Nora Forster, Wife of Sex Pistol’s John Lydon and Mother of The Slits’ Ari Up, Dead at 80

Nora Forster, the wife of Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd. (PiL) frontman John Lydon and mother to the late The Slits vocalist Ari Up, has passed away after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 80 years old.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that Nora Forster – John Lydon’s wife of nearly 5 decades – has passed away,” read a post on Lydon’s Twitter on Thursday (April 6). “Nora had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. In which time John had become her full-time career. Please respect John’s grief and allow him space.”

A German-born publishing heiress, Forster modeled and acted before taking on the role of music promoter ahead of the mid-1970s punk boom in the United Kingdom. She was the mother to The Slits frontwoman, Ari Up (born Ariane Forster), who passed away in 2010 at the age of 48 from breast cancer. Forster and Lydon were married in 1979.

Earlier this year, Lydon alongside PiL bid to represent Ireland in the 67th annual Eurovision Song Contest with their song “Hawaii.” The single was a deeply personal one, acting as a love letter to Forster.

Reflecting on their life together, “Hawaii” professes the power of love through the good and the bad. “It is dedicated to everyone going through tough times on the journey of life, with the person they care for the most,” said Lydon of the song in a statement. “It’s also a message of hope that ultimately love conquers all.”

While the band lost out to the Irish group Wild Youth, Lydon was able to raise awareness surrounding the disease his wife had been battling since 2018. “It’s shaped me into what I am,” he told the Sunday Times (via Rolling Stone) of her diagnosis. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. I don’t see how I can live without her. I wouldn’t want to. There’s no point.”

 Photo by CJ Rivera/FilmMagic