Saturday Live

Plenty of people have been critical of John Lydon over the last few years/ decades and with good reason- the Sex Pistols reformations, the butter adverts, the support for Trump and Brexit, the professional contrarian. I read his autobiography a few years ago, Anger Is An Energy, and in the end found it exhausting, the constant need to settle scores and self- aggrandisement. A softer side of him was revealed recently following the death of his wife Nora and his role as her carer during the final part of her life. His recent PiL albums have shown that although the music and songs are variable, he still cares enough to want to keep doing it and play with it, to keep moving. 

Back in 1980 John was still at the forefront, the post- Pistols warrior making one of the period's best albums- Metal Box, a groundbreaking fusion of dub, post- punk, avant garde guitar music, sound experiments and Lydon's then still extraordinary vocals and lyrics. For some reason, at the end of a US tour, on 17th May 1980 PiL found themselves at the TV programme American Bandstand, a US musical institution hosted by the clean cut Dick Clark. Bands on American Bandstand mimed in front of a live audience. PiL had been asked to play two songs- Careering and Poptones were the two they chose- but to cut the running time down to fit in the ten minute segment in between ad breaks. Lydon was apparently genuinely bemused by the request. What followed shows that despite some of the lowspots of later years Lydon was once a singular, exhilerating, wilful and genuinely anarchic character, a one off. As the clip begins the three musicians, Levene, Atkins and Wobble start to 'play' Poptones. Lydon sits by the side of stage staring with that look on his face. He gets up, makes a few moves and immediately after crossing the stage breaks the performer/ audience barrier, half miming the words, half mad Pied Piper, walking into the crowd to whoops and cheers. 

Then he brings a girl from the crowd to the stage and goes back, encouraging more of the audience to join the band, the cameras following him. The stage area is soon filed with dancing audience members, Lydon occasionally returning to the band, prowling and glaring, barely contained glee at upsetting the norms. Between songs Clark tries to suggest the audience go back but Lydon says no and then career into careering, the entire studio now awash with dancers. Lydon disappears to the back of the studio, the band swap instruments, the cameras can't keep up. When the cameras do find him, John barely bothers to mime, often just grinning at the mayhem he has created. Considering not a note is played live it is one of the best music performances ever screened on TV. 

Monday's Long Songs/ Keith Levene And Nik Turner

Keith Levene's death was announced on Saturday. He died the day before peacefully at home, aged sixty five. He started in The Clash, was instrumental in spotting Strummer while he was with the 101ers and getting him into The Clash, and has a co- writing credit on What's My Name but parted company with them early on. Recruited by John Lydon following the Sex Pistols break up, Keith's guitar playing with Public Image Ltd, from 1978 to the early 80s, is the real deal, an extraordinary style and technique that sounded unique, not- punk but not rock either, shards of clear, sharp metal fired through the amp outwards. The debut single, Public Image, with Lydon, Jah Wobble and Jim Walker would on it's own be enough, with the thrilling rumble of Wobble's bass, Lydon's 'hello, hello' and then Levene's two chord slashing guitar part, wire shredded and tangled, the six string version of Lydon's voice. 

On 1979's Metal Box Levene's metallic guitar is a sharp, otherworldly presence, the definition of post- punk dread. Levene's Prophet synth is all over the album too, on Careering especially to the fore. No Birds has Levene's guitar part split in two, one as played, the other duplicated and fed through a harmoniser. On Radio 4, the startling semi- ambient piece that closes the album, Leven plays bass as imagining he was Wobble and layered up synth strings from a Yamaha synth. The spooked, paranoid, dub influenced post punk dance of Metal Box is in no way just Lydon's work, it is an album written, improvised and recorded by Lydon, Leven and Wobble plus the several drummers, all pushing and pulling to create a stunning piece of work. 

In December 1979 PiL appeared in session for John Peel, recording versions of Careering, Poptones and Chant. Careering is a thrilling, a breathtaking, intense seven minute cacophony. 

R.I.P Keith Levene. 

Careering (Peel Session)

The day before it was reported that Hawkwind's Nik Turner, the man who put the space jazz sax and flute into psychedelic space rock, had died aged eighty four. This song, from 1971's In Search Of Space, is nearly sixteen minutes long and is as good a send off as anyone could wish for, the sax twisting, turning, warbling and freaking out into all eternity. 

