November 28th, 2011
A new interview with John Lydon is scheduled to be included on the BBC 6 Music, Breakfast Show, tomorrow, Tuesday, November 29th, approx 7-10am. John will be speaking about the new PiL studio album due for release next year.
A further interview with John – regarding the recent debate about his Sex Pistols doodles – will be broadcast either this week or next. See JohnLydon.Com for more info...
September 28th, 2011
The new issue of Mojo magazine includes a huge feature on the making of 'Album' album, including a new interview with John Lydon. Mojo describes the record as "one of the most complex, bracing rock LP's of modern times...".
The article also brings things up to date with a special look at the making of the new PiL studio album due for release next year.
We've added the recent PiL studio album interviews and previews from Clash Magazine and NME to the Press Archives.
NME, September 20th 2011 (album preview) Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3
Clash Magazine, September 2011 (album preview) Page 1 | Page 2
September 21st, 2011
This weeks NME includes an interview with John from the recording studio in Cotswolds; where PiL have recently completed their new studio album due for release next year.
The album was written and produced by PiL and features John Lydon, Bruce Smith, Lu Edmonds and Scott Firth and was recorded at Steve Winwood's Wincraft Studios in the Cotswolds, England in July and August 2011.
The current issue of Clash Magazine also includes a studio preview feature on the album. Clash Magazine predicts a March release for the album and mentions tracks with the working titles 'One Drop', 'The Reggie Song' & 'Deeper Waters'.
September 5th, 2011
Finnish TV Channel YFE broadcast two special shows on the legendary Glasnost Rock - Rock Summer 88 festival in Estonia where PiL played to over 120,000 people at the very first Rock Summer; when Estonia was still part of USSR.
A documentary, broadcast September 3rd, featured a new interview with John Lydon recorded this year. Along with a live compilation show featuring previously unbroadcast footage of PiL performing 'Public Image' and 'Rise' from Rock Summer 88; plus further interview footage. The documentary also features clips of 'Public Image', 'Home' and 'Rise'. Stunning footage from a monumental life-changing concert.
The documentary is available to watch via the YFE website via this link... John's interview and live footage comes on at approx 61 minutes.
August 27th, 2011
Rockfeedback Presents: Primavera on Channel 4 this Monday/Tuesday, August 30th will feature live footage of PiL and a John Lydon interview recorded at The Primavera Festival, Spain on May 26th.
Rockfeedback Presents: Primavera airs at 12.40am on Tuesday. The show will also later be available via the Channel 4 on Demand website.
The current edition of Mojo magazine includes pictures and quotes from John Lydon taken from last months Mojo Honours List 2011 where PiL were awarded "Outstanding Contribution to Music".
Watch John's speech from Thursday's Mojo Honours List 2011 via this link...
August 10th, 2011
PiL play the last shows of the 2011 tour this weekend in Japan. They will play Summer Sonic Festival Osaka & Tokyo, before finishing with their own club show at Tokyo, Studio Coast. Both Summer Sonic Festival's are completely sold-out however, some tickets are available for the Studio Coast show via this link. Tickets will also be available on the door if the show does not sell-out before Monday.
Summer Sonic Festival Osaka, Japan, August 13th 2011
Co-headlining mountain stage, 2nd biggest stage
Summer Sonic Festival Tokyo, Japan, August 14th 2011
Headlining mountain stage, 2nd biggest stage
Tokyo, Studio Coast, Japan, August 15th 2011
(tickets on sale now)
Check out the Tour Reports and Reviews page for the latest reports, clips, and pix from Poland etc.
We are sure all those who attended the 2011 shows will agree the band have been nothing less than stunning.
PiL continue to go from strength-to-strength and with a new album in the pipeline, better days will never be. Until next time that is...
July 29th, 2011
As previously mentioned – to tie in with the re-release of all PiL albums on limited edition CD in Japan – Disk Union, HMV Online Japan and Tower Records Japan are doing some special promotional giveaways for customers buying the discs. Details are as follows.
