PiL Public Image - Jah Wobble, Keith Levene 2010

Jah Wobble Keith Levene Johnny Rotter Public IMage Live
First Issue (1978)
"Public Image"
In preparing their debut album, First Issue (a.k.a. Public Image), the band spent their recording budget well before the record was completed. The photography for the album "First Issue" was shot by Dennis Morris who also created the iconic P.I.L logo. As a result, the final album comprised eight tracks of varying sound quality, half of which were written and recorded in a rush after the money had run out. Wobble had also beaten up producer Bill Price's assistant engineer (Price, with John Leckie, had secured the tight sound of the "Public Image" single), inciting Price to ban the group from their preferred Wessex Studios.
The album was considered ground-breaking on its release in December 1978. Grounded in heavy dub reggae, Wobble's bass tone was called "impossibly deep" by contemporary reviews. Levene's sharp guitar sound, played on an aluminium Veleno guitar, was widely imitated, most notably by The Edge of U2,[6] and Geordie Walker of Killing Joke."[citation needed] Lydon's vocals were more tuneless and incantatory than in the Sex Pistols, gesturing toward the avant-garde territory of such artists as Yoko Ono. Despite being widely criticised in the UK press for being "self indulgent" and "not rock n' roll"[citation needed], the first album sold well in the UK and Europe, reaching number 22 on the UK charts.
The single "Public Image" was widely seen as diatribe against Malcolm McLaren and his perceived manipulation of Lydon during his career with the Sex Pistols. The track "Low Life" (with its accusatory lyrics of "Egomaniac traitor", "You fell in love with your ego" and "Bourgeois anarchist") has also been regarded as an attack on McLaren, although Lydon has stated that the lyrics refer to Sid Vicious. The two-part song "Religion" refers contemptuously to Roman Catholicism; Lydon came up with the lyrics when he was part of the Sex Pistols but he claims the other members of the band were reluctant to use them. The closing track "Fodderstompf", heavily influenced by dub, comprises nearly eight minutes of a circular bass riff, played over a Lydon/Wobble double act lampooning public outrage, love songs and teenage apathy. The track culminates with the sound of a fire extinguisher being let off in the recording studio, as Lydon had lit a fire whilst in a weird trance-like state during the recording session. The first album was subsequently renamed as First Issue.
Jim Walker left the group in early 1979. (wikipedia)
themissingchann...

[@beaware6487]

Levene was a master. One of the most electrifying intros to any rock song ever

[@john_from_eastcoast.]

RIP Keith Levene. 11 11 22 🌹

[@petrologyboy]

Man, I could listen to Keith Levene's guitar sound in this song forever.

[@tikidancer1]

Johnny rotter should win a Oscar !

[@PostPunkFan]

I originally thought that they should ring up John for a reunion, but, nah. I think the guy they found for this nails the vocals. Wobble's great and Levene's off the charts amazing, as can be expected!

[@MrKmanthie]

This is AWESOME! The BEST PiL line-up!!!

[@djphaks]

Surely one of their best tracks ever! Pure PIL, strange and intense performance. Timeless...

[@simonhopkins7367]

RIP Keith

[@eltetedehaedo]

the impression is really good!

[@andchat6241]

When I saw 'P I L' in '83 I thought of them as John Lydon & backing playing public image- without Wobble & Levene they just weren't....

[@tomadams6266]

the most chaotic, beautiful thing - Lydon, Wobble and Levene - up there hopefully and resting with fellow geniuses like John McGeogh

[@saraivatoledo1842]

How is Wobble "resting " ?

[@camc1013]

凄いパロディだな。しばし呆然したが演奏が凄くいいのでウケる。しかし、このヴォーカル良く見つけて来たなぁー。感心するよ。

[@exwhyyou]

good to see Keith playing again love it

[@neilmccormick2064]

The only lineup that made decent records.

[@ImantaBabite]

Please, oh please, tell us that Levene and Wobble (and Walker?!) have reunited for real and will tour the world sometime soon. I never cared about that current PIL reunion.

[@samsin1117]

as much as i dont want to admit it cuz its not lydon up there, this is really good

[@dubgabriel]

sounds awesome!!!

[@mickkarn94]

Se you soon Keith ✨

[@SuperNobbyC]

Why couldn't Lydon just given Levine and Wardle a decent paycheck and done the job properly?

[@fh8769]

Say what you want but this singer is good.

[@TheLobohobo]

He‘s not even Jester but an embarrassment! 💥☝🏻😷

[@aliofly]

Very good, video confused me initially

[@starvingbuddha7622]

Sound fkn awesome!

[@COMMUNISTPHILOSOPHY]

his movements are not rotten enough

[@frinkmhey]

This is a real mind fuck, I could swear that's Mr. Lydon.

[@lorenbrookes8547]

I couldn't figure out was going on... Lydon young, Levene and Wobble old.

[@SPExJR]

marc layton-bennett. very good drummer, he usualy plays with wobble in his other projects

[@yanmetcaluire]

Yes, he's now in a band that's called The Happy Fuckers !

[@stevenknight8445]

The guy singing is also or was in the sex pistols experience sex pistols number one tribute band

[@seanmoliver]

Perfect! Genius! 1 The John-Lydon-Circa-1979 figure appears to be wearing pointy-toed Beatle boots on each of his feet. I'm half convinced he/it is actually an hologram projection created using footage from the pre-"Holiday Inn Lounge Band" era of PIL's career. 2 A flautist appears onstage and provides a touch of poignant counterpoint during Poptones, which seems to explain why the audience isn't heckling and gobbing at the band. 3. This sounds waay better than that other ,"official" PIL.

