member had sexually assaulted one of her friends he was sentenced to six months in prison. But he only served half of that time inside and was welcomed back as leader. After Noel died the new leaders introduced safeguarding training and safeguarding officers. The damage, though, had been done. An investigation by Northamptonshire Police titled Operation Lifeboat uncovered 214 allegations of abuse. Only five of the abusers were prosecuted and only two of them received custodial sentences, the longest being Nigel Perkins and Alan Carter, who received three year jail terms in 2017 and 2018 respectively. DC Mark Allbright explains: 'It was difficult, there was closing of ranks.' An independent review in 2017 carried on behalf of the Jesus Army found that Stanton had abused boys and that the leaders had failed to act. Facing hundreds of compensation claims the church closed two years later. Those cases are ongoing and many more victims are yet to come forward, with one in six children in the Jesus Army believed to have experienced abuse. The Jesus Fellowship said: 'We continue to hold out an unreserved apology to anyone who has been affected by abuse and failings of any kind in the Jesus Fellowship. 'In 2013 we, as the senior leadership of the church, initiated a wide-ranging process that invited disclosures of any kind of abuse, both historic and recent, and referred all such reports to the authorities.' The Rise and Fall of the Jesus Army airs on BBC2 on Sunday July 27.
Daily Record
25-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
David Cameron 'lost the plot' by making PPE scandal tycoon Michelle Mone a Tory peer
The ex-Tory PM's decision to elevate Glasgow-born entrepreneur Mone to the House of Lords has been examined in a new TV documentary. David Cameron had 'lost the plot' when he made PPE scandal tycoon Michelle Mone a Tory Peer, an ex-business associate has claimed. The former Tory prime minister was behind the decision to elevate Glasgow-born Mone to the House of Lords in 2015. Mone, 53, and her husband Doug Barrowman, 60, are being probed by the National Crime Agency (NCA) over a £203million deal to supply NHS equipment in the pandemic and the former Ultimo bra boss is on a leave of absence. In two-part BBC show The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone – on BBC iPlayer from tomorrow – ex-colleagues criticise the peerage decision. It also looks at Mone's Ultimo lingerie firm MJM International's accounts in the years before her appointment revealing by 2012 it had a loss of about £500,000. Speaking to filmmakers, PR consultant Jack Irvine, who worked with Mone in the 90s, recalled receiving a phone call from a top Tory to tell him about the proposed peerage. Irvine said: 'I honestly burst out laughing.' He added: 'I went through the history, the fantasy world, the money they'd lost and all the things she'd done and I said, 'Anyway, who's pushing this?' "He said David Cameron and George Osborne. I remember thinking at the time, Cameron and Osborne have completely lost the plot.' Scots businessman Douglas Anderson, boss of the Glasgow -based Gap Group, wrote to Cameron at the time to protest the appointment. He told the programme: 'I'm a proud Scottish person and I don't like anybody, but especially don't like Scottish people, being less than truthful. 'If the only thing she achieved was self-publicity, I don't think that's a very good reason to put you into the House of Lords.' Mone is alleged to have taken advantage of her peer status to use a 'VIP fast lane' to recommend PPE Medpro – led by Barrowman – supply medical equipment to the government. She denied any involvement in the firm for three years before admitting in 2023 she had lied. Barrowman admitted making £65million from equipment deals, with £29million transferred to a trust in the name of Mone and her kids. The firm is being sued by the Government for £122million for breach of contract. The couple, who live on the Isle of Man, have had £75million of assets seized, including properties in Glasgow. They deny any wrongdoing. In a statement to the BBC, the pair's spokesperson said they had 'provided full and detailed statements to the NCA and co-operated with the investigation throughout. They have never been arrested and no charges [have] been brought against them'. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. Mone said she was 'deeply disappointed' a show was being broadcast 'which appears to be relying on misleading and one-sided accounts of my life and career'. She added: 'Without having seen the programme or the allegations in their full context, it would not be fair to respond to them individually. "The allegations relating to my husband's company, PPE Medpro, will be defended in court.' Cameron and Barrowman were asked for comment.
