Public Image: First Issue

Public Image: First Issue
Studio album by Public Image Ltd
Released 8 December 1978
Recorded July–November 1978
Studio
Genre
Length 39:54
Label Virgin
Producer Public Image Ltd
Public Image Ltd chronology
Public Image: First Issue
(1978)
Metal Box
(1979)

Public Image: First Issue is the debut studio album by English rock band Public Image Ltd, released in 1978 by record label Virgin.

It is considered a pioneering record in the development of post-punk.[1]

Recording

"Public Image"

"Public Image", the debut single, was recorded first. Recording started on a Monday in mid-July 1978 (most probably 10 or 17 July) at Advision Studios[2] with engineer John Leckie and assistant engineer Kenneth Vaughan Thomas. For mixing and overdubs the band then went into Wessex Studios[3] with engineer Bill Price and assistant engineer Jeremy Green.

On Saturday, 22 July 1978 the music press reported that the band had been in the recording studio,[6] the following week Virgin Records announced the release of PIL's debut single for 8 September 1978.[7]

"Theme", "Religion", "Annalisa"

The whole of the first side of the record was then recorded in autumn at Townhouse Studios[8] and The Manor Studio[9] with engineer Mick Glossop.[10]

"Low Life", "Attack", "Fodderstompf"

The last three songs on the second side were recorded at Gooseberry Sound Studios[11] with engineer Mark Lusardi[12] and assistant engineer Jon Caffery,[13] a cheap reggae studio used because the band had run out of money. Lydon knew the studio from the recording of Sex Pistols demos in January 1977.
By late September 1978 the recording of the album was finished.[14] The band had briefly considered putting an alternative version of "Public Image" with different lyrics on the album, a plan that was finally rejected.[15]
In November or December 1978, Wobble and Levene returned to Gooseberry Sound Studios to record a 12 inch EP Steel Leg V. The Electric Dread with guest vocalists Vince Bracken and Don Letts.

Final mix of the album

For the final mix of the album tracks, the band returned to Townhouse Studios with engineer Mick Glossop: “I do remember working on those other three [Gooseberry Studio] tracks, but I can't remember exactly what I did - probably mixing.”[16]

Content

“Theme”:


“Religion I”:


“Religion II”:


“Annalisa”:


“Public Image”:


“Low Life”:


“Fodderstompf”:

Related tracks

“The Cowboy Song” (single B-side):

“You Stupid Person” (unreleased instrumental demo):

"Steel Leg V. The Electric Dread":[45]

'Public Image' promo video

In August 1978 a promotion video for the upcoming single "Public Image" was shot by Peter Clifton's production company Notting Hill Studio Limited, which had just completed The Punk Rock Movie.

The promo video was released on 15 September 1978 and shown on British TV two times in October 1978.[52][53] In December 1986 it was released on VHS,[54] in October 2005 on DVD.[55]

Release

It entered the UK Albums Chart, where it stayed for 11 weeks and reached #22 on 23 December 1978.[56] The single “Public Image” entered the UK Top 75, where it stayed for 8 weeks and reached #9 on 21 October 1978.[56]

In New Zealand, Public Image – First Issue entered the Top 50 Albums Chart, where it stayed for 2 weeks and reached #18 on 25 January 1979.[57]

In 1979, the NME reported that a court in Malta had stopped the album being sold because the lyrics of “Religion” offended public morals and decency.[58]

Cancelled American release

On 9 February 1979, Warner Bros. Recording Studios in North Hollywood manufactured a test pressing of the album for PiL's United States label Warner Bros. Records.[59] The sound of the record was considered as too uncommercial for an American release and PiL were asked to re-record parts of the album.[60] Although the band recorded new versions of some tracks between March and May 1979,[61] the album was never released in the US. Only in 1980 Warners released the song “Public Image” on the compilation album “Troublemakers”, the only album track released in the US until the 2013 release of the entire album.[62]

On 18 June 2013, the album was finally officially released in the US via Light in the Attic Records.[63]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Clash9/10[64]
Pitchfork9.0/10[65]
Smash Hits5/10[66]
Martin C. Strong9/10[67]

Upon its release, Public Image: First Issue was critically panned.[1]

It is now considered a groundbreaking post-punk classic. Pitchfork Media stated "First Issue's industrial-strength stompers anticipate the scabrous art-punk of the Jesus Lizard and Slint, while Levene’s guitar curlicues on “Public Image” are the stuff Daydream Nations are made of."[65] It is, along with Metal Box, included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[68]

Legacy

"Public Image was very important record for me," said Mattie Safer of The Rapture, "because it showed you could be aggressive and weird and different without being anti-melodic, or have to play as fast as possible. It showed that you didn't have to compartmentalise music."[69]

Track listing

All lyrics written by John Lydon, all music composed by Public Image Ltd.

