I am conflicted about Public Image Limited. Musically they were fair to sometimes quite interesting. This applies to both the early real band and the later ad-hoc groups. Unfortunately, my patience for John Lydon’s caterwauling and yowling has definite limits. A good and occasionally great band in need of a vocalist, even if it entails a cost in “personalty” in the process.
I saw that lineup at the Tower and it was great. The sound of Jah Wobble’s bass was just huge. The presentation was pretty shambolic, as you see in the clip, but when they’d get rolling, it was a wonder to behold. The concert ended with a very John Lydon move, him reacting to some folks that threw money on the stage and goading the audience into throwing bills, then bigger bills. As the show eventually ground to a halt and the house lights came up, Wobble walked around the stage for about ten minutes stuffing cash in his pockets. He deserved every cent he got.
…And I like Lydon’s singing. It’s singular but I think that you can tell that he knows what he’s doing, not in any conventional singing sense but rather that he has a sound in his head and he’s purposely producing it.
I also love Lydon’s singing and presence – and way with lyrics! I also saw that version of the band in Chicago when Flowers of Romance just came out or was about to come out. I remember they played 2 songs from the album, with just the 3 musicians beating drums and Lydon singing. The best part of the show may have been the couple of stretches, including the first 10 minutes of “Albatross,” when John and Keith played offstage, with only Wobble and Martin Atkins onstage. A lot of people were pissed by that move, but I thought it was funny.
I am conflicted about Public Image Limited. Musically they were fair to sometimes quite interesting. This applies to both the early real band and the later ad-hoc groups. Unfortunately, my patience for John Lydon’s caterwauling and yowling has definite limits. A good and occasionally great band in need of a vocalist, even if it entails a cost in “personalty” in the process.
I saw that lineup at the Tower and it was great. The sound of Jah Wobble’s bass was just huge. The presentation was pretty shambolic, as you see in the clip, but when they’d get rolling, it was a wonder to behold. The concert ended with a very John Lydon move, him reacting to some folks that threw money on the stage and goading the audience into throwing bills, then bigger bills. As the show eventually ground to a halt and the house lights came up, Wobble walked around the stage for about ten minutes stuffing cash in his pockets. He deserved every cent he got.
…And I like Lydon’s singing. It’s singular but I think that you can tell that he knows what he’s doing, not in any conventional singing sense but rather that he has a sound in his head and he’s purposely producing it.
I also love Lydon’s singing and presence – and way with lyrics! I also saw that version of the band in Chicago when Flowers of Romance just came out or was about to come out. I remember they played 2 songs from the album, with just the 3 musicians beating drums and Lydon singing. The best part of the show may have been the couple of stretches, including the first 10 minutes of “Albatross,” when John and Keith played offstage, with only Wobble and Martin Atkins onstage. A lot of people were pissed by that move, but I thought it was funny.
Cool, maybe, but not good.
As if on cue, a new pil song and a tour:
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2015/08/public_image_lt_8.html
I won’t comment on the song yet…
Yikes!