Rotten judgment: UK court rules against Sex Pistols singer

LONDON (AP) — A British judge has ruled that songs by punk trailblazers, the Sex Pistols, can be used in a forthcoming TV series despite the opposition of former frontman John Lydon.

Ex-Pistols guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook sued the singer, once known as Johnny Rotten, after trying to block the music’s use in “Pistol.”

Lydon called the show “nonsense” and said the songs could not be licensed without his consent.

According to the Associated Press, Lydon expressed previously that he was concerned that the series would show him negatively.

But Cook and Jones claimed that an agreement dating from 1998 allowed a majority decision.

High Court judge Anthony Mann agreed.

Judge Mann said that it was “a convenient contrivance” for Lydon to claim that he was not aware of the details or implications of the agreement he had signed, the AP reported.

“Pistol” is being made for Disney subsidiary FX and is based on a memoir by Jones.