Official Public Image Ltd. thread

wpc33 · 08-06-2004, 06:18 PM

I love this band so fucking much. I've bought 8 of their albums in 3 months

Haven't been this obsessed since SP in 97

Anyone here have any thoughts, or opinions?
For those who don't know, PiL were a group fronted by John Lydon (Johnny Rotten, Sex Pistols) who started only months after the Pistols broke up, and went so much further than any ol' cynic could imagine with their sounds. Their second album, Metal Box was really ahead of its time, being from 1979. They got more songy and more rock as the years went on, but the socio-political lyrics from Lydon have always been awesome!

Download some songs and do tell what you think
I recommend "Public Image", "Rise", "Memories", "Death Disco"
"This is not a love song" "Home" and many many more

Discuss!

hubcap · 08-06-2004, 07:40 PM

I used to be really into PiL. With the exception of This Is What You Want..., Live in Tokyo, and That What is Not, they were pretty awesome. I saw them in 92 or 93, I remember John had the security guards escort out people who threw stuff at the stage. I thought that was funny. For a long time I was searching for their live version of "Eve of Destruction", which they did on the 89 tour; never did find it and just gave up.

Have you picked up Plastic Box? I thought they could have dropped some of the album tracks in favor of a few more rarities (especially the stuff that's never been issued on CD), but it's still a worthwhile purchase.

Irrelevant · 08-06-2004, 09:19 PM

listen to The Pop Group. or Alternative TV's Vibing Up the Senile Man, that's a fucked album.

but really everyone here probably knows i dig Public Image Ltd.

wpc33 · 08-07-2004, 05:05 PM

Yeah, I am dying to get Plastic Box. The thing with al those album tracks on it though, is that supposedly the songs were remastered my Lydon for the set, so if they sound even better, then I can dig it.

Any of you heard their album "Happy?" It's totally overrated, and by far the best LP of the more-mainstream PiL sound. I can't believe it's outta print

I got mine from a French guy on ebay

daydreamer999 · 08-07-2004, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wpc33
Yeah, I am dying to get Plastic Box. The thing with al those album tracks on it though, is that supposedly the songs were remastered my Lydon for the set, so if they sound even better, then I can dig it.

Any of you heard their album "Happy?" It's totally overrated, and by far the best LP of the more-mainstream PiL sound. I can't believe it's outta print I got mine from a French guy on ebay

Ha ha, I bought 'Happy?' as an impulse buy when I saw it for $2 on vinyl...

wpc33 · 08-08-2004, 08:32 PM

What did you think of it? I listen to it more than any other PiL album. I love how it's kinda like a socio-political sisters of mercy kinda sound. Those 80's instrumentations have real depth. Like on "open and revolving". What a great record

rubbersoul · 08-10-2004, 01:53 PM

Poptones is one of the best songs from that period of time. Metal Box (Second Edition) is the only album I am I am intimately familiar with and it is a winner. I'll get around to buying some more one day.

wpc33 · 08-10-2004, 03:35 PM

Good idea rubbersoul

When I first plotted buying some PiL albums though, "Flowers of romance" was so freakin highly recommended by many fans and critics....yet it isn't very good IMHO...It's so weird, celtic-ambiance, and anti-song that I just can't get into it. Anyone else heard this album?

For getting into PiL, I agree that Metal Box is their best LP. And First Issue is excellent, but overrated. It's like, First Issue came first, but Metal Box was the first PiL album, you know? With some of the more punky songs on "First", and the minimal length, I see it as a "quick, let's do this" album. 'Cause they were only together a few months before recording it, yet it only took a year more to make their masterpiece.

I suggest getting "Happy?" after metal box, if you can dig the more songy PiL. Some people get snuffy about later PiL styles, digging only the dub/early-electronica side. I like most-all of it. Aside from great stuff on "Compact Disc", this was their post Metal box peak

One of the great things about Public Image Ltd. is that their catalogue is big, and so diverse. They can be poppy, trippy, political, and just deep, all on the same album. They never stopped growing, for better or for worse.
My point is, PiL, like the Pumpkins, are very nutritious music; In a pinch, you can get so damn much of what you could look for in your music collection. Genre-defying, and intellectual, if PiL were a food, they'd be a chewy, delicious version of the pablum in "The Matrix".

Irrelevant · 08-10-2004, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wpc33
Good idea rubbersoul
When I first plotted buying some PiL albums though, "Flowers of romance" was so freakin highly recommended by many fans and critics....yet it isn't very good IMHO...It's so weird, celtic-ambiance, and anti-song that I just can't get into it. Anyone else heard this album?

Flowers of Romance is their second best album. not as good as Metal Box, but a pretty fantastic record.

Gil · 08-11-2004, 03:17 AM

L O L

wpc33 · 08-11-2004, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Irrelevant

Flowers of Romance is their second best album. a pretty fantastic record.

