RockBox - Public Image Ltd (1979) Metal Box

Public Image Ltd (1979) Metal Box

Public Image Ltd. (1979) Metal Box

Public Image Ltd. (PiL) were an English musical group formed in 1978 by vocalist John Lydon, guitarist Keith Levene, and bassist Jah Wobble.

Rising from the ashes of the pivotal punk rock group the Sex Pistols, PiL branched out to a more experimental sound, and their early work is often regarded as some of the most challenging and innovative music of the post-punk period: the NME described PiL as "Arguably the first post-rock group". Their later music would be somewhat more conventional, and although PiL has been inactive since 1992, Lydon (the band's only constant member) considers the group "on hiatus" rather than broken up.

Metal Box is the second album by Public Image Ltd., released in 1979 by Virgin Records.

The title refers to the album's original packaging, which consists of a metal 16mm film canister embossed with the band's logo and containing three 12" records. The album was reissued in 1980 as a double album titled Second Edition.

A radical departure from their Pil's relatively conventional debut, the avant garde, abstract Metal Box was characterized by singer John Lydon's cryptic vocals, Jah Wobble's propulsive dub reggae-inspired basslines, and a unique, "metallic" guitar sound (guitarist Keith Levene played Travis Bean guitars which have aluminum necks). Metal Box is widely regarded as a landmark of post punk and experimental rock: In 2002, Pitchfork Media ranked Metal Box at #19 on their "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s,", while In 2003, the album was ranked number 469 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Track listing:
Metal Box
The track listing for the original release is as follows:

01 "Albatross"
02 "Memories"
03 "Swan Lake"
04 "Poptones"
05 "Careering"
06 "No Birds"
07 "Graveyard"
08 "The Suit"
09 "Bad Baby"
10 "Socialist"
11 "Chant"
12 "Radio 4"

"Swan Lake" is an alternate version of the earlier PiL single "Death Disco".
"Graveyard" is an instrumental version of "Another", the B-side of the "Memories" single.

Second Edition
All songs written by Public Image Ltd.

Side one
01 "Albatross"
02 "Memories"

Side two
01 "Swan Lake"
02 "Poptones"
03 "Careering"

Side three
01 "Socialist"
02 "Graveyard"
03 "The Suit"

Side four
01 "Bad Baby"
02 "No Birds"
03 "Chant"
04 "Radio 4"

The Second Edition configuration inserts pauses between some tracks, whereas Metal Box did not.

Personnel:
John Lydon - Vocals
Keith Levene - Guitar, Synthesizer
Jah Wobble - Bass Guitar
A paper insert lists PiL's members as "John Lydon - Keith Levene - Wobble - Jeanette Lee - Dave Crowe," though the latter two individuals were the band's videographer (though no videos were produced for the album) and accountant, respectively. Lydon also talked about Public Image Ltd. as a company in interviews.

PiL didn't have a permanent drummer at the time of recording, so the drummers are uncredited. Later interviews with the people involved have established the drummers as (tracks 1 and 3), Richard Dudanski (2,6,7,10,11), Keith Levene (4,12), Jah Wobble (5,8), Martin Atkins (9).

Levene played all instruments on "Radio 4".

Genre(s): Post-punk / Alternative rock

N-Joy

Punk

Post-punk / Alternative rock

Vbr

87.40 MB

12 files

03/07/2008

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16/07/2018 14:16:25