You Shouldn't Do That 

Ceremony

On July 19th 1986 New Order headlined a show at GMEX (formerly Manchester's Central railway station, for much of the 70s and early 80s a derelict carpark. We used to park there when shopping in town and my Mum and Dad got all of us kids back in the car on one occasion and drove off, leaving one of my brothers standing forlornly where the car had been, aged only three or four. Don't worry- they realised before leaving the carpark). The show was the highlight of the Festival of the Tenth Summer,a Factory organised event celebrating ten years since punk and the show at the Lesser Free Trade Hall where the Sex Pistols set into motion everything that has happened to Manchester since. The Lesser Free Trade Hall, also the venue where Bob Dylan was accused of being Judas, is now a swish hotel. The Festival of the Tenth Summer had its own Factory catalogue number (FAC 151) and had nine other events including a fashion show, a book, a Peter Saville installation, an exhibition of Kevin Cummins photographs and so on. Very Factory. Support for New Order at the gig included The Smiths (billed as co-headliners), The Fall, A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire, OMD, John Cale, John Cooper Clarke and Buzzcocks. Not a bad line up really.

During their set New Order were joined on stage by Ian McCulloch who sang Ceremony with them. This clip shows that meeting, the only drawback being it's less than a minute long.



There's an audio only version of the whole song here. Ian sings in a register closer to Ian Curtis' and certainly gives it his best shot. The bit where Hooky joins Mac at the mic is great.

Ceremony was Ian Curtis' last song, intended for Joy Division but recorded and released as the first New Order record. The first two New Order records actually- it was released in March 1981 by the three piece New Order and produced by Martin Hannett. It was then re-released in September 1981 in a newer, slightly longer version with Gillian Gilbert on board and with a different Saville sleeve. If you want to get really trainspottery about it, the run out groove on the first version says 'watching love grow forever', while on the second version it has 'this is why events unnerve me'.

New Order and Echo And The Bunnymen toured the USA together along with Public Image Ltd throughout 1987, billed as The Monsters Of Alternative Rock. The Melody Maker reported from it as the picture up top shows. According to Lydon's autobiography 'Bernard Sumner was having problems emotionally and looked a bit the worse for wear' and describes him being tied to a trolley to sing at one gig as he was unable to stand. 'Nice fella' though says Lydon. Bernard's favourite tipple was 'a pint of headache' (Pernod and blackcurrant).

Lydon

The Adventures of John Lydon Part Two- after the breakup of the Sex Pistols in 1978 Lydon was abandoned in the USA by McClaren while he set about making his doomed film and the rest of the band flew down to Rio to meet Ronnie Biggs. Lydon is rightly scathing about all of this in his book. He returned to London and took refuge in a flat he bought in Gunter Grove. These are some of the strongest sections of the book- his chaotic life in Gunter Grove, the continual threat of being busted by the police, harassment by the tabloid press, a trip to Jamaica to scout acts for Virgin's new reggae label. Reverting to Lydon from Rotten he sets about putting together a new band and a new type of band. Public Image Limited, more than any other band except Joy Division maybe, made what is now thought of as post-punk. He hooks up with Keith Levene (who gets castigated all the way through Lydon's autobiography but he acknowledges his abilities as a guitarist and writer) and old mate Jah Wobble (who can't play bass when he joins). Together they make some of the most brilliant music of the period. Opening single Public Image is still one of the great 7" records- thrilling, intense and Lydon giving his enemies (McClaren mainly) a tongue lashing and proclaiming himself as his own property. Levene and Wobble plus drummer Jim Walker are on fire.



After the first album they regroup to make Metal Box, all living together at Gunter Grove. No verses, no choruses, no running order, no filler. Not an easy listen in places but forward thinking and visionary. Death Disco is like nothing else, and sounds exactly like its title. Poptones is very unsettling. Careering is stunning.



After Metal Box PiL began to suffer from personnel changes- Wobble hates Levene and leaves, Levene is increasingly unreliable, Walker had already gone before or during Metal Box. Jeanette Lee joins as part of PiL's umbrella organisation and they make another album, The Flowers Of Romance, uneven but good in places. This Top Of The Pops performance is pretty memorable.



Beyond this Lydon's move to Los Angeles and further issues with band members leads to a decline in output and quality. The singles remain strong for a few more years- This Is Not A Love Song with a truly daft but attention grabbing video (and I prefer this poppy version with horns to the earlier one). A handful of album tracks still burn brightly.



In 1987 a further go in the studio, this time with seasoned professionals like Steve Vai and Ginger Baker, sees a new album called Album, and another great single- Rise- which managed to be a fairly major hit and still sounds vital. Beyond that, an LA cartoon version of PiL takes over as far as I'm concerned but I know there are people who will make claims for songs from beyond this point.



In Anger Is An Energy Lydon rails against X Factor and the obsession with perfect singing voices. Quite rightly he says what you say and the emotion in a voice is far more important than being able to sing scales or hit every note perfectly. PiL's best songs show this time and again and from Public Image through to Rise Lydon made records that are as good or better than Sex Pistols records- they just don't have the same impact as he did as Johnny Rotten. The times have changed. I saw PiL in 2009 and the new version of the band he's put together play a great set, proving the man can still do it when he wants it.