I'm glad you like it, but what do you like so much about it? I really wanna get into this album, and maybe you could help me.

Irrelevant · 08-11-2004, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wpc33

I'm glad you like it, but what do you like so much about it? I really wanna get into this album, and maybe you could help me.

its got a charming minimalism. and it's just got good songs on it. very moody album.

08-06-2004, 06:18 PM	#1
wpc33 Apocalyptic Poster Location: Cheating on my wife with Kurt Cobain's wife. He'll live. Posts: 2,173	Official Public Image Ltd. thread I love this band so fucking much. I've bought 8 of their albums in 3 months Haven't been this obsessed since SP in 97 Anyone here have any thoughts, or opinions? For those who don't know, PiL were a group fronted by John Lydon (Johnny Rotten, Sex Pistols) who started only months after the Pistols broke up, and went so much further than any ol' cynic could imagine with their sounds. Their second album, Metal Box was really ahead of its time, being from 1979. They got more songy and more rock as the years went on, but the socio-political lyrics from Lydon have always been awesome! Download some songs and do tell what you think I recommend "Public Image", "Rise", "Memories", "Death Disco" "This is not a love song" "Home" and many many more Discuss!

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08-06-2004, 07:40 PM	#2
hubcap Amish Rake Fighter Posts: 16	I used to be really into PiL. With the exception of This Is What You Want..., Live in Tokyo, and That What is Not, they were pretty awesome. I saw them in 92 or 93, I remember John had the security guards escort out people who threw stuff at the stage. I thought that was funny. For a long time I was searching for their live version of "Eve of Destruction", which they did on the 89 tour; never did find it and just gave up. Have you picked up Plastic Box? I thought they could have dropped some of the album tracks in favor of a few more rarities (especially the stuff that's never been issued on CD), but it's still a worthwhile purchase.

08-06-2004, 09:19 PM	#3
Irrelevant Minion of Satan Location: kitties Posts: 6,842	listen to The Pop Group. or Alternative TV's Vibing Up the Senile Man, that's a fucked album. but really everyone here probably knows i dig Public Image Ltd.

08-07-2004, 05:05 PM	#4
wpc33 Apocalyptic Poster Location: Cheating on my wife with Kurt Cobain's wife. He'll live. Posts: 2,173	Yeah, I am dying to get Plastic Box. The thing with al those album tracks on it though, is that supposedly the songs were remastered my Lydon for the set, so if they sound even better, then I can dig it. Any of you heard their album "Happy?" It's totally overrated, and by far the best LP of the more-mainstream PiL sound. I can't believe it's outta print I got mine from a French guy on ebay

08-08-2004, 08:32 PM	#6
wpc33 Apocalyptic Poster Location: Cheating on my wife with Kurt Cobain's wife. He'll live. Posts: 2,173	What did you think of it? I listen to it more than any other PiL album. I love how it's kinda like a socio-political sisters of mercy kinda sound. Those 80's instrumentations have real depth. Like on "open and revolving". What a great record

08-10-2004, 01:53 PM	#7
rubbersoul Pledge Posts: 227	Poptones is one of the best songs from that period of time. Metal Box (Second Edition) is the only album I am I am intimately familiar with and it is a winner. I'll get around to buying some more one day.

08-10-2004, 03:35 PM	#8
wpc33 Apocalyptic Poster Location: Cheating on my wife with Kurt Cobain's wife. He'll live. Posts: 2,173	Good idea rubbersoul When I first plotted buying some PiL albums though, "Flowers of romance" was so freakin highly recommended by many fans and critics....yet it isn't very good IMHO...It's so weird, celtic-ambiance, and anti-song that I just can't get into it. Anyone else heard this album? For getting into PiL, I agree that Metal Box is their best LP. And First Issue is excellent, but overrated. It's like, First Issue came first, but Metal Box was the first PiL album, you know? With some of the more punky songs on "First", and the minimal length, I see it as a "quick, let's do this" album. 'Cause they were only together a few months before recording it, yet it only took a year more to make their masterpiece. I suggest getting "Happy?" after metal box, if you can dig the more songy PiL. Some people get snuffy about later PiL styles, digging only the dub/early-electronica side. I like most-all of it. Aside from great stuff on "Compact Disc", this was their post Metal box peak One of the great things about Public Image Ltd. is that their catalogue is big, and so diverse. They can be poppy, trippy, political, and just deep, all on the same album. They never stopped growing, for better or for worse. My point is, PiL, like the Pumpkins, are very nutritious music; In a pinch, you can get so damn much of what you could look for in your music collection. Genre-defying, and intellectual, if PiL were a food, they'd be a chewy, delicious version of the pablum in "The Matrix".

08-11-2004, 03:17 AM	#10
Gil Ownz Posts: 615	L O L