WOW! "Sex Pistol singer John Lydon to reform Public Image"...with NONE of the original members! WOW!

[Amerigo Vespucci]

So Johnny Rotten's throwing a band together and calling it "Public Image," probably because he knows he couldn't get away with doing the same thing and calling it "The Sex Pistols."

Bloody wanker.

:rofl:

LONDON (Reuters) – Punk rock singer John Lydon, formerly known as Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, is re-forming his band Public Image Ltd -- or PiL -- after a 17 year hiatus with a five-date tour in December, according to media reports.

Lydon told Britain's Guardian newspaper that the influential band he created in 1978, a year after the disintegration of the Sex Pistols, and which lasted for 14 years, would reform with a new line-up.

He said the new-look PiL will not contain original band members Jah Wobble or former Clash guitarist Keith Levene but will feature guitarist Lu Edmonds, drummer Bruce Smith and a new arrival, multi-instrumentalist Scott Firth.

PiL, which had chart success with singles such as "Public Image" and "This Is Not a Love Song," will start its tour on December 15 in Birmingham. The band is also launching a new website (www.pilofficial.com).

"We'll see where we can go," 53-year-old Lydon told the newspaper. "Some things may be quite similar, some may not."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090907/music_nm/us_lydon

[mix]

1. PiL's original line-up was brilliant...the others, not so much.

This won't end well, but who knows? I saw the Sex Pistols during the Filthy Lucre tour last century, and for lack of a better word, they RAWKED. I'll always give him a listen.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. Without Wobble and Levine, it couldn't BE PIL...

...and while I didn't see the reformed Sex Pistols, I have the "Filthy Lucre" CD, and yeah...that one hit a home run. Of course, they replaced deceased former member Sid Vicious...who did not know how to play bass...with original member Glen Matlock...who did...but other than that, it wasn't Johnny Rotten fronting a covers band. It was The Sex Pistols.

:toast:

[mix]

3. Wobble's bass and Levine's guitar were the heart and soul of PiL, and apparently

they both despise Lydon...so chances are this "reunion" of sorts will be pathetic...a strange career choice Mr. Lydon, strange indeed. Why not move on and make some new music, or maybe the ideas aren't there anymore as most suspect?

[semillama]

4. Indeed, just think of a new name already -don't use PiL

On a related note, I picked up the last Damage Manual album recently (released 2005, but for some reason I didn't hear about it until recently), and neither Jah Wobble nor Geordie Walker (Killing Joke) were on it. Both replaced by one guy who I didn't know. It's still a pretty good album, since it still has Chris Connelly and Martin Atkins, but it's a pale reflection of the original lineup.

Here's where I plug The Damage Manual's first two releases, which are among the best things ever recorded in the post-punk genre. If you were going to make a post-punk supergroup, I don't see how you could top Chris Connelly on vocals, Geordie on guitar, Wobble on bass, and Atkins on drums.

[mix]

5. thanks for the tip

:hi:

[ghostsofgiants]

6. I thought I read somewhere they were reuniting the Pistols too, with Matlock on bass.

Or maybe I'm just going crazy.

[Sebastian Doyle]

8. That was 1996

And a few other times since then.

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. There were many lineups of PiL

Most of them fairly short-lived. The original lineup was the best, of course.(Lydon/Levene/Wobble/Atkins)

The lineup on 1985's "Album" was great too - Steve Vai - guitar, Bill Laswell - bass, Ginger Baker - drums. But I don't think that lineup ever made it to the stage.

The last PiL album was in 1992. After that he did the techno solo album (Psycho's Path) and then reunited the Pistols, so it will be interesting to see what PiL 2010 sounds like

[ghostsofgiants]

9. That's what I find funny about the discussion upthread...

The idea that PIL not having its original lineup is some kind of heresy is amusing. Also, the idea that John Lydon has any kind of artistic integrity that he has to live up to is also pretty funny. The Pistols were okay and PIL in its various forms was great, but come on, when has Lydon done anything that wasn't about being a complete ballbag?

[Sebastian Doyle]

10. Oh I don't know.....

He managed to do a Mountain Dew commercial right before the Pistols reunion tour and managed to stay off camera entirely. The voice was instantly recognizable though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pA6AzW42oQ

(Jury's still out whether or not it's the Pistols playing here, but I thought it sounded like Steve Jones on guitar)

[ghostsofgiants]

11. Only a complete ballbag would do anything for such a shitty soda.

:P

[mix]

14. no heresy, that original line-up just made the best music...give it a listen nt

[ghostsofgiants]

15. I've given it plenty of listens.

I love PIL, I just think it's silly to be outraged at anything John Lydon of all people does. If the new lineup sucks, then I'll just listen to First Issue and Metal Box and Album, and ignore the new lineup.

[mix]

16. what bothers me most about Lydon is that his personality seems to destroy

good bands...good for him making a corporate buck or two, i could care less on that count.

[ghostsofgiants]

17. As good as his music is, he's basically just a clown.

It used to bother me, then it just got boring. Whatever, the music is still great.

[mix]

18. I like his butter commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mSE-Iy_tFY

[KG]

12. i heard he's adding a horn section and back up singers.

[JCMach1]

13. Anger is an energy!

It's Lydon, what part of WANKER don't you guys get!?