Monganaut wrote:
Public Image Limited - Paris au Printemps. Bought this finally last year, but taken me ages to get to it properly. Despite Lydon's exhortions not to buy it because it's rubbish, it really isn't. Closer Poptones is particularly good. "Wobble would not appear on another PiL album, sadly."
Very sentimental album Paris au Printemps is with me. I got the Metal Box for X-mas 1979 (as an 11 year old) - didn't realise just how much of a time piece that was, just took it for granted. The following X-mas goodies were Joy Div's Closer and PIL's Paris au Printemps. The live stuff with Wobble is the best (a lot of Metal Box was just live in the studio remember). If you can it is worth trying to get hold of some of the live recordings from 1980. There was a more complete Paris recording doing the rounds a few year's back. There are some awesome American tour recordings (LA Olympic Auditorium, NY Palladium) - lots of improvisations, rants, impromptu extended jams etc ... Do not think much of Tokyo, I think by then they were the Johnny Rotten Experience ... but my first proper gig was the 1983 tour (Glasgow Apollo). That album was my major in to early PiL, so have an amazing soft spot for it. Think it's a pretty darn fine performance too. Poptones and Careering are amazing. Much better than Live in Tokyo that's fer sure. What a pitiful performance that is. Mind you, the guy who calles out 'Wanker Shitter' on the Paris Au Pertemps always puts a smile on my face.