PUBLIC IMAGE LTD (PiL) WILL REISSUE 'METAL BOX' AND 'ALBUM' ALBUMS AS SUPER-DELUXE BOX SET EDITIONS ON 28TH OCTOBER 2016

Press Release:
August 30th 2016

 

On 28th October 2016, PiL will reissue the seminal albums 'Metal Box' and 'Album'. 'Metal Box' was the band's second album, originally released on 23rd November 1979 and 'Album' was their 5th studio album and was originally released on 3rd February 1986, marking 2016 as its 30th anniversary.

The album's will both be issued as 4 CD and 4 vinyl LP super-deluxe box sets, as well as digitally. The editions will include rare and previously unreleased material along with a live disc. The CD version's feature additional tracks to the vinyl editions due to running time restrictions, however, the vinyl edition will include a download card for all tracks on the CD version's.

'Metal Box' will be issued in a square metal tin (CD & LP) (the 1979 original was issued in a round metal film canister) with an embossed PiL logo.

'Album' will be issued in a square card box with de-bossed artwork. Both super-deluxe editions will include a 72 page booklet together with an exclusive poster, art-prints (LP version) and postcards (CD version).

Order now exclusively from the Official Universal Store and both Album & Metal box Super Deluxe Editions will contain a limited edition signed insert from John Lydon (while stocks last) https://pil.lnk.to/OfficialStore

'Metal Box' 4 CD
CD 1: Metal Box
CD 2: B-sides, mixes & radio sessions
CD 3: Unreleased Mixes
CD 4: Live at Manchester, Russell's Club (The Factory) 18/6/79

'Metal Box' 4 LP
LP 1: Metal Box
LP 2: Metal Box (continued)
LP 3: Live at Manchester, Russell's Club (The Factory) 18/6/79
LP 4: Rare Mixes & BBC Session

'Album' 4 CD
CD 1: Album
CD 2: Live at Brixton Academy 27/5/86
CD 3: Various, mixes & outtakes etc
CD 4: Original 1985 Album demos

'Album' 4 LP
LP 1: Album
LP 2: Original 1985 Album demos
LP 3: Various, mixes & outtakes etc 1
LP 4: Various, mixes & outtakes etc 2

See below for full tracklistings...

With all lyrics written by John Lydon 'Metal Box' was recorded with original PiL members Keith Levene and Jah Wobble. Original drummer Jim Walker had left, to be replaced by a succession of drummers. 'Metal Box' came out less than a year after PiL's debut 'Public Image: First Issue' yet it was nothing like its predecessor. Things had changed, and so had PiL. 

While outside pressures mounted PiL channeled their energies (negative and positive) into a record that would set them apart back in 1979, and indeed today in 2016. Whether it be John's powerful and passionate vocals; Keith's wailing guitar and melodic synths; Wobble's sub-disco reggae basslines; or the crashing rhythm that holds it all together, 'Metal Box' has many strengths. The album was originally released as 3 x 45rpm 12” singles, housed in a metal 'film' canister. As made by 'The Metal Box Company' in London's East End; hence the name. The deluxe edition includes rare and unreleased mixes from the recording sessions, along with B-sides and BBC sessions, plus a live recording from a now legendary unplanned show at Factory Records Russell Club in Manchester arranged on the day of a Granada TV appearance.

With its striking minimalist generic style artwork, 'Album' arrived in February 1986. Written by John Lydon and produced with Bill Laswell (with music for some tracks co-written with Jebin Bruni and Mark Schulz from the 1984-85 PiL live band) the album was recorded in Autumn 1985 in New York with prolific session players such as Steve Vai, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tony Williams and the legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker. The album only took three weeks to record, followed by a week of mixing. John Lydon later remarked that 'Album' was, "almost like a solo album" as he was working on his own with several hired musicians. Jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman came into the studio while the album was being recorded and commented that Lydon sang like he played the saxophone. Lydon said it was, "still the best thing anyone's ever said to me." 'Album' peaked at No.14 in the UK charts and features perhaps the most famous PiL track 'Rise', which peaked at No.11. As well as rare and unreleased mixes from the album and single's the deluxe edition includes the original demos recorded pre-Laswell with the 1984-85 PiL live band all of which are previously unheard. Two 12” mixes of John Lydon's groundbreaking collaboration with hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa are also included as bonus tracks.

