SPIN

Most people think of John Lydon as the outspoken, foul-mouthed, explosive personality behind the Sex Pistols. But there's another dimension to the punk legend — and Lydon reveals his warm, tender side in his elaborate new book Mr Rotten's Scrapbook, which features rare and previously-unseen photos from his London childhood up through the present. (The book is also bundled with a 2009 LP of live recordings from Lydon's reunion tour with his post-Pistols band Public Image Ltd.)

"I think this is a much more accurate portrayal of my life instead of my [1993] autobiography Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs," Lydon tells SPIN. "I forgot about emphasizing the personality and this makes up for that. There's no nastiness, no bitchiness. I tell it quite genuinely."

Only 750 copies of the book will be pressed, but SPIN has a first-look at some of the images — with insights from Lydon himself.

Rotten (pictured with his current manager John "Rambo" Stevens) at a gig for his brother's band in Ireland in the mid-'70s. "Just an hour later I got arrested," says Lydon. "I was accused of attacking two policemen's faces with my fists. I almost spent some time in an Irish prison." Lydon jokes that he was totally sober during the incident: "I'm merely holding a beer in this picture as a prop."

Lydon performing in the States with his post-Sex Pistols band PiL in 1982. "Americans really understood PiL," says Lydon. "In England, it was difficult — we couldn't get gigs. But in America, they welcomed us."

Lydon (pictured with his father, left) was the oldest of five brothers and remembers that his childhood was quite happy, even though his mother, Eileen, suffered from cancer. "I remember she used to dress us up in these Tartan waistcoats," says Lydon. "And when I started wearing stuff like that with the Pistols, it wasn't just a fashion option. It's a fond memory of my family."

Lydon (pictured with his friend John Gray in 1975) worked as an after-school caretaker for problem children — a job he loved. "They weren't necessarily bad children, they just weren't offered good opportunities," he says. But as he got into punk, Lydon eventually lost the job: "Some in the hierarchy saw my green hair and they thought it would frighten the children.".

Lydon in 2004 on the set of his Discovery show John Lydon's Megabugs.

After taking a 17-year break from Public Image Ltd. in the mid-'90s, Lydon reformed the group for a reunion tour in 2009. Here, Lydon is photographed rehearsing for the trek.

PiL performing during their 2009 reunion tour, which included headlining slots at Coachella. "That was an absolute surprise," says Lydon of the festival gig. "15,000 people came to watch PiL while Jay-Z was playing just across the way. Quite a draw! Mind you, we did have a louder P.A."