Scottish Sun
24-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
BBC host can't forget moment Baroness Bra Michelle Mone confessed to being a liar
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BBC host Laura Kuenssberg has revealed the interview that 'sticks' with her the most is when Michelle Mone confessed to being a liar. Scots bra tycoon Mone spent two years fiercely denying through an army of lawyers any involvement with the firm PPE Medro, which had earned over £200million worth of Government contracts to supply face masks and surgical gowns during the Covid pandemic. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Lady Mone of Mayfair taking her place in the House of Lords as a Tory life peer. 4 Married couple Doug Barrowman and Michelle Mone has been accused of wrongdoing. 4 BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg says her interview with Mone is one that 'sticks" with her. But in 2023 it was revealed that the Tory life peer and her three adult children had received £29million from the company via her second husband Doug Barrowman. That led to a 'Prince Andrew-style' TV showdown with the politics presenter on her weekly show Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. Appearing alongside Barrowman, 60, Baroness Mone, 53, made the jaw-dropping confession: 'I can't see what we've done wrong. Lying to the press is not a crime.' Now in a two-part BBC documentary The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone to be shown next week, Laura, 48, said: 'In the end they were bizarrely quite honest about not having told the truth. Which is quite a strange experience. 'Then as she so memorably said, 'But Laura, it's not a crime to lie' That's a phrase that will always stick with me.' The controversy started when Lady Mone had used her government links to access a VIP Lane for fast track PPE procurement. But the former owner of bra company Ultimo then aggressively denied for three years that she and Barrowman had any connections to the company PPE Medro. When it was revealed that Mone and her family had personally benefitted from the contracts she announced she was stepping down from the House of Lords. Questions were then asked in parliament by the then leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer about how nearly £30million had ended up in the bank account of the Scottish businesswoman. Recalling before the build-up to the car-crash interview, Laura said: 'They obviously knew they had been lying at the beginning of it. So they felt they were in this trap. Carol Vorderman finally reveals real reason she ended friendship with Michelle Mone 'On the day (of the interview) the whole experience was eerily calm. There's no question Michelle Mone and Doug Barrowman became the pantomime villains in the story of the huge shambles of what went wrong with PPE. 'For Michelle, being able to grab public attention was always something she had in spades during her business career but things went wrong for her and you can't turn that attention off.' Mone and Barrowman are currently being investigated by the National Crime Agency. The couple continue to deny any wrongdoing. *The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone begins on BBC Scotland on Monday May 26 at 10pm and BBC Two on May 28 at 9pm. Both episodes are available on BBC iPlayer from Monday.
The Guardian
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sex Pistols' Steve Jones: ‘I like to fart in front of people. You can tell if someone's cool from their reaction'
Is it true you nicked some of your early equipment from David Bowie's trucks outside the Hammersmith Odeon at the last Ziggy Stardust show, in 1973? There's definitely some truth in that. It wasn't outside in trucks though – it was on the stage! They played two nights, and after the first night they left all the gear up, because they were playing there the next night. I knew the Hammersmith Odeon like the back of my hand, I used to bunk in there all the time. I was like the Phantom of Hammersmith Odeon. It was about two in the morning. I stole a little minivan and I got in. There was no one there, other than a guy sitting on the fourth or fifth row, asleep – he was snoring. It was dead silent. I tiptoed across the stage, and I nicked some cymbals, the bass player's [amplifier] head – a Sunn amp it was – and some microphones. I got Bowie's microphone with his lipstick on it! Did you ever fess up to Bowie about this? I kind of did, on a phone call. He knew I'd done it; he thought it was funny. Actually, I don't think I nicked anything off him, I don't think the microphones were his. The only ones I felt bad for were Woody [drummer, Mick Woodmansey] and [bass player] Trevor Bolder. I actually did make amends with Woody. He came on my radio show a few years back, and I thought I'd tell him live, when we were on the