New PiL Album Out

One of my favorite bands, Public Image Limited (PiL) has, for the first time in 20 years, put out a brand new album. Called This Is PiL, the new disc is out now.

For those of you not versed in PiL, I'll give you the short version of the story:

Lydon as Johnny Rotten - 1976/7

• 1978 - Singer John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten, see picture at right) from the Sex Pistols forms new group called Public Image Limited.
• Late 70s/early 80s - PiL put out three extremely good and extremely influential albums - First Issue, Metal Box (also issued as Second Edition later) and Flowers of Romance.
• The band's sound was different, groundbreaking and not structured like traditional rock and roll or even punk. 
• Mid-80s - original lineup leaves except Lydon, band continues to tour and put out records, the best of which is called Album.
• Early 90s - last PiL record (or so we thought) called That What Is Not put out.
• All of the above music is an interesting, avaunt guard mixture of grindey, dancey, screechy, rockish music with Lydon's warbley vocal...very different than mainstream rock and with intelligent (for the most part) lyrics. 
• And then it stopped. According to recent interviews, Lydon says that his record label simply stifled him and would not let him create the type of music he wanted to. So, he waited them out. Once the contract expired a few years ago, he drummed up some cash by - ironically for a punk legend - staring in TV advertisements for Country Life Butter. But, this gave the man funds to get a version of PiL back together and tour in 2010 and 2011.

Classic PiL Logo

My buddy Paul and I went to see the band when they performed in Seattle in 2010. You can read my review if the gig HERE.

The touring and practice set up PiL recording a new album that just came out. It's also important to note that Lydon and PiL did this 100% on their own - recording, producing, fabricating and setting up distribution their new record on their own - no record company. Very punk.

And speaking of punk or post-punk, I fully recognize that the PiL sound ain't for everyone. Grindey music, Lydon's diction and screechy delivery are not what many are up for. It's an acquired taste for sure. But also, not everything has to be sugary and nice. It's the difference between a pop fiction vs. serious literature. And like literature, Lydon and the PiL team deliver a set infested with imagery, metaphor, motif (the sea, relationships, rooms, dreams all make multiple appearances) and story. Anyway, my goal below is not to convince you to like this record or PiL, but rather just to pass on my thoughts on what I've heard.

With that as the set up, below is my review take on This Is PiL. You can check out Lydon's own run-down of his new album HERE. And, he explains the cover art for the new album in a video HERE.

Cover of This Is PiL

This Is PiL. "This is PiL." Well, that's pretty much the lyrical content of this song. As if the album title is not enough, Lydon wants to remind you at the outset that you are listening to and are about to hear a whole album of music from, you guessed it, PiL. In fact, you are entering the PiL zone he says. OK. We get it. From my read of his comments, the song and album title are equal parts a statement about how this current incarnation of the band is Lydon's favorite AND a shot across the bow to former PiL members who have been playing PiL songs live without Lydon or permission. Either way, to me, this song is a clear "miss" and should have been left off the album. It's unfortunate it leads off because even fans like me wonder, "what the Hell did I just buy." Fear not though, the rest of the album delivers.

One Drop. "The laws of nature, they are lawless and free." This is song about the agelessness of true rebellion and a liberating power of a rebellious soul. Lydon typically espouses the viewpoint that age is irrelevant and his line in this song - sung by the 50 something man - that says, "we are teenagers" makes the point. Musically, this is a mid-paced song dominated by Lydon's voice with typical angular PiL guitar as background and in a short solo. The takeaway for me on this one is to embrace your youth no matter how old you are. It's the wild side of life that we need you know.

Deeper Water. "Head for deeper water." Featuring a wicked good descending, angular guitar riff, this song delivers the PiL goods in full. The sea as metaphor for the dangers in life. Yes, been done. But, Lydon uses it effectively as after he describes the various things that can happen to someone in "turbulent seas" and "crashing waves" that buffet and threaten to "dash you on the rocks" he wails that the answer is not to try and save yourself toward land...but no, head for deeper water. No fear, not drowning. Embrace the deeper water and the unknown rather than the familiar but deadly route to land reached by going through crashing waves on a rocky shore.