Last year PiL released their 10th studio album 'What The World Needs Now…'. The 11-track album followed the huge critical success of 2012's 'This is PiL', the band's first album in 17 years. 'What The World Needs Now' peaked at No.29 in the official UK album charts and picked up fantastic acclaim from both press and public. (The album also peaked at number 3 in the official UK indie charts and number 4 in the official UK vinyl charts). It was self-funded by PiL and released on their own label 'PiL Official' via Cargo UK Distribution.

Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential bands of all time, PiL's music and vision earned them 5 UK Top 20 singles and 5 UK Top 20 albums. With a shifting line-up and unique sound, John Lydon guided the band from their debut album 'First Issue' in 1978 through to 1992's 'That What Is Not'. After a 17 year hiatus, Lydon reactivated PiL in 2009 by taking them back on the road worldwide.

John Lydon, Lu Edmonds, Scott Firth and Bruce Smith continue as PiL. They are the longest stable line-up in the band's history.

PiL have just announced another run of and UK and European tour dates. Details below.

UK/European Tour Dates

Salisbury, City Hall, UK, Tuesday, November 15th 2016 
Tickets on sale now

Leamington Spa, The Assembly, UK, Wednesday, November 16th 2016 
Tickets on sale now

Birmingham, O2 Institute, UK, Friday, November 18th 2016 
Tickets on sale now

Leicester, O2 Academy, UK, Saturday, November 19th 2016 
Tickets on sale now

Sinner's Day Festival, Hasselt, Belgium, Sunday, November 20th 2016
Tickets on sale now

 

 

Metal Box super-deluxe box set full tracklisting

Metal Box 4 CD

CD 1: Metal Box
CD 2: B-sides, mixes & radio sessions
CD 3: Unreleased Mixes
CD 4: Live at Manchester, Russell's Club (The Factory) 18/6/79

Disc 1:
Remastered album
1. Albatross
2. Memories
3. Swan Lake (Death Disco)
4. Poptones
5. Careering
6. No Birds Do Sing
7. Graveyard
8. The Suit
9. Bad Baby
10. Socialist
11. Chant
12. Radio 4

Disc 2:
B-sides, mixes & radio sessions
1. Death Disco (7” edit)
2. Death Disco 12”
3. Half Mix / Megga Mix (b-side)
4. Death Disco - BBC TV, Top of the Pops July 12.7.72
5. Memories 12”
6. Another (b-side)
7. Poptones - BBCRadio 1, John Peel Sessions 1979
8. Careering - BBC Radio 1, John Peel Sessions 1979
9. Chant - BBC Radio 1, John Peel Sessions 1979
10. Poptones - BBC TV, Old Grey Whistle Test 5/2/80 (audio)
11. Careering - BBC TV, Old Grey Whistle Test 5/2/80 (audio)
12. Pied Piper (rare compilation-only track)

Disc 3:
Unreleased Mixes
1. Poptones (version 3) (unreleased)
2. Swan Lake (monitor mix)
3. Albatross (monitor mix) (alternative mix)
4. Swan Lake (“master”) (alternative mix) (unreleased)
5. Unknown INST Jam 1 (“Chant”) (unreleased)
6. Unknown Jam 2 (“Megachant”) (unreleased)
7. Music from an Oven (aka Memories) (unreleased)
8. Radio 4 (“symphony suite”) (unreleased)
9. Home is Where The Heart is (original mix) (unreleased)
10. Unknown INST 2 (unreleased)

Disc 4:
Live at Manchester, Russell's Club (The Factory) 18/6/79 (unreleased)
1. Chant
2. Swan Lake (aka Death Disco)
3. Memories
4. Public Image
5. Annalisa
6. No Birds Do Sing

Metal Box 4 LP

LP 1: Metal Box
LP 2: Metal Box (continued)
LP 3: Live at Manchester, Russell's Club (The Factory) 18/6/79
LP 4: Rare Mixes and BBC Radio Sessions

