Public Image LTD-PIL

PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED-FIRST ISSUE (1978) When you look back at Early PIL, rightly so you go straight to metal box. Almost like the first punk/dub album of its kind. Looking back with hindsight you can see the first album by many bands is a band finding its feet, without First Issue we would not have had Metal Box. In some ways it can be argued that PIL Era of 1978-1981 was the band at its peak. The original line up had keith Levine , Jah Wobble and Macolm Atkins. The first two were probably the best guitarists out there at the time. Especially Jah Wobble for the basslines he was putting down which took PIL’s music into a different scene that Pil had originated from. I think with PIL its hard to grasp how much expectation must have been on John Lydon’s shoulders as this time. After leaving the Sex Pistols he could of just been true to type and made a living of the reputation. Lydon had always had an admiration for Kraut Rock and other artists from before the 1976 era and finding like minded players in Levine and Wobble he set about creating a band that would be as influential as the Pistols but would take it beyond that scene. In some ways with the Siouxsie and the Banshees album ’ The Scream’, I would say that PILs first two albums were post punk essentials. But why am I concentrating on First Issue. Well for myself I could not afford Metal Box at the time, I was only 7 when it was released but even finding it in 1987/8 was a task in itself. Many record shops due to the nature of the packaging of Metal Box it went for slightly more than the rest of the catalogue. So saving up the pennies, it was First Issue that was the most easy to buy. If anything I prefer the production of this album compared to Metal Box. It starts with ‘theme’ which is basically a Jam, but the album features tracks like 'Public Image ’, 'Lowlife’ and 'Analisia’. It is a album where the songs follow a structure and are quite consise in length. But not the same could be said about 'fodderstompf’ which even it its lyrics states 'they are trying to finish the album with the least amount of effort neccesary’. Pil would hit other highs through out their career, in some ways the first two albums could be classed as dub albums, where as 'Flowers of romance’ could be classed as a drummers album, due to the lack of guitar and bass on the album overall. PIL are one of those bands that dont have the following of some bands but there is always a respect for their ground breaking early work. Its also good to see PIL doing the rounds of festival circuit, but the true back bone of the band in Levine and Wobble continue to work together and PIL will not be the band it was until there is true reformation. Public Image Ltd. – Public Image uploaded to post punk disucssion group -20.4.2014