Retro Spins: Public Image Ltd - The Flowers Of Romance

I started picking up Public Image Ltd. (PiL) albums around the same time that I grabbed my first few from The Psychedelic Furs. Admittedly, I'm not hopeful for something that's going to blow me away. My knowledge of the band is minimal; having found a handful of tracks from them enjoyable during my many listening sessions of the 10,000 eighties songs playlist I found online a while ago.

Did that mean I had to rush out and get their entire 80's discography? Probably not. Do I suspect I'm going to regret it? Yeah, I kind of do. Deep down, I know that if I were to really go through my CD collection, I could probably whittle it down considerably. My biggest hangup being that I don't want to, and I suppose that's okay. For now, anyway, since space hasn't become a deadlock issue. But yes. I suppose there are a lot of albums on that shelf that I simply don't need or honestly want after hearing them. Let's see if the next five Retro Spins qualify for those categories, kicking it off with Public's 1981 released, The Flowers Of Romance.

Founder, John Lydon, had already rooted himself in the punk scene as lead singer Johnny Rotton of the nefarious Sex Pistols. However, when the group suddenly disbanded after just one studio album, he found himself headed to Jamaica with head of Virgin Records, Richard Branson. Initially, Branson, who also flew the band Devo out to the island country, wanted to install Lydon into their band as the new lead singer. Devo declined.

With no luck abroad, Lydon returned to the UK and placed advertisements for members. Additionally, he approached his old friend, Jah Wobble, to join. The problem, however, was that Wobble was not an established player. Instead, much like he had with Sid Vicious, Lydon felt he would pick it up as they went, which he proved to do.

Another friend, Keith Levene, who had worked with The Clash until 1976, was asked to join, and accepted. The group would then be rounded out by Jim Walker, a newly arrived Canadian student to the UK, who answered the add in Melody Maker.

The four would begin rehearsing, soon adopting the name Public Image, and adding Ltd. in July of 1978. They debuted in October with their single, Public Image, a song written by Lydon while still with the Pistols and discussed his feelings of being exploited by their manager Malcolm McLaren. The song would become successful in the UK, reaching number nine on the UK Singles Chart. It would also start some buzz in the USA upon being imported over. This was followed by their debut, Public Image: First Issue.

Walker would depart the band, making way for a series of drummers who also came and went, and three of which contributed to their follow-up album, Metal Box (1979); David Humphrey, Richard Dudanski, and Martin Atkins. The latter would say in 2001 that recording sessions were chaotic, with his audition for the band actually being the recording session for what would become the singe, Bad Baby.

PiL would have a series of contentious live shows between 1980 and 1981. Among them was their infamous appearance on American Bandstand, where the band abandoned lip syncing, and instead invited the audience on stage. Despite what one would think, Dick Clark would name it among his one hundred favorite Bandstand performances.

Consisting of Lydon, Levene, Wobble, and Atkin at this point, the band released the 1980 Live album, Paris au Printemps. However, shortly after its release, Wobble would depart. Because the band didn't formally replace him, their 1981 released, The Flowers Of Romance, was noted for its complete lack of bass.

The combination of Atkins' propulsive marching band-style drumming, the lack of bass and guitar, and Lydon's increasing lyrical abstraction made this album a difficult listen for rock fans, and contemporary reviews expressed great confusion. Levene would describe it as, "the least commercial record ever delivered to a record company."

Despite this, Flowers would peak at number eleven in the UK, making it another success for the band. The album's title track would be the only single released, and it too would reach a respectable number twenty-four on the UK charts. Though it's worth noting, the single version differed from the album recording.

And after all of the above, we finally jump into today's Retro Spin.

From the above, right off the bat, the album sounds like it's a complete mess. High hopes I do not have.

The opening track, Four Enclosed Walls is actually quite intriguing. Incredibly different from any other type of music I was listening to in the 80's. I think what actually hooks me the most is the drumming, which makes sense to my personal tastes. Though Lydon's chanting got a little annoying, I dug it overall.

This, however, wore thin fast. It became very apparent by track two that PiL wasn't actually delivering any songs. Rather, just ambience. I dare say this album would have been better suites as the soundtrack to Dune.

I'm not going to hate on it because The Flowers Of Romance is definitely unique. However, I do hope that their remaining albums of the decade aren't like this. Otherwise, I see myself tapping out fast. Overall, the album feels like it was done by a group of untalented amateurs, who were afforded some time in a studio, with the end result being nothing coherent.

Drama for PiL would continue, seeing members coming and going, and even a fourth studio album in which the masters were stolen by one of the band's own members. Perhaps, if nothing else, the internal turmoil of the band is more interesting than the actual music. But we'll catch up with that tomorrow.

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