air, what I did. I was like, 'I've got to make amends to you, Woody, I nicked some of your cymbals. What can I do to make it right?' He goes, 'I don't know; give us a couple of hundred bucks.' I think I gave him $300, so he was well happy. What album do you always return to? Oh, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust is always a go-to. What's the most chaotic thing that's ever happened to you on stage? There was a time in 1996, when the Sex Pistols played in Milwaukee, a big club which had a ridiculously high stage – it was about 20 foot. Some guy walked on the stage, I don't know how he got through. John [Johnny Rotten, nee John Lydon]'s security Rambo saw him and came running across the stage. He grabbed the guy, the guy hit John, and John fell off the stage, head first. And I thought, that's the end of that. But he got up and carried on! Punters are raving about Frank Carter as the new singer of the Pistols. How does it feel playing these old songs with a new frontman? It's great, it's refreshing. He's younger – well, he's 40. I'll be 70 this year! But he's got bundles of energy, and he's great with an audience. He's not trying to be Johnny Rotten. People love it. My philosophy is, don't play more than an hour and 15, an hour and 30, max. Whenever I go to a concert, I'm not interested in seeing a band for three hours. I guess some artists think the crowd's getting their money's worth, but for me, I'm bored after an hour or so. We often ask people who they would like to play them in a biopic. You've already had one! Did you enjoy Toby Wallace's portrayal of you in Pistol? I love Toby, he's great. He came out [to Los Angeles] and he'd stare at me for a long time, trying to pick up my mannerisms. He had to get someone to help him with his speech, obviously, because he's got the Australian accent. Sometimes he slipped up a little bit, but I thought he did pretty good. The one thing that bugged me was this scene where they go on about my guitar – 'Oh, it's like Excalibur!' – but they couldn't even find one close to mine. The one they used looked like it was from Woolworths. It must have cost a tenner. I would gladly have lent them one of mine. You know a lot of people. Who's the most famous person in your phone? I do know many famous people, but this is a great story. When I was doing Indie 103.1, I ran into Cliff Richard. I said do you want to come on the show, have a larf? And he said OK. He came down, brought his guitars, and I couldn't get him to shut up. He went through all the old classic songs. He's such a pro. They don't make 'em like him any more. Anyway, he left, I had his number, and funnily enough he called me on my landline when we got accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He left a message and he just started singing, 'Congratulations! And jubilations!' It was the funniest thing ever. Besides Cliff, you've hosted everyone from Judas Priest to Brian Wilson on your show. Who was your most chaotic guest? I would say Jerry Lee Lewis. He was really ornery and prickly. I think I said, 'What was it like when you went to England?' And I don't think he actually got to tour in England – he got banned because he was married to his cousin, who was underage. And he just turned on me: 'I don't wanna talk about that!' And there was silence. I didn't know what to do, I started to panic. In the late 80s you played on a Bob Dylan song, Sally Sue Brown. How was Bob in those days? It was bizarre. I met him a couple of weeks prior to him asking me to put a band together out at some party. I had long hair and was on my Harley with no helmet, and he was gravitating towards me. Someone must have told him I was in the Sex Pistols. We hung out for a bit, and I got a call two weeks later, can you put a band together, and we'll do a session down at Sunset Sound [studios]. So, I did. Paul Simonen [ex-the Clash] happened to be in town at that time. I got the drummer from Pat Benatar's band, the keyboard player was playing with Rod Stewart. We ended up on that song, which is a cover. We kind of gelled on that one. What song do you want played at your funeral? That's a funny one. I guess some people who are narcissists would already be thinking of this stuff, right? I'm not as narcissistic as a lot of people I know, but I've learned over many years of being sober that it ain't all about me. I don't know, that's a miserable question. It just tells you you're gonna die one day. Do you have a party trick? I like to fart in front of people. You can tell if someone's cool or not from their reaction. I farted in front of Lisa Marie Presley once. She was sitting outside Starbucks and I was going in, and I just let one rip. She had this look on her face of disgust. I just carried on walking into Starbucks. Is that bad? The Sex Pistols are touring Australia 5 -11 April; see here for dates.