Terra-Gate. "Mad as you are, you are probably fake." Blazing out of the gate, this is a Lydon rant and bellow about the relationships, ego, ridiculous arguments, fake people and the BS we all (should not) put with. I like it! This is the most "radio friendly" and rocking song on the new album and I can see hitting play on this one over time. It just encapsulates PiL...odd but imbued with Lydon's intelligence and revved up a bit for effect.

Human. "If these are your leaders...they are not good enough for you." Lots of stuff going on in this song...some recollections of what Lydon likes and does not like, nostalgia for England (he has lived in L.A. for some time), how each of us slips up sometimes and advice on being careful who you select for leaders and heroes.

I Must Be Dreaming. "And you know, you're to blame." A slow/middle-paced song in which we learn that Lydon has indeed "just been dreaming." What is he dreaming about? Well, killing seasons, weakness, awaking in a damaging hate, mistaken meanings...among other things we are told. Put it all together and, well, it's not all too clear what this is about. But that is a good thing. That is a hallmark of PiL songs...you don't always know exactly what it's about and this leaves the song open to interpretation. Lydon has said this one is about the enduring lameness of consecutive UK governments - the nightmares of that and the potential to dream for better. But hey, the lyrics could mean a lot of things. Check it out for yourself.

John Lydon today

It Said That. "Go gossip that." OK, so after five really great tunes, all with their own character and sound...we now turn back toward something like the opening track. This is kinda a repeated spoken mantra focusing on how people (or the good old Internet) actually say things that are - gasp - not true. Basically, an anti-gossip song. So, this one might not be my favorite on the album, but ponder the fact that PiL has done a song against gossip and tabloid mentality. Not something you hear too often.

The Room I Am In. "Through this window no large orbs ever come into view." This one is reminiscent of "Religion" off of PiL's first album, First Issue, as Lydon mainly talks this "song" through...more like a poem with subtle, aching backing sounds. While not nearly as hostile and cutting as "Religion," in this one Lydon alludes to the narrow folly and trouble of drug addition through the metaphor of being trapped in a room or cell. That we know of, Lydon is no drug addict and if he ever was it is decades in the rear view mirror. But, he has certainly known his fair share and seen the damage done - primarily to his friend and fellow Sex Pistol Sid Vicious and former PiL band member Keith Levine. Perhaps part commentary on that experience, along with observations generally. This is definitely a change up track in the middle of the album that slows things down to a contemplative level. 

Lollipop Opera."What's that? A complaint? The hotel smells?Well it can't have be me...I weren't there." This one features a catchy drum driven beat with some funky electronic sounds to punctuate. Over the top of that, Lydon sings about brooms, rooms, mushrooms and cleaning said room. Huh? And then several times during the tune his voice comes through as if through a tunnel...a stream of fast paced words along the lines of "ticky tock at the lollipop opera." While first listen is a bit odd, this is classic PiL for the modern era - strange, catchy, strange twists and effects. It will grow on you. Not sure what it all means though. Lydon has hinted that it's about the sense of community that working class neighborhoods share. OK. As good an explanation as any.

Fool. "You made a fool out of me." This is a slowdown "bitterness of relationship" type song calling out how one can get burned by someone once loved. And, if you listen carefully, some advice on how to move on..."see you later, baby."

Reggie Song. "No matter where you come from, you can always be a better person." Musically, this song it reminds me of some of PiLs work of the late-80s with the guitar sounds and effects and how Lydon's voice sounds. Lyrically, Lydon talks about "shining like a beacon" to be the best you can be, while offering forgiveness to those that perhaps wronged you in the past. Oh, and Lydon reminds us that he's from London. Solid tune.

Out of the Woods. "As we march, the forest parts, the wildlife darts." Kicking off with a subtle and bass driven beat, this nearly nine minute song starts with a string of rhymes...almost for the sake of rhyming. But as you listen the rhyming becomes less forced and the song becomes stronger and stronger. Eventually you realize that this is a song about a battle with soldiers marching through and charging out of the woods and the things they see and experience. You get the sense that it's an old battle Lydon is referencing as he talks about horses and there is even a very brief banjo interlude. Seriously. Anyway, this is a curve ball ending for sure. I mean, after an entire album about dreams, hardship, forgiveness, honesty and relationships...a song about war. But, for that I like it as it makes you think about

Summary:
This is a very good return for Lydon and PiL. Clearly, the man has something to say and continues to find unconventional ways to do it. Props to doing the way he wants and bucking convention. At times, such as in "This is PiL" and perhaps "It Said That," it may not come off as well as I'd like, but those are minor speed bumps compared to the success of the record overall. The world is full of expected music and the offspring of X-Factor and American Idol. This is not that. This is authentically "alternative" music worth checking out.

