More about: The Sex Pistols

John Lydon has hit out at Green Day calling them “plonk” and accusing them of stealing the term ‘punk’.

The former Sex Pistols front man says the US trio are a watered down version of the true punk ethos according to contactmusic.

He said: "Don't try and tell me Green Day are punk. They're not, they're plonk and they're bandwagoning on something they didn't come up with themselves. I think they are phony."

He added on the subject of the Sex Pistols battle with the establishment: "The government's against you, the police are on you. So there we are fending off all that and it pisses me off that years later a wank outfit like Green Day hop in and nick all that and attach it to themselves.”

"They didn't earn their wings to do that and if they were true punk they wouldn't look anything like they do."

More about: The Sex Pistols