Public Image Ltd. Artistfacts

1978–1992, 2009–
John LydonVocals1978–1992, 2009–
Keith LeveneGuitar, keyboards1978-1983
John "Jah Wobble" WardieBass, piano1978-1980
Jim WalkerDrums1978-1979
Martin AtkinsDrums1979-1995
Allan DiasBass1986-1992
John McGeochGuitar1986-1992
Bruce SmithDrums1986-1990, 2009-2025
Robert "Lu" EdmondsGuitar, keyboards1986-1988, 2009-
Scott FirthBass2009-
Public Image Ltd. (PiL) are an English post-punk band formed in London in May 1978 by lead vocalist John Lydon. Also known as Johnny Rotten, he was the former lead singer of the iconic punk band Sex Pistols, which he left in January 1979. Lydon's original PiL bandmates were guitarist Keith Levene (one of the original members of The Clash), bassist Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker.
Public Image Ltd. rose from the ashes of the Pistols. "It happened very quickly," Lydon told The Sun. "As soon as I got back to London, I hunted down my friends and we got into it straight away. I had completely different gears inside my head. I wanted to shapeshift into something better and more serious."

"The Sex Pistols was my first pair of shoes and they were quite comfortable but I outgrew them and needed a new pair," he added. "Johnny Rotten is a cobbler! Never mind the cobblers!"
PiL's music often explores unconventional song structures with electronic instruments and avant-garde influences. Their early albums, particularly Public Image: First Issue (1978) and Metal Box (1979), are considered landmarks in the post-punk movement. Metal Box is notable for its unique packaging – the album was originally released in a metal film canister.
Over the years, PiL's lineup has changed numerous times, with John Lydon being the only constant member. The band's sound evolved as well, incorporating more accessible elements in the 1980s with albums like This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get (1984) and Album (1986).
After a 17-year hiatus, John Lydon reformed PiL in 2009. Lydon financed the reunion using money he earned doing a UK TV commercial for Country Life butter.
John Lydon first met Nora Forster in 1975 at SEX (the London boutique run by Vivienne Westwood and Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren) and they married four years later. When Forster was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2018, Lydon became her full-time caregiver. She passed away on April 6, 2023, aged 80.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Brass In PocketPretenders

Chrissie Hynde got the phrase "Brass In Pocket" from a Northern England slang term meaning you had some money, "brass" meaning coins.

TemptedSqueeze

The Squeeze song "Tempted" is one of their few with lead vocals by Paul Carrack, who sang the Ace song "How Long" and was in Mike + The Mechanics.

God Bless AmericaKate Smith

Irving Berlin said "God Bless America" was "not a patriotic song, but rather an expression of gratitude."

Radar LoveGolden Earring

At the end of "Radar Love," the driver dies in a crash but maintains a psychic bond with the woman he was racing to see. The song's lyricist was inspired by stories of extrasensory perception (ESP).