[@DoseOfNuance]

P-Nut & Flea's twitter exchange brought me here

[@DanDanDoe]

Wow

[@MUSIC4TRUTH....]

I still can't believe "Schools are prisons" is not John.

[@tanpiltanpil]

Is this for real? I've heard nothing of Wobble and Levene coming together. But if its true, Wobble and Levene have exactly equal rights of ownership of PIL. Lydon would be nothing without them..................

[@ninjanne]

(A bit late to answer but i dont care) And also Levene and Wobble would be nothing without John

[@jimmytgoose476]

Bullshit . Wobble has been a very prolific musician while lydon has been advertising butter and doing shit tv . He's a 🛎🔚

[@saraivatoledo1842]

@@ninjanne Even though they came up with all the music you hear in "Metalbox ". But yes, I will concede.

[@MckenzieFlyGuy]

ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

[@jimmytgoose476]

Yes but not by Jah Wobble 🙂

[@domenicorodino1003]

fantastici

[@MrKmanthie]

Is Martin Atkins there? Why not??

[@toddwhite1036]

I actually thought that was Johnny Rotten!!

[@rabsmiff]

PIL'S first 3 albums are ace, but Lydon ending up going cabaret in about 1983. The Pistols reunions since 1996 have been pure panto.

[@SPExJR]

@sdfnjss they have some uk dates on the way

[@dianab9688]

Did they mix this clip up with a home movie of a neighborhood garage band?

[@beecee2205]

i wonder what Lydon made of this

[@bolachas31]

piil? more like china version of it ( like sony-sanyo ) don´t get me wrong i love wooble but this is not pil , not without john

[@franciskelly7671]

fucker went and played Israel..he aint himself.

[@duaneanderson9492]

How observant. The 9th Symphony conducted by Lenord Bernstein, not Beethoven is still #9 in all its glory. is this what punk was about? killing ones idles and destroying the industry control, no masters no gods? King John is clearly overthrown and moldering. a bit of payback, revenge for stealing from the musicians that actually made PIL possible. Johnny Fraud is so very very funny and cool.

[@oliverrickard9970]

@@franciskelly7671 what's wrong with playing Israel? He has an audience there so why can't he give the consumers their product?

[@jimmytgoose476]

It's not PiL without Wobble and Levene .

[@TimBucknall]

who's on drums?

[@SPExJR]

+ Tim Bucknall Marc Layton Bennett

[@neilmccormick2064]

I saw lydon in the early 80s with that fucking mullet haired lounge band he had backing him ( probably on a tenner a day )... he had some fucking nerve trying to pass that off as PIL it was embarrassing.

[@MatthewOfLondon]

Mr. McCormick, so true. I sometimes wonder if PiL should have been snuffed out circa '81 and everything subsequent to that been a different Lydon vehicle. Of course that new project would have been ever diminishing returns 😔

[@breakfastmachine]

between this and the 'careering' video, wobble might want to relisten to the records before the next gig. he's ever-so-slightly off.

[@SPExJR]

@PostPunkFan they have some uk dates on the way

[@juankenon]

who is playing drums? Did they get Martin Atkins?

[@katoness]

John Lydon looks so young, is he a time traveler?/!!!

[@SPExJR]

@A310fan it was for that particular song really. too authentic is too plastic surely!?

[@mryoda_dna]

Not bad.

[@voddynblack]

knell im 12 again

[@laxminiouvle5393]

how older rotter ?

[@natalievillainy]

30 i think

[@piplee1439]

Jahs got his bad leg and back problems sorted then?

[@ernesteidson3761]

ok, did someone sign the check?

[@lipiarskisteve]

2010 ?

[@johnned4848]

Where and when was this recorded?

[@SPExJR]

bridlington spa

[@lancelothogben1297]

The name he used was ‘Rotten’ not ‘Rotter’. Fekkin lo-effart

[@WasiliIwanow]

Днище

[@visha000]

今の本家より、当時の本物に似てて良い（笑）Jonny Rotterサイコー！Good !

[@jacquesaubin4454]

Faux pil. 😾

[@iconicshrubbery]

he looks a tad self-conscious.Not enough rot in his head. still,close your eyes and hear...

[@sexobscura]

*Johnny "Rotter" ....... who in the heck is that*

[@SPExJR]

the guy singing to make the tour happen in the first place

[@jessmanuel540]

Damn. I felt cheated.

[@nagasakitoast]

eheheh ... getting older john looks and dance like roberto benigni .. a little tribute ? both are fools great artists

[@nicensleazy1892]

He's better than Mr Lydon :-)

[@HHG_BREEDINGGROUND1]

That's John Lydon (Johnny Rotten - not Rotter)

[@katrinabee9846]

No it ain't - hence the 'Rotter' fakery.

[@TheLobohobo]

Cool Sound. Vocalist is an embarrassment. 💥☝🏻😷

[@SPExJR]

glad you dislike it

[@champ1114]

cringe ... johnny rotter fella

[@SPExJR]

i thought only gayboys only use the word fella and here you are living up to it

[@outis439-A]

@@SPExJR no, its said a lot in Australia and UK.

[@SPExJR]

@@outis439-A ive not heard people like above clark bent using it in uk, must be certain areas & ' villages '

[@aliofly]

He’s good