Disk Union: Customers will receive a special unique PiL box to house the discs when they purchase all 12 CD's (excluding 'The Greatest Hits So Far'). The box features 'Public Image - First Issue' on the front, 'That What Is Not' on the rear. And is branded with PiL logos.
Visit the Disk Union website via this link...
Tower Records Japan: Customers will receive a unique PiL poster with purchase of any of the 13 CD's.
Visit the Tower Records Japan website via this link...
HMV Online Japan: Customers will receive a set of 10 PiL badge's featuring individual album artwork with a purchase of all 11 CD's excluding
'Psycho’s Path' and 'The Greatest Hits So Far'.
Visit the HMV online website via this link...
Left to right: (click for larger images)
Disk Union: PiL Box / Tower Records: PiL Poster / HMV Online: PiL Badges
July 28th, 2011
You can download a podcast of today's BBC 6 Music News special behind-the-scenes interview with PiL in the recording studio. The interview starts approx 1.50mins into the podcast. Download the Podcast via this link for the next 7 days.
You can also listen to the original interviews as part of the Shaun Keaveny Breakfast Show and Radcliffe and Maconie Show via the 6 Music website. Cotswolds, bananas, butter and PiL in the studio what more could you ask...
Update: Read the article on the BBC6 Music website...
First picture of PiL in the recording studio, Cotswolds, July 2011 © Public Image Ltd / JRJL Productions (photo: Walter Jaquiss / John Rambo Stevens)
Click above image for larger version...
July 27th, 2011
PiL in recording studio: Special behind-the-scenes interview on BBC6 Music tomorrow!
BBC6 Music News will broadcast a very special interview with PiL from the recording studio "in the outskirts of knowhere" where they are recording their as yet untitled (and self-funded) new album. John takes 6 Music on a studio tour and speaks candidly about the future of PiL and his excitement at making an album with what he truly considers the "greatest PiL ever".
3 minute interview segments will be played on Shaun Keaveny Breakfast Show at approx 7.50am and 8.50am. And again during the Radcliffe and Maconie Show at approx 3.15pm. Interview clips will also appear on certain news bulletins throughout the day at 20 minutes past the hour.
Listen online via: www.bbc.co.uk/6music
EMI Music Japan are re-releasing all PiL albums on CD, today July 27th (Japan only). 'Public Image - First Issue' through to 'That What Is Not' – plus John Lydon's 1997 solo album 'Psycho's Path' – will be released as papersleeve replica's of UK original vinyl LP's. 'Metal Box' will be released as a 3 CD set in a metal tin, again, as a replica of the UK original vinyl album. In addition to the above 'The Greatest Hits So Far' will also be released in a standard jewel case; featuring the bonus tracks from the original Japanese release.
All CD's are digitally remastered and strictly limited edition.
Disk Union, Tower Records Japan and HMV Online Japan will be doing some special promotional giveaways for customers buying all or any of the CD's. Info will follow shortly.
Read the full press release via this link.
Release Information
★ Papersleeve
[1]Public Image - First Issue 1978 TOCP-95070
[2]Second Edition 1980 TOCP-95071
[3]Paris In The Spring (Live) 1980 TOCP-95072
[4]Flowers Of Romance 1981 TOCP-95073
[5]Live In Tokyo 1983 TOCP-95074
[6]This Is What You Want … This Is What You Get 1984 TOCP-95075
[7]Compact Disc (Album) 1986 TOCP-95076
[8]Happy? 1987 TOCP-95077
[9]9 1989 TOCP-95078
[10]That What Is Not 1992 TOCP-95079
[11]Psycho’s Path (John Lydon’s solo) 1997 TOCP-95080
Release date: July 27th, 2011 / Price: JPY2800(tax included)
Digitally Remastered
Replica of UK original vinyl LP package
Replica of the original Japanese obi
Limited Edition
Metal Box 1979 TOCP-95081/83
★ 3CD Replica Of The Original Vinyl Release
Release Date: July 27th, 2011 / Price: 3CD JPY3200(tax included)
Digitally Remastered
Limited Edition
★ The Greatest Hits … So Far 1990 TOCP-95084
Release Date: July 27th, 2011 / Price: JPY 2000(tax included)
Digitally Remastered
Featuring 1 bonus track
Standard jewel case
July 24th, 2011
Watch John's speech from Thursday's Mojo Honours List 2011 where PiL were awarded for "Outstanding Contribution to Music".