No. Title Length
1. "Theme"   9:05
2. "Religion I"   1:40
3. "Religion II"   5:40
4. "Annalisa"   6:00
5. "Public Image"   2:58
6. "Low Life"   3:35
7. "Attack"   2:55
8. "Fodderstompf"   7:40

Personnel

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lewis, Uncle Dave. "Public Image: First Issue – Public Image Ltd. | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  2. Advision Studios (23 Gosfield Street, London W1)
  3. Wessex Sound Studios (106A Highbury Park, London N5)
  4. Robert Webb: “The Story Of The Song 'Public Image'” (The Independent, 12 December 2003)
  5. Nick Hasted: “The Making Of 'Public Image' By PIL” (Uncut, October 2008)
  6. “T-Zers Goes Camping” (New Musical Express, 22 July 1978, page 55)
  7. “Rotten's Return” (Melody Maker, 29 July 1978, front page)
  8. Townhouse Studios (150 Goldhawk Road, London W12)
  9. The Manor Studio (Shipton Manor, Shipton-on-Cherwell OX5)
  10. Mick Glossop Discography 1970-1979 (Mick Glossop Music Production official website)
  11. Gooseberry Sound Studios (19 Gerrard Street, London W1)
  12. Phil Strongman: “Marking 25 Years Of Mark Angelo - The Mark Angelo Boss Has Seen It All: Punk, Reggae, Cockroaches” (Pro Sound News Europe website, 1 December 2004)
  13. Andreas Hub: “Produzenten in Deutschland: Jon Caffery” (Fachblatt Musikmagazin, Germany, October 1990, pages 68-75)
  14. Recorded in England Sept. '78 (album sleeve note)
  15. 1 2 3 4 Chris Brazier: “The Danceable Solution” (Melody Maker, 28 October 1978)
  16. message from Mick Glossop (6 February 2011)
  17. “Public Image Limited” (Muziekkrant OOR, January 1979)
  18. 1 2 3 4 Jason Gross: “Keith Levene Interview by Jason Gross, Part 2 of 4” (Perfect Sound Forever website, May 2001)
  19. Bonnie Simmons: “Sid Vicious and John Lydon Radio Interview” (KSAN radio station, San Francisco, 14 January 1978)
  20. Barry Cain: “Images of Public Image” (Record Mirror, 4 November 1978)
  21. San Antonio (Randy's Rodeo) 8 January 1978
  22. John Lydon: “Rotten - No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs” (St. Martin's Press 1994, page 247)
  23. Bob Gruen and Joe Stevens took pictures of this at the Sex Pistols soundcheck in Dallas (Longhorn Ballroom), 10 January 1978
  24. Jon Savage: “The England's Dreaming Tapes” (Faber and Faber 2009, page 229)
  25. Jon Savage: “England's Dreaming” (Faber and Faber paperback 1992, page 451)
  26. Joe Stevens: “Sex Pistols US Tour January 5–14, 1978” (Uncut, February 2011 / Stevens incorrectly states that his photo was taken in Baton Rouge, when in fact the band is shown in front of a Longhorn Ballroom backdrop)
  27. Jon Savage: “The England's Dreaming Tapes” (Faber and Faber 2009, page 176)
  28. 1 2 John Robb: “Jah Wobble and Keith Levene Play Metal Box in Dub : The Interview” (Louderthanwar.com website, 4 February 2012)
  29. Phil Strongman: “John Lydon’s Metal Box – The Story Of Public Image Ltd.” (Helter Skelter, 2007, page 78)
  30. Jah Wobble: “Memoirs of a Geezer” (Serpent's Tail, 2009, page 85)
  31. John Lydon linernotes (Public Image Ltd.: “Plastic Box” compilation, Virgin Records, 1999)
  32. Phil Strongman: “John Lydon’s Metal Box – The Story Of Public Image Ltd.” (Helter Skelter, 2007, pages 84-85)
  33. Simon Reynolds: “Totally Wired: Postpunk Interviews and Overviews” (Soft Skull Press, 2009, page 20)
