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Public Image Ltd



         


1978 by John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), Jah Wobble, Keith Levine and Jim Walker.

After the Sex Pistols broke up, Lydon formed a new group, featuring guitarist Levine, who had briefly been a member of The Clash.

Debuting with the single "Public Image", an autobiographical reflection on the media furore surrounding Lydon's previous band, PiL were a far more experimental project than the Sex Pistols. PiL are often cited as producing some of the most innovative music to come out of the early post punk.

1979's Metal Box--originally released as three 45rpm 12-inch records packaged in a metal motion picture film box--was dominated by Wobble's reggae-influenced bass guitar and Lydon's bleak, paranoid, stream of consciousness vocals. One critic has written, "they sounded nothing like the (Sex) Pistols or anyone else at the time." . Although radically different from most other British groups of the time, PiL were heavily influenced by the German groups of the so-called Krautrock genre, especially Neu!, and by the sonic aesthetic of leading Krautrock producer Conny Plank.

By 1981, Wobble was gone: either quitting or being sacked, depending on who's telling the tale. Martin Atkins--later to form Pigface--was recruited to drum on The Flowers Of Romance, an album generally considered much stranger than the already strange Metal Box.

Levine had largely abandoned guitar in favor of synthesizer, and his technique on the latter was truly unique, owing a slight debt, perhaps, to Allen Ravenstine of Pere Ubu (group). Atkin's populsive marching band-style drumming and Lydon's increasing lyrical abstraction made this LP a head-scratcher: contemporary reviews expressed some confusion. Julian Cope, however, shared another opinion, later writing, that Flowers was "the last great PIL album in my opinion".

PiL later moved in a more pop music and dance music-oriented direction.

PiL's 1986 release simply entitled CD, Tape or Album, depending on your choice of format--produced by Bill Laswell and featuring many of his usual rotating cast of musicians--featured the guitar work of Steve Vai.

Levene left in 1983, Atkins in 1985. PiL kept going until 1993, when Lydon disbanded the band. Their final lineup consisted of Lydon, Ted Chau (guitar, keyboards), Mike Joyce of The Smiths (drums), John McGeogh (guitar), and Russel Webb (who had replaced Allan Dias on bass) . Lydon released a solo album, Psycho's Path in 1997.


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