I spoke with John Lydon about Public Image Ltd's upcoming US tour & new documentary Public Image is Rotten on its premiere date, September 13th.
PiL's story is rather complex, involving as Lydon says "49 members" and some quite drastic changes in musical direction over the years. Public Image is Rotten is the most complete document of the band I have ever seen. Decidedly Lydon's "truth", it is however, refreshing for this singularly important band to get its due, without being a tacked on extension of the Sex Pistols story.
The Public Image is Rotten North American Tour opens in New Orleans on October 9th, with a stop at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse (the closest date to us) the following night, Wednesday, October 10th.
The Variety Playhouse is one of my favorite Atlanta venues and should make for a hell of an experience.
Mid-80's PiL members Lu Edmonds (The Damned/Mekons) on guitar and drummer Bruce Smith (Slits/The Pop Group) along with 2009 addition Scott Firth (Elvis Costello/Spice Girls) on bass make up the current Public Image line-up that has now been together nearly a decade, and is the bands longest running.
Tour info at pilofficial.com
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Guitarist Lu Edmonds.
I took the accompanying photographs at the 2015 Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, coming up once again this Halloween weekend in New Orleans.
Drummer Bruce Smith.