Best Song:
Lots to contenders on this album. By my count there are no fewer than five top notch songs here. But, I'm going to say that...at least for my tastes..."Deeper Water" is the best. It's the best combination of music, lyrics and overall message.

Song to Skip:
"This Is PiL" - literally, the title says it all. Don't bother.

What to Get:
Look, I'd recommend getting the entire This Is PiL album, but if you want to just see what's up without committing the massive $10 to explore new music via digital download of the whole thing, I'd say check out "Deeper Water," "Terra-Gate," "One Drop," "Human" and "Reggie Song."

Meanwhile, you would be doing yourself a favor by getting the entirety of the First Issue and Metal Box (aka Second Edition) albums.

PiL Rocks Seattle With Flamin' Show at the Showbox

Sometimes patience pays off. Sometimes heroes from another era still posses talent and fire in spades and can still deliver the goods better than anyone today. Sometimes the best music and performances are not by bands that sell millions of songs or even have a recording deal. Sometimes a singer does not need to be a singer to sound great. Sometimes authentic, rebellious, interesting and enjoyable music comes from unexpected places.

All of the above was proved anew this week as John Lydon and his band Public Image Limited stopped in Seattle for an incendiary show as part of their 2010 U.S. tour.

Know your PiL History

More on the gig in a second, but first a quick history lesson for those of you not familiar with PiL. You may know Lydon under another name - Johnny Rotten. Yes, the lead singer and lyric writer for the seminal and highly influential punk rock band the Sex Pistols. While the Pistols delivered a blistering, political attack and a DIY approach that influenced the formation of bands around the world, their heyday was played out by late 1978 as they broke up for a number of reasons that year.

At that point, Lydon re-took his real name and started a new band called Public Image Limited - or PiL for short. If the Pistols were rock and roll through a bright major chord buzz saw, PiL were rock and roll in a dark minor chord blender set to grind. Lydon was truly looking to do something completely different - for himself and for music. So followed three great and very cutting edge albums that accomplished just that - First Issue, Metal Box and Flowers of Romance.

For the second time in just a few years Lydon and a set of band mates again re-defined what new music is all about, again launching a wave of influence across music. The lineup of the group changed continually going forward into the 80s with Lydon as the lone constant. They also achieved more commercial success with songs like "Rise," "This is Not A Love Song" and "Seattle" in the mid-1980s.

By 1992 Lydon put PiL on hiatus and most of us thought we'd never hear from them again. Sure, he re-formed the Sex Pistols a few times in the 1990s and early 2000s for gigs, but nobody seriously thought we'd hear live PiL again. Surprise! In late 2009, bankrolled by Lydon's payday for his stint as TV spokesman for British Country Life Butter, he put PiL back together and on the road with a UK and now US tour. No record deal, no label support...just Lydon and band mates playing shows because they wanted to.

Seattle Gig

With that history, I was thunderstruck when I read that PiL was coming to Seattle. No questions asked, no doubt in my mind that I was going. I saw Lydon with the reformed Sex Pistols in 1996 when they played Bumbershoot in Seattle, but that was 14 years ago and in a big venue. Meanwhile, over the years the PiL cannon of songs really grew on me to become one of my favorites in my music collection. And, any chance to see John Lydon up close and personal with PiL is a no brainer in my book.

So, my buddy Paul and I checked out the show this past Tuesday at the Showbox at the Market in downtown Seattle. This is a small but nice venue with good acoustics. The gig also happened to be an "all ages" show, so management did not allow alcohol onto the show flow. Rather, if you wanted to have a few drinks with your PiL experience, you had to stay towards the back in the specified bar areas. Lydon noticed this during the show and admonished the crowd farther back for being "too elite" or something. He probably didn't realize the bar/under 21 situation. I'll give him a pass.

Ok, so...how was the gig? Flamin'. That's my answer. On fire. Lydon and his band were spot on, passionate, talented and engaging. You could feel the music and the message coming off the stage. This was not necessarily surprising given Lydon's history, but it was really welcome to hear him and the band so committed, so into it and sounding so good.

