History Music / PublicImageLtd

* DoubleMeaningTitle: The title ''Second Edition'' fits this trope on several levels. It's the group's second album, it's the second edition of the album (originally released as a set of 12" singles in a metal film canister as ''Metal Box''), and it's the second edition of the band itself (with original drummer Jim Walker replaced by a variety of session players).

* ''Metal Box'' (1979)
** ''Second Edition'' (1980) (reissue of ''Metal Box'' without the elaborate packaging)

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Album_(Public_Image_Ltd_album) Album]]'', aka ''Compact Disc'' or ''Cassette'', depending on the format.

* AlternativeRock

* ItsBeenDone: Music/{{Flipper}} came out with a "generic album" before [=PiL=] did. Flipper released an LiveAlbum called ''Public Flipper Ltd.'' as a TakeThat.

** "Religion I" is just Lydon reciting the lyrics.

* AvantGardeMusic: Their early music (particularly ''Metal Box'' and ''Flowers of Romance'') was never commercial in the slightest.

** ''Flowers of Romance'' dropped the metallic guitars and thick basslines in favour of ''Music/PeterGabriel 3''-inspired percussion and aural chaos.

* PostRock: One of many arguable [[UrExample Ur-Examples]], especially on ''The Flowers of Romance'' (to the point where Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} outright classifies it as post-rock).

* PostRock: One of many arguable [[UrExample Ur-Examples]], especially on ''Metal Box''.

* ItsBeenDone: Music/{{Flipper}} came out with a "generic album" before [=PiL=] did. Flipper released an album called ''Public Flipper Ltd.'' as a TakeThat.

* AvantGardeMusic: Their music was never commercial in the slightest.

* PostPunk

* UsefulNotes/ATouchOfClassEthnicityAndReligion: Something of a running theme, especially in the early work, rather unsurprisingly given Lydon's Irish Catholic London working class background. Expect digs at the Catholic Church (see also ReligionRantSong, above), and the British class system. On ''Metal Box'', "Careering" and "The Suit" come with a side of AmbitionIsEvil, while "No Birds", "Chant" and "Careering" (again) make digs at the middle classes. (From "Chant": "It's not important/it's not worth a mention in ''[[BritishNewspapers The Guardian]]''... the likes of you and me are an embarrassment". From "Careering": "Both sides of the river/there is bacteria".)

'''Public Image Ltd.''' ([=PiL=] for short) are a PostPunk band (and possibly an UrExample of the genre/aesthetic) formed by Music/JohnLydon in 1978 after his departure from the Music/SexPistols, a move that freed him to pursue his interest in [[AvantGardeMusic experimental music]], [[{{Reggae}} dub]], [[ProgressiveRock prog rock]], and various other types of music that were ''non grata'' in the world of late 70's PunkRock that the Pistols had helped cultivate. The group has gone through a bewildering range of changes of [[RevolvingDoorBand personnel]] and [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly musical styles]], and occasional hiatuses, and at this point effectively consists of [[FaceOfTheBand Lydon]] and whoever else is in the band at the moment.

* ItsBeenDone: Flipper came out with a "generic album" before [=PiL=] did. Flipper released an album called ''Public Flipper Ltd.'' as a TakeThat.
* MadnessMantra: "We only wanted to be loved" from "Fodderstompf".

The band split in 1992, and Lydon attempted a solo career (that only resulted in a single album, ''Psycho's Path'', which bombed) and then reunited The Music/SexPistols. In 2009, Lydon reunited [=PiL=] with a lineup consisting of Lydon, former members Lu Edmonds and Bruce Smith, and multi-instrumentalist Scott Firth. A new album, ''This Is [=PiL=]'', was issued in May 2012.

Studio discography:

* HiddenDepths: People were surprised to find that Johnny Rotten is a fan of ProgRock.

'''Public Image Ltd.''' ([=PiL=] for short) are a PostPunk band (and possibly an UrExample of the genre/aesthetic) formed by Music/JohnLydon in 1978 after his departure from the Music/SexPistols, a move that freed him to pursue his interest in [[AvantGardeMusic experimental music]], dub, prog rock and various other types of music that were ''non grata'' in the world of late 70's PunkRock that the Pistols had helped cultivate. The group has gone through a bewildering range of changes of [[RevolvingDoorBand personnel]] and [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly musical styles]], and occasional hiatuses, and at this point effectively consists of [[FaceOfTheBand Lydon]] and whoever else is in the band at the moment.

The band split in 1992, and Lydon attempted a solo career (that only resulted in a single album, ''Psycho's Path'', which bombed) and then reunited The Music/SexPistols. In 2009, Lydon reunited [=PiL=] with a lineup consisting of Lydon, former members Lu Edmonds and Bruce Smith, and multi-instrumentalist Scott Firth. A new album, ''This is [=PiL=]'', was issued in May 2012.