After the awards John revealed details of a serious house fire at his London home. Thankfully no one was hurt. John was on tour with PiL when Nora called to tell him. A faulty spin dryer is thought to be the cause of the blaze! “It started when the spin dryer caught on fire and all the clothes went up in flames. The first time I actually get clean look what happens. I’ve had a rotten time of it."
An interview with John was published yesterday at Mail online.
Mail online, July 23rd 2011
By Ben Todd
He has long been renowned as a hell-raiser. However, punk legend John Lydon, 55, has now become very much the victim after a fire - which he and his wife believe was caused by their tumble-drier - destroyed his kitchen.
The former Sex Pistols frontman – aka Johnny Rotten - has told how the kitchen of his west London home was ruined by the fire.
There was also smoke damage throughout the four-bedroomed property.
Lydon and his wife Nora Forster believe the fire occurred because of a fault in their tumble drier as, they claim, it was the only device on when the incident took place.
The incident happened at the end of last month and the whole house has been damaged.
Since, then the couple – who split their time between their houses in Los Angeles and London - have been living without an electricity or water supply.
Yesterday, workmen were in the process of rebuilding the house in Fulham.
Lydon was in Russia with his band PiL at the time. However, Miss Forster – who he has been married to for 33 years – was at home.
And he yesterday told the Mail that finding out his wife, 69, was safe and well was the ‘best news’ of his life.
Lydon told the Mail: ‘We were gutted and so was the kitchen. Nora was rushing around back in London while I was rushing around in Russia with PiL’
‘Learning Nora was not harmed was the best news I have ever had in my life.
‘The fire was caused by the spin drier, which had my underwear in it at the time, it obviously wasn't fire retardant.’
He told how Nora rang him to break the news. He explained: ‘[She] said 'Oh John, I don't want to disturb you. The house has burnt down.'
The star also told how he lost some song he had written for PiL’s forthcoming album in the house fire.
‘I lost some PiL songs I had written for the upcoming new PiL album in the fire. Luckily I have them all stored in my head,’ he added.
They are currently working on a studio album, their first in 20 years, leading to Lydon and Miss Forster to use their London home as their main base this summer.
July 21st, 2011
Stop Press: PiL WIN OUSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC AWARD AT MOJO MAGAZINE AWARDS
PiL won the "Outstanding Contribution to Music" Award at today's Mojo Awards in London. John Lydon was there to collect the award. More info to follow.
July 17th, 2011
RAMBO COMING TO THE RESCUE
Colours of Ostrava Festival, Ostrava, Czech Republic, July 14th 2011
Brilliant show, brilliant participation. PS: The stage is for PiL. Thank you Ostrava you did us proud.
July 9th, 2011
Italy Loves PiL
Last night's show in Azzano Decimo was absolutely fantastic. Really, really good gig and crowd. Thank you. Standing ovation. Bang on.
"At last, in spite of the adverse reaction of the Italian press over the last 20 years, Italy loves PiL. Case proven. Wonderful. Success and a joyous time had by all. Yours JR (and JR) (I didn't say which JR.) ".
Public Image Ltd, July 9th 2011
See Tour Reports and Reviews for more reviews...
July 2nd, 2011
Yes, we can confirm PiL are "in the outskirts of knowhere".
http://thequietus.com/articles/06523-pil-working-on-new-material
http://www.nme.com/news/public-image-ltd/57723
The Quietus, July 1st 2011
Word reaches the Quietus this Friday afternoon (from an official source) that John Lydon and PiL are currently working on new songs together. We've seen some terrific gigs from the reunited Public Image Limited over the past year or so, most recently at Primavera. But we are anti-nostalgists, and generally hope that returning groups either vanish again, or knuckle down to writing new material. Glad tidings, then, that PiL's John Lydon, Lu Edmonds (guitarist), Bruce Smith (drummer), and Scott Firth (bass) are in a studio in a location that Lydon describes as being "in the outskirts of knowhere". Lydon has previously written with Edmonds and Smith for later PiL albums Happy and 9' so both have played and worked John throughout the late 80s.