A final clip to illustrate his peculiar genius- invited to play on US tv show American Bandstand in 1980 PiL arrive to be told they will be miming. Lydon is at first disgusted and affronted but then plays with the format leading the studio audience, camera crew and producers on a merry dance. Surreal and hilarious and a little bit frightening.

I Must Be Disco Dreaming

It's like punk never happened- PiL's I Must be Dreaming (one of the stand out tracks from this years This Is PiL album) remixed, sorry re-edited, by Meant and discofied. Not DISCO disco but still disco-ish. Good it is too.

What's the difference between a remix and re-edit?

I Must Be Dreaming (Clouded Vision re-edit)

Unrehearsed Let The Bubbles Burst

Just imagine- a time when the cover of the NME meant something and there was the possibility of an in-depth interview written for adults.

I'm still getting used to the fact, after a couple of weeks of on-off listening, that John Lydon has made a necessary album. The new PiL album, despite one or two mis-steps, is a real grower. The song One Drop is proof on its own- vital, angry, alive, stomping stuff. Go and find it somewhere, you won't regret it (I've already posted a song off it so shouldn't really do another). The interview clips on Punk Britannia showed he's still got it as well- sharp and witty. A real one-off is John. The last time he sounded anywhere near as good was in the mid-90s with this still thrilling collaboration with Leftfield, the number one piece of punk-house.

Open Up

PiLs, Thrills And Britneyache

I know mash-ups are dreadfully passe but I keep rediscovering ones in my d/l folder that I like- like this one where Go Home Productions does a very good job of mashing Metal Box-era PiL with Britney Spears.

Britneyache

The picture shows Yves Tanguy, French surrealist painter, shot by Man Ray, another oddly contemporary looking portrait. He wouldn't look out of place in PiL either.

I Must Be Dreaming

Public Image Ltd put out their new album today and if this track off the One Drop e.p. (from April) is anything to go by, it'll be worth a punt. Lydon back on form and making good music for the first time in ages. This one's got an nice groove, some good finger-picking stuff and John doing his thing in an understated way.

I Must Be Dreaming

PiLage

How do you fancy an example of the ancient art of the mash-up? Featuring PiL's debut single and Macy Gray? By Soundhog? It's a good 'un. There are more PiL mash-ups, John Lydon stuff and so forth at Fodderstompf.

Public Demons

I'm Inside Free Enterprise

The DMCA don't knock off for Christmas do they? My Kurt Vile and Hollie Cook posts have both been hit.

In the Trafford Centre today (very, very busy), in HMV (also very, very busy) with daughter ET looking for the Jessie J album and, Lord help us, the One Direction single (both for her I hasten to add) this Public Image Ltd song came on and it sounded like a) the best song in the world at that particular moment and b) a witty and appropriate comment on the madness of the post-Christmas sales.

This Is Not A Love Song

Picture is inaccurate- Wobble had left by this point.

Meetings With Footballers 1

I'm not sure exactly when this photo was taken, sometime around the 70s turning into the 80s. That's me in the middle and my younger brother Z on the left. The gent on the right is Manchester United legend Bobby Charlton. A building society in Didsbury, M20, launched itself on a Saturday morning with a promotion where if you opened an account with them (minimum deposit, one whole pound) you got your picture taken with Bobby. So, me and Z trooped up the road from Withington to Didsbury, not quite believing the actual Bobby Charlton would be there, and opened our accounts. The photo turned up a few days later, signed by Bobby. Z still has the photo in his possession. It's worth noting that out of the three people in the picture Bobby is the one who looks most now like he did then. I wish I could still get my hair to look like it did then.

Radio 4 is the final track on Public Image Ltd's barnstorming 1979 Metal Box lp, the flood gate opener for post-punk. After four sides of Wobble's dub basslines, Levene's scraping guitar, the skittering rhythms and Lydon's caterwauling, Radio 4 was a moment of beauty and respite- drumless, synthchords, virtual strings, post-punk classical. Probably the only thing on the record Bobby Charlton could listen to.

