John Lydon's Metal Box: The Story of Public Image Ltd [Hardcover]

Phil Strongman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006

In between fronting rock’s most iconoclastic group, the Sex Pistols, and reemerging in the twenty-first century as a reality TV hero on I’m A Celebrity, Lydon led Public Image Ltd., who merged disco, funk, and industrial punk to create coruscating soundscapes with catchy tunes—from “Death Disco” and “Flowers of Romance” to “Rise” and “This Is Not A Love Song”—and caused riots at their gigs. This is Public Image Ltd.’s terrifying story.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Phil Strongman is a freelance writer and an acclaimed author who has written for a number of UK rock magazines and has written books on John Lennon and Cocaine. He has also worked for a number of punk record labels.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Helter Skelter Publishing (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1900924668
• ISBN-13: 978-1900924665
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,210,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The "truth" about PiL, but not including Lydon's version..., April 19, 2009

By 

Charles Miller "objective clarity" (Baltimore, Maryland U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: John Lydon's Metal Box: The Story of Public Image Ltd (Hardcover)

...if there is one.

This book is about as thorough as possible with regards to the story of Public Image Ltd without the input of it's longest-lived member, John Lydon. Therefore, much of it's anti-Lydon spin must be taken with a grain of salt. However, since the vast majority of the other contributors, which are impressively well in excess of 50% of the people involved (Keith Levene, Jah Wobble, Jim Walker, etc.), it can't be ignored either. It isn't a bash-Lydon book, but some former band members had some significant problems with him, as they did with each other. Different versions of the same incidents makes for interesting reading.

A book by Lydon would be very welcomed to balance all that is contained within this volume, however, whether or not he is a "nice" person or not is irrelevant... it's the music that matters. The true value of this presently reviewed title does not lie in the personality conflicts beyond how they might have impacted that final product. It's real worth lies in the fact that it is the first title to attempt an in-depth look at one of post-punk's most important bands, Public Image Limited. The fact that much of it's contents are from interviews with former members yields an authenticity to it not found elsewhere. There are details regarding how and why songs were written, under what circumstances the tracks were recorded, who was involved, and as importantly, who not and why. After reading this, I learned more about this band than I've known since 1978 when I first heard and started collecting PiL albums... quite an achievement.

This book also includes a good discography of PiL and solo material from 1977 to 2004 as well as some rarely seen photographs of the early members.

Highly recommended with the one caveat that Lydon's input is missing (and the book's title is sort of misleading). But considering who and what it does contain, certainly there is much truth within. And for sheer entertainment value, it is well-assembled and hard to put down.

4.0 out of 5 stars gossiping gitts, August 21, 2011

By 

the legendary h (usa) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: John Lydon's Metal Box: The Story of Public Image Ltd (Hardcover)

hey when lydon turns around will someone pull the knife outta his back
a well versed lesson on how 2 stab your mate n the back
cackling hens n the hen house and not 1 a female
the inquirer , the globe , the gossip
now looking out 4 number 1
loved every juicy paragraph
look out johnny here comes another knife!!!!!
man,,,that was close
filled with all the things enquiry minds wanna know

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars so far..., September 25, 2007

By 

Vanessa Reyes "punk rock goddess" (florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John Lydon's Metal Box: The Story of Public Image Ltd (Hardcover)

i am half way thru and so far so good,theres alot of new public image info that i did not know,and the interviews with keith levene and jim walker are fair and revealing.