Public Image LTD, First Issue

Public Image LTD, First Issue (Virgin-1978)

Many people including myself love the Sex Pistols. I even have them in this blog as I think they should have sold way more albums. History seemed to repeat itself here as the Pistols split up in America while on tour and this album was never released in America till last year. So if you are an American who has had this album on import then well done you.

As Lydon was on tour he would always write new material and some of it he simply could never take to the rest of the band. Listen to this album to find out why. One of my highlights is "Religion I" and "Religion II". The first is simply Mr Lydon reading out loud the lyrics to what is a full song with backing band on the second. His lyrics were taken to the band and instantly dismissed. The song was deemed to extreme for the Sex Pistols. I love the track and it makes me ask questions on many things, not just religion. The whole sound for the album is one that is pretty much as far away from the charts as you can get. For us now getting into the music from that era it is called Post Punk but I feel it is just rock n roll with more spite.

What I love about PIL and also this album is how slow the music is, many people take music that has some big statement or when it contains anything aggressive to be fast and loud and there for unalienable. Not here, nice slow thought out passages of music. "Theme" shows this with the very much simple but fun bass lines. Keith Levene's guitar work sounds complex but it is simply notes with some distortion and FX. As John Lydon comes in on vocals you know this will not be on BBC2.

The whole punk movement was built on showing that anyone can take to a stage and this album keeps it going. So what you can't sing like ABBA or play keyboards like Rick Wakeman. None of that matters and single "Public Image" shows this. It was quite catchy and the only real radio song here. The bass is simply an open E string on the intro and a few chords. Later Lydon explained the song is about how he was viewed in his past band.

"Low Life" has been talked about in being about the ex manager of the Pistols, Malcolm McLaren. The lyrics and the title track show you his thoughts. The song does have some nice melodic feel to it and can even be danced to with the nice bass lines and drumming.

Low Life

Low Life

Ego-maniac traitor

You never did understand

You fell in love with your ego

It did not fit into plan

The last track is one that stands out for me "Fodderstompf" seems like a piss take to me. The band were running out of time in the studio and had to get it done. I also think this song is what prompted the American label to want the album to be re recorded. As I said the album was never released in the US due to the label there saying the album was too uncommercial to go out. That was the point no? They missed it big time. Never less some re recording was done and still a strict no from the label. It is as if "Fodderstompf" was a song to see into the future. They were right.

Still the album sold well in the UK gaining Silver (60,000) award and a top 10 single in "Public Image". I wonder if America got this album what would have happened, imagine a promo of Religion going to stations? Fuck me! It would have made what the Pistols done look like an episode of Sesame Street.

Now available in the US via Light in the Attic Records and all over the world.

Twitter: 29xthefun