Radio 4

I'm Not Numbed Out Anymore

Before the gentrification of city centre Manchester the whole Market Street area was a shithole. Some of it still is. Underneath the pedestrianised road, with an entrance opposite where Urban Outfitters is today, there were some steps and an escalater which rarely worked leading to the Underground Market- a rabbit warren of alternative clothes shops and boutiques, market counters, places that would print Who targets onto the back of your parka and sold sew-on patches for denim jackets, formica cafes and shops you never dared look at never mind go into. Out the back was a record shop called Yanks, which sold records with the corners of the covers cut off. At some point in the late 80s Yanks moved to large basement behind McDonalds on Oxford Road. I think it changed it's name, but I can't recall what to for the life of me. They still sold records with the corners cut off, but far more of them, a totally random selection of stuff, old, recent and new. They also sold 12"s, and had huge numbers of dance records. It was in there in 1991 I bought this single -Jah Wobble's Visions Of You. The A-side had the single version and other side, the AW-side had three Andrew Weatherall remixes- Pick 'n' Mix 1, Pick 'n' Mix 2 and The Secret Love Child Of Hank And Johnny. All three on one side of vinyl added up to about twenty minutes of tripped out, mangled, looped and loopy, clattering drums, organ, one of those Jah Wobble basslines, droplets of Sinead O'Connor's backing vox, and all kinds of lovely stuff. The art of the remix isn't represented any better anywhere than on this 12", where completely new music is made out of source material. The one I've posted here is the Pick 'n' Mix 2, seven minutes plus to make your Sunday better for you. I love this record.

Incidentally Jah Wobble's autobiography, Memoirs Of A Geezer, is a good read- the PiL years (or 18 months or so) brilliantly described, Wobble's myriad of projects with a variety of people and few punches pulled, the London Underground announcement 'I used to be somebody, repeat I used to be somebody', the time lost to boozing. There's a three cd round-up on Trojan that's good too. Recommended.

Postscript- it's just occured to me I have a Wobble story. A good friend (who'll probably read this, maybe he can chip in) tried to get Wobble to headline a mini-festival he was involved in a year or two ago, and apparently Wobble's list of demands didn't go down too well. I can't remember the details but pine nuts were muttered about frequently. As in 'he can get his own fuckin' pine nuts...'. The festival went ahead, without Jah Wobble.

And finally, I don't know why there's two pictures of Jah up there, but I can't get rid of one of them. We'll have to live with it. Jah Double.

Visions of You [Pick'n'Mix 2].mp3

Public Image Ltd. 'Public Image'

I've noticed over the weekend that John Lydon's reformed Public Image Ltd. are touring again this month. I'm not a massive fan of the re-union business but for P.i.L. I make an exception. I saw them play Manchester back in December last year, in fact I wrote about it for the third ever post at Bagging Area. They're not playing here this time around but if you live within easy distance of London, Leeds, Bristol, Oxford, Liverpool or Glasgow I thoroughly recommend it. Even without Jah Wobble and Keith Levene the new P.i.L. are frighteningly good, and Lydon is the number one rock frontman. You should get to hear all the Metal Box stuff in fine bass heavy style, Rise, This Is Not A Love Song, and if you're lucky Open Up as well. And of course this, P.i.L.'s debut single, calling card, Lydon's lyrical resignation from the role of Rotten, and one of the very best singles of the period. Or any other period too for that matter.

Two note bass intro, Lydon's sarky 'Hello, hello', some vicious guitar and then...'You never listened to a word that I said, you only seen me for the clothes that I wear'. One of the greatest starts to any record, and they keep it up for the length of the single until the final 'Goodbye'.

Public_Image.mp3

Careering (Peel Session).mp3

PiL

On the Saturday before Christmas I went to see PiL at Manchester Academy. I was in two minds about this from the moment I first read about the tour. No Jah Wobble, no Keith Levene (they can't stand each other apparently). Also, I wasn't sure whether Lydon would be the slightly pantomime figure of the Sex Pistols re-unions and the butter advert. They came on and played Public Image, hard, fast, great bass playing. Lydon then abused a beer thrower to such an extent no more beer was thrown throughout the 2 hours of the gig. Poptones, Death Disco, Careering, This is Not A Love Song all followed, all fantastic. It went on a bit too long in the middle, but was enlivened by Lydon swilling from a bottle of wine and then spitting into a kitchen bin between songs. 'I'm 53, singing for 2 hours plus and fighting off various infections' was the explanation. They encored with Rise and Open Up, after a frightening set closer of Religion. 'Public Image Limited' he told us, 'Serious facking music for serious facking people'. All in all, a re-union to be proud of.

I met Lydon in 1995. On honeymoon, on a barge moored by Regent's Park in London myself and my then-new wife Mrs Swiss, went into central London for a drink. We went into The George on Wardour Street, and sitting with largish group of men was John Lydon. We took a seat near the toilets (nice) and when his bladder could take no more lager he finally visited the men's. On his way back to his seat I ambushed the punk rock legend with a camera. He obliged, and asked what we were doing in London. On hearing it was our honeymoon, he blessed our marriage (!) and accosted a passerby to photograph the 3 of us. My favourite wedding photo.

mp3: Careering (Peel Session)