  34. Chris Salewicz: “Johnny's Immaculate Conception” (New Musical Express, 23 December 1978)
  35. 1 2 3 Karsten Roekens: Jim Walker Interview” (Fodderstompf.com website, September 2001)
  36. Tony Dale: “Long Hair? Suspicious? Moi?” (Fodderstompf.com website, site update 27 August 2004)
  37. Simon Reynolds: “Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978-1984” (Faber and Faber, 2005, page 13)
  38. 1 2 Jah Wobble: “Memoirs of a Geezer” (Serpent's Tail, 2009, page 88)
  39. Robin Banks: “We Only Wanted to Be Loved” (ZigZag, December 1978)
  40. Phil Strongman: “John Lydon’s Metal Box – The Story Of Public Image Ltd.” (Helter Skelter, 2007, page 74)
  41. Scott Murphy: “Jah Wobble Interview” (The Filth and The Fury #9 fanzine, April 1999)
  42. Phil Strongman: “John Lydon’s Metal Box – The Story Of Public Image Ltd.” (Helter Skelter, 2007, page 60)
  43. Rollerball Rehearsal Studios (75-81 Tooley Street, London SE1), PIL's rehearsal studio had a 4-track on which they also recorded “Graveyard” for their follow-up album Metal Box
  44. Scott Murphy: “John Lydon Interview” (Fodderstompf.com website, January 2004)
  45. Don Letts, Stratetime Keith, Steel Leg, Jah Wobble: “Steel Leg V. The Electric Dread” 12-inch single (Virgin Records, released December 1978)
  46. Jim McCarthy: “Jah Invades This Space” (Deadline, October 1988)
  47. Don Letts, David Nobakht: “Culture Clash - Dread Meets Punk Rockers” (SAF Publishing, 2007, pages 104-105)
  48. Phil Strongman: “John Lydon’s Metal Box – The Story Of Public Image Ltd.” (Helter Skelter, 2007, page 77)
  49. Peter Clifton: “Film Producer's Commentary” (The Punk Rock Movie - Widescreen Special Edition DVD, EMI 2006)
  50. Don Letts, David Nobakht: “Culture Clash - Dread Meets Punk Rockers” (SAF Publishing 2007, pages 119,178)
  51. Charlotte Wylie: “But Everyone Knew Him As Rotten” (Trouser Press, May 1979)
  52. Saturday Night People (London Weekend Television Saturday, 21 October 1978)
  53. Top of the Pops (BBC1 Thursday, 26 October 1978)
  54. Public Image Ltd.: “Videos” VHS cassette (Virgin Music Video December 1986)
  55. John Lydon: “The Best Of British £1♫'s” DVD (EMI October 2005)
  56. 1 2 Theofficialcharts.com website
  57. Charts.org.nz website
  58. “T-Zers” column (New Musical Express, 1 September 1979)
  59. Ebay auction details on Popsike website
  60. Mikal Gilmore: “John Lydon Improves His Public Image” (Rolling Stone, 1 May 1980)
  61. Scott Murphy: “David Humphrey Interview” (Fodderstompf.com website April 2004)
  62. Various Artists: “Troublemakers” (Warner Bros. Records, US, released 10 July 1980 / release date according to United States Copyright Office website)
  63. First Issue
  64. "Public Image Ltd - First Issue / The Flowers Of Romance". Clash. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  65. 1 2 Berman, Stuart (June 24, 2013). "Public Image Ltd.: First Issue: | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  66. Starr, Red (8 February 1979). "Albums". Smash Hits: 25.
  67. Strong, Martin. The Great Rock Discography 7th Edition, Ratings 1-10. ISBN 978-1841956152.
  68. 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2013 edition). Robert Dimery. page 406
  69. Mojo, date unknown
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