Public Image Ltd – Album

This album is evidence of the unreliability of memory, because in my mind I associate this with an apartment we had moved out of years before this album was even released. That’s probably because the summer that we did spend in that apartment included a dark period when “Never Mind The Bollocks,” by John Lydon’s previous band, The Sex Pistols, was on heavy rotation. And perhaps, as I thought of Lydon, I thought of that apartment. A confusing memory hole, in any event, as this came out in 1986.

I was well aware of PiL, but had never had any particular interest in their earlier records, and at this remove I cannot remember what captured my interest. “Rise” was a surprisingly popular single, but it still didn’t chart in the US and I was barely hearing any radio at this time, so I’m not sure where my awareness came from. In any event, aware I was, and I quite liked this album when it came out – it was at a time when I was indulging in some rougher-edged stuff than usual, as far as rock was concerned.

However it got me, it got me. I once seriously freaked out a very good friend as I sang, at full intensity, “ANGER IS AN ENERGY!!” He begged me never to do that again. And yet . . . it isn’t untrue.

Given the record’s concept of being generic, it lacked any personnel credits, so I had no idea that it featured Steve Vai, Bernie Worrell and Ginger Baker (of all people!). So, no surprise it sounds pretty slick while at the same time having a pretty raw punk sound.

But it has been a long time since I played this. Listening to it again, I’m amazed how much I like it again, and wonder how it stays out of rotation. It may just be that I don’t listen to that much that’s punk-adjacent, so there wouldn’t be a time it came to mind. But its pretty good, and well worth listening to!