Metal Box is one of my new favourite albums. My favourite song is “Albatross” – the first one. I got it on CD in the metal box, which looks ace (does anyone know if Malcom Garrett was involved?). What is your favourite PIL song from Metal Box, and please do tell us all what you think about this under rated and very very good band.
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PUBLIC IMAGE (pil)
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i would have to say that is my fav. song also. Careening or, however you spell it, has been getting plenty of play as of late. Anybody happen to know what jah wobble is up to?
METAL BOX is one of the very greatest albums of all-time, in my opinion. While Albatross is perhaps runner-up, The Suit is my favorite song off the album. PIL is a superb band - their extremely unique sensibility and sound makes them one of the most amazing bands from an amazing time in pop music history. The way they take totally disparate styles (dub, disco, post-punk) and create this incredibly synthesized approach to music is mind-boggling to me. METAL BOX is the height of their creativity and song-writing. Good post. 
Good to see there are some hardcore Lydon fans here, his new 2 cd Best of £1 should put PIL back in the spotlight. 
PIL is one of the 3 bands I've seen more than once Peter murphy,No are the other two.I missed the BAD/PIL tour.Wasn't PIL the band the lead singer was famous for flashing his sphincter on stage?
The whole thing's great, but Poptones never ceases to amaze me, always assumed it was sung by the POV of a corpse, the rolling and chiming rhythms, along with Lydon's vocal quirks, have always held my attention.
Once again, with PiL, their appearance on American Bandstand singing that song and inviting the audience up on stage, was one of the best moments of televison ever.
Last album I bought by them however was The Commercial Zone, Keith Levene's version of the This Is What You Want album.
Despite all their brilliant, more innovative tracks, my very favorite cut of theirs is Public Image. The lyrics are incredible - very unique for a track of that sort - and make such a powerful statement, a manifesto for the band, if you will. John Lydon is a smart guy. But just the energy of that track and its use of anger as a catalyst for positive change is ace. :D
CAKE - CLOCK - ZWART wrote: Metal Box is one of my new favourite albums. My favourite song is “Albatross” – the first one. I got it on CD in the metal box, which looks ace (does anyone know if Malcom Garrett was involved?). What is your favourite PIL song from Metal Box, and please do tell us all what you think about this under rated and very very good band.
No Malcolm Garrett involvement - I think it was John Lydon and Dennis Morris that came up with the concept when they saw some old film cannisters lying around. Most of the original vinyl editions are very rusty these days. An ace quality soundboard boot of PiL at the Factory in June 79 turned up last year and is well worth tracking down. Fave song? Careering, Swan Lake, No Birds, Albatross, Radio 4 and Poptones - can't choose just one!
Philip Collins wrote:
CAKE - CLOCK - ZWART wrote: Metal Box is one of my new favourite albums. My favourite song is “Albatross” – the first one. I got it on CD in the metal box, which looks ace (does anyone know if Malcom Garrett was involved?). What is your favourite PIL song from Metal Box, and please do tell us all what you think about this under rated and very very good band.
No Malcolm Garrett involvement - I think it was John Lydon and Dennis Morris that came up with the concept when they saw some old film cannisters lying around. Most of the original vinyl editions are very rusty these days. An ace quality soundboard boot of PiL at the Factory in June 79 turned up last year and is well worth tracking down. Fave song? Careering, Swan Lake, No Birds, Albatross, Radio 4 and Poptones - can't choose just one!
I remember reading a quote from Lydon in the PLASTIC BOX liner notes that they chose the film canister design because they felt that film was the future and the most modern artistic medium or something along those lines. Unfortunately I don't have my copy with me at the moment (and it's across the Atlantic Ocean), but it's worth tracking down. I think the whole concept is brilliant. God, they were an amazing band.