Lydon has long insisted that the PiL reunion was not solely about nostalgia, saying that the gigs were being done in part to fund studio time: "We've got no backing - no record company, no sponsors, nothing like that. The only way we can make money is the touring, and then we can make a new album," he told Billboard in 2010. "It's sort of like the old days of PiL, when the Pistols went kaput; I had to scrimp and scrape out of my own pocket. Not much has changed."
Asked back then if he had songs ready, Lydon said, "Yeah, I've got piles. I never stop writing. Most of my influences have never really come from a musical act. It tends to be things like the poetic beat of a newscast. There's a rhythm to the way it's laid out. Movies can do that. Shakespeare and good poetry does that, and a bloody good book does that, or just a long walk." More on new material from PiL on The Quietus later this summer.
NME, (Isle of Wight video) June 2011 (external video)
June 28th, 2011
PiL steal the show in Kazan!
250,000 people watched Public Image Ltd at the 'Creation of the World' festival in Kazan, Russia on Saturday night; with festival insiders proclaiming they had stole the show! An absolutely brilliant gig that even the President of the Russian Federation was there to witness; amid very tight security.
The previous day John attended the press conference for the show. Promptly taking over proceedings with his own blend of intelligence and wit. And sharing some good natured banter with the Mayor of Kazan asking him to fix a leak above the table. The Mayor joked it was "British air-conditioning" – to which John pointed out "we don't need air-conditioning in Britain". John even gave a journalist one of his earring's for singing him a song. Safe to say the Russian journalists had never saw anything like John before. Or never will...
Brilliant gig, brilliant press conference, brilliant city, brilliant people.
Cпасибо Kazan от Public Image Ltd - "Пусть дороги приветствуют тебя"
June 21st, 2011
John trades folk songs with the president of Iceland! And has special praise for the crowd at the Copenhagen show on Monday. See Tour Reports and Reviews to read all about it...
June 17th, 2011
We are pleased to announce that PiL will play the Tokyo Studio Coast venue on Monday, August 15th 2011. This special club show will follow their Summer Sonic Festival appearances. Tickets for Studio Coast go on sale June 26th, more info soon...
Tokyo, Studio Coast, Japan, August 15th 2011
(tickets on sale June 26th)
See Shows for latest confirmed PiL Tour Dates.
June 14th, 2011
The live CD from Sunday's victorious Isle of Wight performance is now available to order via the www.concertlive.co.uk website. After a brief technical problem caused by rain the band returned to deliver a storming set to packed festival crowd. 18 months on from the December 2009 ALiFE live discs you will witness a band who fans and critics alike have called "the best PiL ever". Enjoy the show in the comfort of your own home, safe away from the torrential British summer rain.
PiL: Live At The Isle of Wight Festival 2011 CD
Public Image
Home
Albatross
This Is Not A Love Song
Flowers of Romance
Death Disco
Warrior
Bags
Chant
Religion
Memories
Rise
Open Up
Sky Arts broadcast 'Bags', 'Chant' and 'Rise' from Isle of Wight and also interviewed John live after the show. Interviews with Absolute Radio and Daily Star are also available. See our Press page for more...
June 9th, 2011 (updated)
A reminder that Sunday's Isle of Wight festival performance will be recorded as an instant live CD. The strictly limited edition live CD’s will be produced straight from the festival site. Those lucky enough to be attending the festival will be able to take home the live recording, those who are not can order online for home delivery via Concert Live. www.concertlive.co.uk
Discs are now available to pre-order via the www.concertlive.co.uk website.
Also look out for at least one song on Sky TV's coverage the Isle of Wight Festival on Sky Arts this Sunday.
John Lydon will be making 2 appearances on Irish radio today:
Phantom FM- Live phone interview today at approx 1205pm
http://www.phantomfm.com
Today FM- Live today in the studio interview at approx 2pm.
http://www.todayfm.com
June 2nd, 2011
We are delighted to announce that the forthcoming PiL Isle of Wight festival performance will be recorded for posterity. PiL will once again be teaming up with Concert Live to bring you an instant live CD of the show.