I would estimate the venue was about 80 percent full. This is a little disappointing considering how good this band is live and how influential they are. With no record label to flog ads and promote the gig, I thought the turn out was pretty good. I'd also estimate that the crowd was mostly in their 30s and 40s, with a few younger peeps smart enough to check it out.

Hitting the stage just after 9 p.m., a black-clad Lydon sporting a wildly spiky head of blond hair said hello to the audience, advised them not to jump on stage, offered that if respect was given to the band that respect would be given back...and then announced, "let the celebration begin!" And it did as the band jumped right into This Is Not A Love Song. Which it wasn't. But it was good. Real good.

Appetite whetted with that first song, I was really pleased that John then led the band through several all time classic PiL songs from their early career - Poptones, Tie Me To The Length Of That, Albatross, Death Disco and Flowers of Romance. Each of these sounded great...possibly even better than the recorded versions as the live, in-the-moment rock and roll treatment amped them up and made them drive as much as grind. A wicked cool balance that, well, was stunningly impressive to me. I'll give Death Disco the nod as best of this part of the set - just incredible.

As mentioned earlier, PiL has seen many lineups over the years, and none of the original members are in the band now. However, Lydon has clearly assembled a great live group, bringing in two musicians who played in PiL before - Lu Edmonds on a scorching guitar and other instruments, and drummer Bruce Smith. The four man team is rounded out by expert bassist Scott Firth.

Next the band tackled a series of songs from the album 9 sandwiched in between a pair of songs from Lydon's solo album, Psycho's Path. In order of performance, they were Psychopath, Warrior, USLS 1, Disappointed and Sun. To me the standouts were Warrior and Disappointed. These were tight performances from the more pop-oriented era of PiL's career and Lydon was particularly talkative to the audience introducing those tunes. For Warrior, he said that he was becoming a U.S. citizen and that soon this would be "my land" too - echoing a line from the song. He also advised the crowd to stand up for what they believed in and - I think - said something about how the Republican Party should be dismantled.

Among the many things I was instantly impressed about the band was the quality of Lydon's voice stood out to me. Never one to be called a classic rock singer, he has always relied on pure energy and guts to belt out his lyrics. This has served him well over the years as his is a truly unique voice in rock, but you wonder how a 54 year old guy is going to sound. Well, he sounded great through the entire show.

The home stretch of the main set was completed with performances of Memories from Metal Box, Bags from Album, Chant from Metal Box and Religion from First Issue. Again, wow. To me, Religion was just superb. Before the song started, Lydon called out to the sound man, Walter, at the back, "Oh Walter, give us more bass...more bass Walter!" Walter obliged. What followed was a blistering version of the anti-organized religion song, Religion. With all that's happening with the Catholic Church these days, not to mention the general rise in religious fervor here in the U.S. and other places in the world, this song is just as relevant, cutting and needed today as it was when it was written back in the late 70s. This gets my vote for song of the night.

At the close of Religion, Lydon thanked the crowd and said, "We'll be back in two minutes. Smoke break. Back in two minutes." And they were.

The show concluded with the performance of two of the best known PiL songs - Public Image, Rise - and then one of Lydon's biggest solo hits, Open Up. Delivering the goods right up to the last note, this seemed a perfect ending set for the show.

Paul and I couldn't have been more pleased - a long time music hero blowing away expectations by delivering a high quality set of music with a tight band in a small venue. And here's another thing...Lydon, this band and these songs sound as fresh, important and vital as they ever did and certainly more so than 95% of what passes for rock music today. To me, this was the big "ah ha" of my night.

Lydon has said in interviews leading into the tour that if goes well, this PiL lineup may record new music. If they do, I'm sure it'll be good and worth checking out. But, I am not sure it could top what we just saw this week.

You can view a clip from the show on YouTube - Lydon's opening comments and then This Is Not A Love Song HERE. But, I warn that the sound quality of the recording is not very good for the song as the PiL sound system blows out the microphones of whatever device the person recorded it on.

Photos taken by Marc Osborn at the PiL gig in Seattle on April 20, 2010

PiL logo taken from the the Johnny Loves Fuzztone Blogspot blog