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Showing posts with label Metal Box. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Metal Box. Show all posts
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Extrabreit articles/mentions
May 7, 2020
January 1, 2018
December 6, 2015
45 RPMs 8: PIL (Public Image Ltd.) ~ Metal Box
photos by Styrous®
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I've started the Vinyl series because I have a collection of over 20,000 vinyl record albums I am
selling; each blog entry is about an album from my collection. Inquire
for information here.
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There were two Decembers in particular that were good to me in regards to Punk/New Wave music, 1979 and 1983.
Sometime in December of 1979, I came across one of the many exciting and innovative albums produced in the late Punk era. It had just been released the month before but a copy of it was marked down because the cover was slightly "abused." Although I was familiar with the lead singer, I had never heard of the group. I bought it simply because I was intrigued by the packaging (always been a sucker for unique packaging).
Sometime in December of 1979, I came across one of the many exciting and innovative albums produced in the late Punk era. It had just been released the month before but a copy of it was marked down because the cover was slightly "abused." Although I was familiar with the lead singer, I had never heard of the group. I bought it simply because I was intrigued by the packaging (always been a sucker for unique packaging).
The album consists of three untitled 45-rpm
12-inch (30-cm) records . . .
. . . all packaged in a metal box resembling a film
canister with an embossed PIL logo on the lid.
Public Image Ltd. ~ Metal Box back
From Wikipedia . . .
'Public Image Ltd (also known as PiL) is an English post-punk band formed by ex-Sex Pistols singer John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker. Personnel has changed frequently over the ensuing years. Lydon is the sole constant member of the band.
Lydon emerged after the break-up of the Sex Pistols with PiL's Public Image: First Issue (1978). The new band had a more experimental sound: a "droning, slow-tempo, bass-heavy noise rock, overlaid by Lydon's distinctive, vituperative rant". Their early work is often regarded as some of the most challenging and innovative music of the post-punk era. Their 1979 album Metal Box was ranked number 469 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The NME described PiL as "arguably the first post-rock group".'
Public Image Ltd. ~ Metal Box w/liner notes
Metal Box was the second album by PIL. It was originally released in the metal box in an edition of 50,000 copies (plus an extra 10,000 for export). The design for Metal Box was the brainchild of Dennis Morris, photographer and designer. It was later reissued in
more conventional packaging as a double LP set, Second Edition.
Big Black produced an EP, Bulldozer, released in December of 1983, with the first two hundred copies packaged in a galvanized sheet metal sleeve in homage to Metal Box by Public Image Ltd. (see link below).
Packaged in a 12" film can-style metal box. Sides are labelled Metal 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 on the info sheet and Metal 1-A, Metal 1-B, Metal 1-C, Metal 1-D, Metal 1-E and Metal 1-F on the record labels. Includes an A5 size sheet with tracklist and line-up.
Side B ends with a locked groove which repeats the last few seconds of "Swan Lake" endlessly until the needle is lifted from the record. The Runout for 1.B has three lines for the letters "B", the middle of which is superimposed over an "A".
Big Black produced an EP, Bulldozer, released in December of 1983, with the first two hundred copies packaged in a galvanized sheet metal sleeve in homage to Metal Box by Public Image Ltd. (see link below).
Packaged in a 12" film can-style metal box. Sides are labelled Metal 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 on the info sheet and Metal 1-A, Metal 1-B, Metal 1-C, Metal 1-D, Metal 1-E and Metal 1-F on the record labels. Includes an A5 size sheet with tracklist and line-up.
track list
Side B ends with a locked groove which repeats the last few seconds of "Swan Lake" endlessly until the needle is lifted from the record. The Runout for 1.B has three lines for the letters "B", the middle of which is superimposed over an "A".
PIL (Public Image Ltd.) - circa 1978
left to right:
left to right:
photographer unknown
The songs
(Click on title to hear song)
Record 1, side A - Albatross - 10:32
Albatross is early Michael Jackson, Billie Jean (I've wondered if Michael had heard Albatross), with a hard but subtle steel-sounding guitar/synth? It sounds like it's recorded in a silent, echoey machine shop. It has an edge that bites, nicely but it does bite. The John Lydon vocal is sparse, distant and echoey. The guitar does some great stuff during some of the breaks.
Record 1, side B
B1 - Memories - 5:05
B2 - Swan Lake - 4:19
B1 - Memories - 5:05
B2 - Swan Lake - 4:19
Memories starts with a fast bass guitar and bass drum beat that doesn't waste time in gettin' on with it. The tinny, echoey, guitar-sounding synthesizer does some great work in this piece. The vocal by Lydon is typically wacky, off-key and a lot of fun (imagine a mosh pit on steroids).
Swan Lake, the following cut, is a way cool interpretation of the Tchaikovsky work, Swan Lake. The bass guitar hesitantly peeps from around the curtain then leads the gang on to a determined march. Some fantastic instrumentals supporting the incomprehensible vocal of Lydon stroll around and eventually but sporadically bring in the motif. It is very nicely done.
Swan Lake, the following cut, is a way cool interpretation of the Tchaikovsky work, Swan Lake. The bass guitar hesitantly peeps from around the curtain then leads the gang on to a determined march. Some fantastic instrumentals supporting the incomprehensible vocal of Lydon stroll around and eventually but sporadically bring in the motif. It is very nicely done.
