Public Image Ltd, the band formed by former Sex Pistol John Lydon in 1978 made their debut appearance at Finsbury Park's Rainbow Theater in London on December 25th 1978, and since that day have been not only groundbreaking, but also unpredictable, much like the former Mr Rotten himself. After the Hiatus they took in1992, after being dropped from Virgin Records midway through a festival tour when EMI Records bought out Virgin, Lydon re activated the band in 2009, and with a new album out in May, EMI has decided to re-issue the bands back catalog and Lydon's solo effort,Psycho's Path from1997 in remastered form. So lets take a look whats on offer from this remarkable band. It is worth noting that these discs follow the same pressing as last years Japanese only issues, except they are not vinyl reproductions in this series.

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The first album,from the band, with the classic Lydon, Wobble, Levene, Walker line up. when everyone was expecting a Sex Pistols mark II, John gave us stuff like RELIGION parts 1and 2, the brilliant ANNA LISA, LOWLIFE, and the classic first single PUBLIC IMAGE.......an Essential album for anyone into the music of the era.

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This was, for all intense purposes, the legendary METAL BOX album, reissued in a normal sleeve instead of the film can packaging (which saw many copies destroyed because of damage from the transporting of the vinyl in the tin from distribution house to stores). Hard to take musically for many, and including the second single, DEATH DISCO (aka Swan Lake), POPTONES, THE SUIT and more....Indispensable.

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PIL live in Paris, recorded through the mixing desk on Lydon's own Sony Walkman, in an attempt to stem the flow of PIL bootlegs going around at the time, focusing on much of the first album material, it serves as a good document of the live band at that point, but is not essential.

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With Wobble gone, and Jeanette Lee and Keith Levene left, Lydon gives us a heavily percussive album, the first of the commercially derided albums, although it has its moments, with GO BACK, PHENAGEN, HYMIES HIM and the brilliant title track. a grower album, that takes a few listens to appreciate fully.

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With the band members now gone, Lydon and Levene hired musicians from local hotels to play shows, This album (also released as a now long deleted video), isn't all that bad, although the band here is not a patch on any other line up. very early eighties sounds, again, not essential.

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Another album people didn't like much, but i love it....classics like BAD LIFE, ORDER OF DEATH and THE PARDON are really unlike anything that came before. Heavy horn sections, lots of drums...I have found myself dancing drunk to this album many times. Levene did end up putting out a bootleg of his own mixes of this album entitled COMMERCIAL ZONE which, while being superior in parts, is hard to find. Includes the single THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG.

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From the Pseudo Metal opening of FFF we know we're into some good stuff, with people like Ginger Baker and Steve Vai guesting on tracks, and the singles HOME and the monster selling RISE, this to me is the true spirit of Lydon, and he gives us a great performance on these tracks.......ESSENTIAL STUFF.

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A sadly overlooked album, with Singles SEATTLE and THE BODY coming from it, but tracks like the awesome HARD TIMES and FAT CHANCE HOTEL never getting a mention, It definitely needs re-discovering, and does not disappoint. Check It Out!

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The fantastic DISAPPOINTED comes from this album, more mainstream sounding than any other, there isn't really a bad song on this album, and i cant recommend it enough.

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The only greatest Hits of PIL you'll ever need, and, being a non rip off band, there are 12'" mixes and re-mixes of some of the key tracks, not available elsewhere.....Also a great starting package for the PIL / LYDON novice (although 2002's Best Of British / Pound Notes is even better if you can pick it up.)

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PIL's final album to date, again, derided by some, but this is a great rock album, Lyrically biting and sarcastic, musically not overbearing, the pick of the tracks being ACID DROPS, COVERED and LUCKS UP. as far removed from their first as you can get, a Joy to listen to.

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This album, Lydon's first and only solo effort, has become a cult since its release. Virgin Records gave it little or no promotion, which led to it disappearing without trace. Mellow in parts, Dancey in parts, so removed from anything in his past, the single SUN was a bold move, but strangely catchy. While featuring Lydon's massive hit with LEFTFIELD (OPEN UP), this is going to test Lydon's fans....Fans of Later PIL and Sex Pistols just wont get it, and it isn't for the leather jacketed Punk brigade. Buy it if you have an open mind to music.

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So there you have it, None of the albums feature Bonus Tracks, and all artwork is as was when they were issued on CD for the first times respectively, but all still very much worth it. Lets hope the new album, due May 2012 entitled THIS IS PIL will live up to this body of work.

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