It takes approximately two minutes before I all but give up on trying to keep my conversation with punk icon, anti-establishment figurehead and occasional butter salesman John Lydon on any kind of track.

Music Week is calling him at his LA home to discuss the reissue of Public Image Ltd’s landmark Metal Box (1979) and Album (1976) records, but I quickly realise that keeping him pinned to any one subject is going to be tricky. I expected nothing less.

Within ...