Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten flaunted the smoking ban by puffing away on a cigarette before and during the band's Brixton Academy show on Wednesday night (November 14th).

The outspoken punk smoked backstage with members of their crew before the band's sell-out show, the Sun reports, and then lit up when the band took to the stage.

He then launched into a tirade, urging members of the audience to join him in sparking up a cigarette, despite the possibility of facing a £50 fine for every time they smoked.

"I can't believe you lot aren't smoking," he said, according to the newspaper, "What kind of country is this if you can't even have a smoke?"

Rotten isn't the first star to flout the smoking ban, after members of THE Rolling Stones lit up on stage at London's O2 Arena earlier this year.

However, on that occasion both the aging rockers and the venue avoided punishment, with Greenwich council stating it was "satisfied" the incident was a one-off.


16/11/2007 10:37:31