Music: Public Image Ltd

An intimate show in Brighton with John Lydon & co

Formed by Sex Pistols vocalist John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble, whom Lydon had schooled with in the early ‘70s, PiL were a highly influential post-punk band, their second album Metal Box considered one of the best albums of the period. In fact, it made Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums of all time list in 2003.

Much more experimental in sound and structure, Wobble’s droning, slow-tempo and bass-heavy sound is overlaid by Lydon’s distinctive, vituperative rant and Levene’s coruscating guitar.

Lydon has been quoted as saying that Public Image represented his more creative side, while the Sex Pistols were his more rebellious side. He had already expressed his admiration for more experimental music citing such acts as Can, Peter Hammill and Peter Tosh. And their successful fusion of krautrock, dub, punk and avant-garde was a hit – the late ’70s and early ’80s represented a high water mark in British musical creativity, on a par with the late ’60s and never quite reached again.

PiL continued to release albums, veering towards a more metal and dance sound, and scored more hits in the shape of This I Not A Love Song and Rise before disbanding in 1992. Their reformation took place in 2009 (Lydon financed the reunion using money he earned doing the Country Life butter adverts) and their first studio album in 20 years, This Is PiL, was released earlier this year.

PiL, Wednesday 15–Thursday 16 August, Concorde 2, 7.30pm, £25