The Sex Pistols’ John Lydon has revealed his heartbreak following the death of Keith Flint, as he claimed that the Prodigy frontman was “left alone” by the music industry.
The 49-year-old rave icon was found dead at his home in Essex on Monday morning.
His bandmate Liam Howlett said that Flint had “taken his own life.”
Speaking at the premiere of Epix’s Punk docuseries at SIR Studios in Los Angeles, Lydon, who used the stage name Johnny Rotten while performing with the Sex Pistols, told TMZ that the star’s death should provide a “wake-up call” for the industry.
“My heart is broken for him,” he told the US publication.
“He was a good friend of mine. Don’t get me wrong but nobody loved him and he was left alone and he got destroyed.
“Why? Who do so many people in this industry be left alone [sic]? Come to me, I’m Johnny.
“What you got to understand is we are not looking after each other anymore and we should.
“Any of you out there need help, come talk to me. We do not need to die.”
Flint was a leading force in the rave scene in the 1990s, and was known for his colourful spiked hair, distinctive facial piercings and his energetic stage performances.
After starting off as a dancer for The Prodigy, he stepped into the frontman role after providing lead vocals on two of their biggest hits, Firestarter and Breathe.
His bandmates confirmed news of his death in a statement on Monday, in which they hailed their “best friend” Flint as “a true pioneer, innovator and legend.”
The group have since announced that all forthcoming live dates “will be cancelled with immediate effect”.