LP 1 & 2:
'Metal Box' studio album

Disc 1 (side 1):
Albatross
Memories

Disc 1 (side 2):
Swan Lake (Death Disco)
Poptones
Careering

Disc 2 (side 1):
No Birds Do Sing
Graveyard
The Suit

Disc 2 (side 2):
Bad Baby
Socialist
Chant
Radio 4

LP 3:
Live at Manchester, Russell's Club (The Factory) 18/6/79 (unreleased)

Disc 3 (side 1):
Chant
Swan Lake (aka Death Disco)
Memories

Disc 3 (side 2)
Public Image
Annalisa
No Birds Do Sing

LP 4:
Rare Mixes & BBC Session

Disc 4 (side 1):
Swan Lake (monitor mix)
Albatross (monitor mix)

Disc 4 (side 2):
BBC Radio 1, John Peel Sessions 1979
Poptones
Careering
Chant

Album super-deluxe box set full tracklisting

Album 4 CD

CD 1: Album
CD 2: Live at Brixton Academy 27.5.86
CD 3: Various, mixes & outtakes etc
CD 4: Original 1985 Album demos

Disc 1:
Remastered album
1. FFF
2. Rise
3. Fishing
4. Round
5. Bags
6. Home
7. Ease

Disc 2:
Live at Brixton Academy 27.5.86 (unreleased)
1. Kashmir
2. FFF
3. Low Life
4. Fishing
5. Poptones
6. Pretty Vacant
7. Banging the Door
8. Flowers of Romance
9. Bags
10. Round
11. Home
12. Public Image
13. Rise
14. Annalisa

Disc 3:
Various, mixes & outtakes etc
1. Things in E (aka Ease) (alternative Laswell mix) (1986) (unreleased)
2. Rise (7” edit)
3. Rise (instrumental)
4. Home (7” edit)
5. Rise (Bob Clearmountain remix)
6. Home - BBC TV, Old Grey Whistle Test 20/5/86 (audio)
7. Round - BBC TV, Old Grey Whistle Test 20/5/86 (audio)

Bonus Tracks
1.Time Zone - World Destruction (12”)
2.Time Zone - World Destruction (Industrial Remix)

Disc 4:
Original 1985 Album demos
1. Animal (unreleased)
2. Black Rubber Bags (aka Bags) (unreleased)
3. European Cars (aka Round) (unreleased)
4. Fairwell Fairweather Friend (aka FFF) (unreleased)
5. Pearls Before Swine (aka Fishing) (unreleased)
6. Things in E (aka Ease) (instrumental) (unreleased)
7. Ben Hur (unreleased) (instrumental) (unreleased)
8. Cats (unreleased) (instrumental) (unreleased)
9. Have a Nice Day (unreleased) (instrumental) (unreleased)
10. Untitled 3 (unreleased) (instrumental) (unreleased)
11. Pearls Before Swine (aka Fishing) (alternate mix) (incomplete) (unreleased)

 

Album 4 LP

LP 1: Album
LP 2: Original 1985 Album demos
LP 3: Various, mixes & outtakes etc 1
LP 4: Various, mixes & outtakes etc 2

LP1:
'Album' studio album

Disc 1 (side 1):
FFF
Rise
Fishing
Round

Disc 1 (side 2):
Bags
Home
Ease

LP2:
Original 1985 Album demos

Disc 2 (side 1):
Animal (unreleased)
Black Rubber Bags (aka Bags) (unreleased)
European Cars (aka Round) (unreleased)

Disc 2 (side 2):
Fairwell Fairweather Friend (aka FFF) (unreleased)
Pearls Before Swine (aka Fishing) (unreleased)
Things in E (aka Ease) (instrumental) (unreleased)

LP3:
Various, mixes & outtakes etc 1

Disc 3 (side 1):
Things in E (Ease) (alternative Laswell mix) (unreleased)

Disc 3 (side 2):
Rise (7” edit)
Rise (instrumental)
Home (7” edit)

LP4:
Various, mixes & outtakes etc 2

Disc 4 (side 1):
Home - BBC Old Grey Whistle Test 20/5/86
Round - BBC, Old Grey Whistle Test 20/5/86
Rise (Bob Clearmountain remix)

Disc 4 (side 2):
Time Zone - World Destruction (12”)
Time Zone - World Destruction (Industrial Remix)

 

ENDS

For further information please contact Alix Wenmouth at Wasted Youth PR on 0203 227 0430 or email alix@wastedyouthpr.com