Public Image Ltd. (PiL) announce their 11th studio album and first album in 8 years, "End of World". After The Great Pause, the band regrouped in the studio and 'there was just this massive explosion of ideas', Lydon says. The result finds PiL set to release 13 of the best tracks they have ever written.
"Metal Box", Public Image Limited's seminal second album was originally released on 23rd November 1979 and was reissued in a 4CD super-deluxe box set format.
With all lyrics written by John Lydon "Metal Box" was recorded with original PiL members Keith Levene and Jah Wobble. Original drummer Jim Walker had left, to be replaced by a succession of drummers. "Metal Box" came out less than a year after PiL’s debut "Public Image: First Issue" yet it was nothing like its predecessor. Things had changed, and so had PiL. While outside pressures mounted PiL channeled their energies (negative and positive) into a record that would set them apart back in 1979, and indeed today in 2016. Whether it be John’s powerful and passionate vocals; Keith’s wailing guitar and melodic synths; Wobble’s sub-disco reggae basslines; or the crashing rhythm that holds it all together, "Metal Box" has many strengths. The album was originally released as 3 x 45rpm 12" singles, housed in a metal "film" canister. As made by "The Metal Box Company" in London’s East End; hence the name.
The new deluxe edition, also housed in an embossed metal box, includes rare and unreleased mixes from the recording sessions, along with B-sides and BBC sessions, a live recording from a now legendary unplanned show at Factory Records Russell Club in Manchester arranged on the day of a Granada TV appearance and exclusive posters and postcards.
"Album", Public Image Limited's seminal 5th studio album was rereleased in super-deluxe, 4LP Format in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the record. With its striking minimalist generic style artwork, "Album" arrived in February 1986. Written by John Lydon and produced with Bill Laswell (with music for some tracks co-written with Jebin Bruni and Mark Schulz from the 1984-85 PiL live band) the album was recorded in Autumn 1985 in New York with prolific session players such as Steve Vai, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tony Williams and the legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker. The album only took three weeks to record, followed by a week of mixing. John Lydon later remarked that "Album" was, "almost like a solo album" as he was working on his own with several hired musicians. Jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman came into the studio while the album was being recorded and commented that Lydon sang like he played the saxophone. Lydon said it was, "still the best thing anyone's ever said to me". "Album" peaked at No.14 in the UK charts and features perhaps the most famous PiL track "Rise", which peaked at No.11.
As well as rare and unreleased mixes from the album and single’s the deluxe edition includes the original demos recorded pre-Laswell with the 1984-85 PiL live band all of which are previously unheard. Two 12” mixes of John Lydon’s groundbreaking collaboration with hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa are also included as bonus tracks.
