Lydon: 'PiL reunion funded by butter ads'

John Lydon has admitted that Public Image Ltd's upcoming tour is only going ahead because of the money he made from starring in a Country Life butter TV advert.

The frontman of the recently reformed rockers said that he is "living on the lucky end of a shoestring" until the band receive the funds for their first gig, scheduled to take place in Birmingham on December 15.

"The money I got from that advert is the advance on this," he told the Camden New Journal.

Lydon went on to defend his appearance in the commercials, saying that people should understand that he agreed to the advert as it allowed him to bankroll the group's jaunt.

"Why are they questioning me?" he added. "What manual am I supposed to adopt? I'm promoting a British product which I'm very proud of. Anything I can do to help British industry is fine by me and in return you've got PiL."

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