Lost his mother and then Sid, heartbreaking. Unbelievably strong and unique individual. Legendary.

I agree! PiL are underrated and deserve more credit then they get. A really awesome post punk band.

This was a very different and original song in 1979, when the second generation punks were trying to be John. Meanwhile here was John being himself.

First 'punk' song I ever heard, aged 7. I didn't even know what punk was, I just liked this strange little song. I still don't know how Keith Levene made all those sounds with just a guitar. Rest in Power.

I don't think Lydon gets enough (or at least the right kind) of credit. People are always trashing him and saying he's a poseur, sellout, what have you...But he really shaped the face of punk. He made punk, he has the vision, the words, the music just naturally. PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED is really groundbreaking stuff, in some ways more complex and developed than Sex Pistols, and they lasted longer. They really deserve more credit I think... Well, that's at least a 16-year-old's point of view...

I love the way Jah Wobble always sits on a chair in music videos, whilst playing a bass.

probably the first post-punk band, got to give them credit, especially johnny, absolute legend, the jesus of punk x

I used to fall to sleep to the 12" single - I was 14/15. In my 'art' class I screen printed the PIL logo on t shirts and sold them to class mates - this was Bulwell 1979

100% totally cool John Lydon stage antics. I love the eyes and the passion! Fucking hell!

so young here, but still talks about the impact losing his mom, and to a lesser extent, his dad, made in his life.

Beautiful video, warms the heart. the experiment succeeds and we are the richer for it, thank you johnny

Just amazing!! One of the best songs I've ever heard...and John is incredible in the video...god I love him...I wish I could have been to a PiL or a Pistols' gig...!! 5 stars...keep feeding my Lydon obsession :P

Oh god Johnny, Keith and Wobble are so fucking gorgeous!

the lineup or Lydon, Wobble, Levine was the absolute best

PIL at it's PEAK of perfection!! FUCKING BRILLIANT!

I'm not sure they lasted that much longer. I like to think of PiL as several bands.

Jah's demented smile at :54. Epic.

Keith Levene is amazing.

One of the greatest songs ever made, along with We Are All Prostitute by The Pop Group

Awesome stuff! Thanks for posting it. PIL 4 ever!

"Words are useless"

i love him.

While not my favourite group, i did and could appreciate what they were doing, and good luck to them for it.

awesome,many thanks!

YEP HE IS the Bruce Lee of Punk ,the genuine article

well i hope as a 20 year old now, as it indicates you wrote this 4 years ago, you remain as wise. all the best

Lydon was really cute when he was young.

PIL = Jah Wobble. amazing.

Great bass line

insane song, too good ;)

it's definitely richard dudanski in this video. watch the video for "bad life" if you want to see what martin atkins looks like.

Brilllllliiiiiiant....................

Goddamn I love that Travis Bean

They certainly moved ahead of the game...gotta give that to Lydon.

When PiL first started playing live, Wobble had to sit in a chair because he couldn't really play the bass standing up.

pil at their best!love this song!

yeah-what a ghost-gig ! haunteeeeeeedddd

hum! la disco for ever

🖤

Check out John Lydon's book "Rotten: No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish".

This bleakness spilt into my heart in black 1979, in a wonderful uplifting way. The following year, more horrific than punk, yuppie wannabees Spandau Ballet announced that their music was created as an opposite to Metal Box, which they considered to be the most depressing album ever. To cut a long story short, I head from M Radcliffe the other night that the Ballets are to reperform. And thankfully, like me, Mr Radcliffe, the only true peer to John Peel, albeit he seems to be a duet, scorned.

RIP Tom Snyder

best ever PIL

He was also quoted as to why he stared so much, becauase he couldn't see the audience properly and putting 2+2 together what he said on 7 ages of rock, needing to keep a eye open for flying bottles etc LOL

I agree

man, levine and his travis beans...

Lydons eyes are pointing in different directions. cor, wish I could do that

I thought that disco beat in rock context was unique to SOAD. Guess I was off by a decade or two. They do it well though - Violent Pornography is killer.

Its almost a velvet underground song

Does anybody know the difference between 'Death Disco' and 'Swan Lake'?

I own the UK CD version of Metal Box and it's still called Swan Lake. Do you mean the original vinyl?

early creation talant from pil

lol :D

Wait. This is not the song "Death Disco." I'm the first person on this thread to note this?

uhhuh!!!!

written for his dying mum

I can't compare Public Image with Sex fuckin Pistols but they have some nice songs...like this for example.

more like.... sex-pistols meets iggy pop : ))

skinny and young

Roger wheres the who at THERE