Discs are now available to pre-order via the www.concertlive.co.uk website.
Strictly limited edition live CD’s will be produced straight from the festival site. Those lucky enough to be attending the festival will be able to take home the live recording, those who are not can order online for home delivery. www.concertlive.co.uk
June 1st, 2011
The PiL tour is well under way. See our our Tour Reports and Reviews page for reviews, pix and YouTube clips and quotes from PiL. Also check out the Press page for interviews, and Reviews page for updates.
May 26th, 2011 (updated)
Mr Lydon has given us his first report from the 2011 tour - which opened tonight at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, Spain.
Brilliant gig. Brilliant crowd. The press may not get us - but human beings always will. Thank you Barcelona. RC Barcy Lola Null.
John Lydon, Public Image Ltd, May 26th 2011
Send us your reviews for our Tour Reports and Reviews page...
May 26th, 2011
PiL begin their 2011 tour today at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, Spain. John Lydon, Lu Edmonds, Scott Firth and Bruce Smith will then return to the UK for a short tour starting next Tuesday, May 31st in Coventry; before continuing through Europe. See Shows for latest confirmed PiL Tour Dates.
Following on from the popularity of last year's fan reviews we'd love your Tour Reports and Reviews from all shows... Send them to the site.
Look out for John Lydon interviews in the current editions of Q Magazine and NME. Read excerpts of Q Magazine via Spinner.
May 19th, 2011
Please note Venue change for Cardiff
Due to exceptional ticket sales and major building work the PiL show on the 2nd June is being moved to Cardiff Coal Exchange, all original tickets remain valid for the new venue.
Cardiff, Coal Exchange, Wales, UK, June 2nd 2011
PiL tour starts May 26th, and yet again, we'd love your Tour Reports and Reviews...
May 11th, 2011
PiL will play their first ever show in Russia next month. The band will headline the Kazan Festival on Saturday June 25th.
Kazan Festival, Millennium Square, Kazan City, Russia, June 25th 2011
See Shows for latest confirmed PiL Tour Dates.
We are delighted to announce that Mr Rotten's Scrapbook has completely sold-out. Thanks to everyone who bought the book. It truly was a special publication. We hope you enjoyed it. Congradulations.
April 20th, 2011
We are delighted to announce PiL will return to Estonia for the first time since 1988 – where they played to over 120,000 people at the first Rock Summer Festival when Estonia was still part of USSR – when they headline the Rabarock Festival in Tallinn on Saturday, June 18th 2011. Tickets on sale now via Rabarock website.
Rabarock, Järvakandi open-air field, Tallinn, Estonia, June 18th 2011
(tickets on sale now)
See Shows for latest confirmed PiL Tour Dates.
April 18th, 2011
PiL have been confirmed to headline the Off Festival, in Katowice, Poland on Sunday, August 7th 2011. Tickets on sale now via Off Festival website.
Off Festival, Katowice, Poland, August 7th 2011
(tickets on sale now)
See Shows for latest confirmed PiL Tour Dates.
Mr Rotten's Scrapbook
Only 10 copies left worldwide out of the original 750 produced.
Get them before they sell out!
Click here to order...
www.concertlive.co.uk/mrrottensscrapbook
March 31st, 2011
Summer Sonic Festival Japan Update!
As well as the previously mentioned Summer Sonic Tokyo appearance PiL will also play Summer Sonic Osaka. See Summer Sonic website for more info.
Summer Sonic Festival Tokyo & Osaka, Japan, August 13th & 14th 2011
(tickets on sale now)
See Shows for latest confirmed PiL Tour Dates.
News Archive
Press Interviews
Updated: January 4th, 2012
Virgin / EMI UK re-issue remastered PiL back catalogue albums on CD, January 16th 2012
Press Reviews
Updated: August 16th, 2011
Public Image Ltd:
Japanese limited edition CD re-issues July 2011
Entire PiL album back catalogue reissued and remastered on CD in Japan 2011. See link for full info...