* ''This is What You Want...This Is What You Get'' (1984)

* ''That What is Not'' (1992)
* ''This is [=PiL=]'' (2012)

--> Which we are now doing very successful-ly"

** B-side "Home is Where the Heart is" is 7:34.

* FlowersOfRomance: The TropeNamer. John Lydon named the song after a band his sometime friend Sid Vicious had led before joining the Music/SexPistols, which itself took its name from Baudelaire's ''Les Fleurs du Mal'' ("the flowers of evil"). "Flowers Of Romance" deals with an imminent breakup:

* GriefSong: "Death Disco", aka "Swan Lake" is about the death of Lydon's mother. This may not be immediately obvious.

** ''This is What You Want, This is What You Get'' was a dance and pop record.

** ''This is [=PiL=]'' returns to the Dub and Krautrock-inspired sound of their early records.

* {{Sampling}}: A loop of John Lydon singing "no future", taken from the Music/SexPistols' "God Save The Queen", shows up near the end of "Acid Drops". And one extended remix of "The Body" uses the oft-sampled drum machine beat of Schoolly D's "PSK (What Does It Mean?)".

* {{Shout Out}}s: Include ''Literature/TheRimeOfTheAncientMariner'' ("Albatross") and Keats' ''La Belle Dame Sans Merci'' ("No Birds")

* TakeThat: It's a band led by Music/JohnLydon. A ''lot'' of things and people get on his nerves. The music industry ("This Is Not A Love Song"), religion (see ReligionRantSong), UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}} and its hotels ("Seattle"), Music/LouReed ("Where Are You"), broadsheet newspapers ("Chant"), UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush ([[FunWithAcronyms "U.S.L.S.1"]]), intrusive fans ("Banging The Door"). Every so often, for variety, he has [[SelfDeprecation a go at himself]], too. And quite a few songs are {{Take That}}s taken to a level of abstraction where you're definitely sure he's having a go at ''something'' or ''someone'', even if you're not sure exactly what or whom.

Public Image Ltd. ([=PiL=] for short) are a PostPunk band (and possibly an UrExample of the genre/aesthetic) formed by John Lydon in 1978 after his departure from the Music/SexPistols, a move that freed him to pursue his interest in experimental music, dub, prog rock and various other types of music that were ''non grata'' in the world of late 70's PunkRock that the Pistols had helped cultivate. The group has gone through a bewildering range of changes of [[RevolvingDoorBand personnel]] and [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly musical styles]], and occasional hiatuses, and at this point effectively consists of [[FaceOfTheBand Lydon]] and whoever else is in the band at the moment.

The group has at various points included, among others, Jah Wobble and Keith Levene (founder members), [[Music/{{Cream}} Ginger Baker]], Steve Vai, and Music/{{Magazine}}'s John [=McGeogh=].

* TakeThat: It's a band led by Johnny Lydon. A ''lot'' of things and people get on his nerves. The music industry ("This Is Not A Love Song"), religion (see ReligionRantSong), UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}} and its hotels ("Seattle"), Music/LouReed ("Where Are You"), broadsheet newspapers ("Chant"), UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush ([[FunWithAcronyms "U.S.L.S.1"]]), intrusive fans ("Banging The Door"). Every so often, for variety, he has [[SelfDeprecation a go at himself]], too. And quite a few songs are {{Take That}}s taken to a level of abstraction where you're definitely sure he's having a go at ''something'' or ''someone'', even if you're not sure exactly what or whom.

* ATouchOfClassEthnicityAndReligion: Something of a running theme, especially in the early work, rather unsurprisingly given Lydon's Irish Catholic London working class background. Expect digs at the Catholic Church (see also ReligionRantSong, above), and the British class system. On ''Metal Box'', "Careering" and "The Suit" come with a side of AmbitionIsEvil, while "No Birds", "Chant" and "Careering" (again) make digs at the middle classes. (From "Chant": "It's not important/it's not worth a mention in ''[[BritishNewspapers The Guardian]]''... the likes of you and me are an embarrassment". From "Careering": "Both sides of the river/there is bacteria".)

* SelfDeprecation: "We only wanted to finish the album with a minimum amount of effort, which we are now doing very successfully!"

* WeUsedToBeFriends: A recurring lyrical theme, even if it seems mostly to be a subtrope of JL's fondness for {{Take That}}s in general ("Disappointed", "FFF" ["Farewell, my Fairweather Friend"][[note]]Towards Keith Levene[[/note]], "Albatross"[[note]]Towards Malcom [=McLaren=][[/note]])

* MadnessMantra: "We only want to be loved" from "Fodderstompf".