On Wednesday morning I had the pleasure of speaking with one John Lydon, the founding member of Public Image Ltd and the lead screamer of punk legends the Sex Pistols.

PiL -- that's what he calls it, never the full name -- released a new album This Is PiL earlier this summer. It's been getting great reviews and is worth a spin. They are just but one of the legacy acts playing Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin as well.

Lydon and I talked about numerous matters, mostly of the political nature since PiL will be touring the United States during October, while our presidential campiagn and electioneering will be coming to a full, frothy boil. You'll get to read all about his disgust with our system in a print piece running closer to their November 2 date at Scout Bar.

It was that date at the Clear Lake venue that I wanted to ask him about first off. He doesn't know the place from Adam obviously, so everyone's aggravation that PiL is playing a venue known more for metal and modern-rock acts is bewildering to him. .

When I tipped him off about the past week's wailing and gnashing of teeth over Scout Bar, he giggled. Messing with conceptions has always been his goal.

"You can't hold prejudices to brick and mortar. We have always said, don't hold prejudices. I try to mix and match with the best of them," said Lydon, speaking six hours ahead of me in Houston in his London home. Brussels sprouts are on the dinner menu tonight.

"Metal bands? That's fine. How many metal bands look to me as a founding influence? Quite a few!" he added.

From then we talked mostly about his distrust of the current U.S. political scrum. He calls himself a Californian these days after spending the better part of the past two decades on this side of the globe.