Public Image Ltd.* – The Flowers Of Romance

Ever heard the adage, "a band can only be as good as it's drummer"?. Well this one is a genius. Let him steer the ship, and put John Lydon's voice and couragous vision on top, and you've got a unique, nighmarishly brilliant disc.

Imidiately in my TOP records of all time - 10 out of fat 10.

If I knew how to drive I'd love to blare this on my car stereo with my windows down just to prove a point.

According to Rate Your Music, the Disky pressing of the CD (VI 646422) was released in 2001.

I was at an event in Hollywood last night (Sept. 28 2018) with Martin Atkins commenting on his (forthcoming) book about his time in PiL. Nick Launay was there and he said the UK first pressings (5,000 copies I think he said?) do not have the "Thanks to Nick Launay for being a great engineer" text on the bottom middle edge of the back cover. Apparently all pressings outside the UK have the credit. There you go, trainspotters - how to find a UK first press.

I came across a reference to a promo cassette issued for the 1984/5 Australian tour, anyone know any more?

Named after Sid Vicious' group before he joined The Pistols. Fantastic release.

PiL's finest hour or 31:24 if my math(s) is any good, and not a Wobble in sight! Levene and Atkins shine while Lydon does his best to try and spoil the proceedings (as usual!). Makes Metal Box sound like "pop" music. Probably the last proper PiL album much as I rate "Album" and the semi legendary "Commercial zone". Would be laughable if it weren't so sad that Lydon seems to think that he IS PiL. THIS IS PiL!

Moody, tribal, subversive music. A great piece of art.

Expertly, delightfully, exquisitely deranged pop music. The sound and the odd-ball patterns of the drums are very prominent in most of the "songs" and is very minimal and machine-like in nature, almost as if anticipating the wave of electro and hip-hop music produced with "real" drum machines. Guitar and bass, when present at all, are mostly ornamental in nature. Leaving most of the songs up to the drums and the characteristic Lydon vocals. A thoroughly successful and genuine exploration of the possibilities of pop music. He who dares wins.

Excellent musical company could be found in Einstürzende Neubauten's Kollaps album also from 1981 and the more delicate but evenly compelling B-2 Unit album by Riuichi Sakamoto from 1980. Pop music at its most adventurous.