Record 2, side C
C1 - Poptones - 7:45
C2 - Careering - 4:32
C1 - Poptones - 7:45
C2 - Careering - 4:32
Poptones is a kind of aimless song but not my favorite in the set. There is some great bass guitar work in it though.
Record 2, side D
D1 - No Birds (Do Sing) - 4:43
D2 - Graveyard - 3:07
D1 - No Birds (Do Sing) - 4:43
D2 - Graveyard - 3:07
No Birds (Do Sing) has a dissonant, disjointed and eerie edge to it that is disturbing, which is what punk was all about.
Graveyard is slow, determined and methodical. It is dark and mysterious. It is a brilliant instrumental; a taste of New Wave at its finest.
Record 3, side E
E1 - The Suit -3:29
E2 - Bad Baby - 4:30
E1 - The Suit -3:29
E2 - Bad Baby - 4:30
The Suit is a weird, more spoken than sung song with Lydon doing some bizarre things but that also is the job of punk.
Bad Baby has a strange double beat with a strange synth in the background and a very strange vocal by Lydon. I guess it's just a strange song.
Socialist is FAST! No foolin' around with this one. At 3:10 I couldn't wait for it to be over. Not good.
Chant is another determined guy. It moves on with a jerky insistent pace that makes me want to march right on out and do something; what, I don't know. 5:01.
Radio 4 starts almost reverently with an organ/synth joined by the bass guitar. It has a subtle waltz tempo and it also is an instrumental. It logs in at 4:24.
Palladium Geneve, Switzerland. 26.10.1986
There is an interview with drummer David Humphrey that was first published on Fodderstompf, in April of 2004 (see link below).
The album was recorded by Virgin Records, Ltd., a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell and Tom Newman in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, the Human League, Culture Club, Simple Minds, Lenny Kravitz, dc Talk, the Smashing Pumpkins, Mike Oldfield, Spice Girls and many other artists. It was later sold to Thorn EMI in 1992.
Wholly owned by Universal Music Group after its purchase of EMI in 2012, UMG absorbed its British operations to create Virgin EMI Records in March 2013, which absorbed Mercury Records UK.
Track listing:
Record 1
Side 1:
A Albatross - 10:32
Side 2:
B1 Memories - 5:05
B2 Swan Lake - 4:19
Record 2
Side 1:
C1 Poptones - 7:45
C2 Careering - 4:32
Side 2:
D1 No Birds - 4:43
D2 Graveyard - 3:07
Record 3
Side 1:
E1 The Suit -3:29
E2 Bad Baby - 4:30
Side 2:
F Socialist/Chant/Radio 4 - 12:31
Track listing:
Record 1
Side 1:
A Albatross - 10:32
Side 2:
B1 Memories - 5:05
B2 Swan Lake - 4:19
Record 2
Side 1:
C1 Poptones - 7:45
C2 Careering - 4:32
Side 2:
D1 No Birds - 4:43
D2 Graveyard - 3:07
Record 3
Side 1:
E1 The Suit -3:29
E2 Bad Baby - 4:30
Side 2:
F Socialist/Chant/Radio 4 - 12:31
Personnel:
- John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten)– vocals, piano (9)
- Keith Levene – guitar, synthesizers, drums (4, 12), bass guitar (12)
- Jah Wobble – bass guitar (except 12), drums (5, 8), piano
- David Humphrey – drums (1, 3)
- Richard Dudanski – drums (2, 6, 7, 10, 11)
- Martin Atkins – drums (9)
- Nick Cook, Hugh Padgham, George Chambers - engineers
- PiL, Dennis Morris - sleeve design and concept
- The Metal Box Company - packaging
Recorded March to October, 1979
Released November 23, 1979
Studios:
- The Manor Studio, Shipton-on-Cherwell
- Townhouse Studios, Advision Studios, Gooseberry Sound Studios & Rollerball Rehearsal Studios, London, England
Length: 60:29
Label: Virgin
Viewfinder link:
John Lydon
Net links:
Big Black ~ Bulldozer
David Humphrey ~ Fodderstompf interview
PIL (Public Image Ltd.) ~ Metal Box on YouTube:
Albatross
Memories
Swan Lake
Poptones
Careering
No Birds
Graveyard
The Suit
Bad Baby
Socialist
Chant
Radio 4
Styrous® ~ Sunday, December 6, 2015
Memories
Swan Lake
Poptones
Careering
No Birds
Graveyard
The Suit
Bad Baby
Socialist
Chant
Radio 4
There was even more innovative work to follow!
Styrous® ~ Sunday, December 6, 2015
September 22, 2012
45 RPMs 1: Big Black ~ Bulldozer
photo of poster by Styrous®
(click on any image to see larger size)
This is an extention of my 20,000 Vinyl LPs 10 series. I have a collection of over 20,000 LP albums I am
selling; each blog entry of the series is about an album from my
collection. For more info, send an email to me, not a comment.
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This blog entry focues mostly about the packaging for Bulldozer. The packing is like nothing ever issued before or since.
Bulldozer is the second EP, released in 1983, by Chicago post-hardcore punk rock band, Big Black. Only the first 200 copies were issued with a galvanized sheet metal album cover and acid etched by the band in tribute to Public Image Ltd.'s Metal Box album (see link below).
Bulldozer is the second EP, released in 1983, by Chicago post-hardcore punk rock band, Big Black. Only the first 200 copies were issued with a galvanized sheet metal album cover and acid etched by the band in tribute to Public Image Ltd.'s Metal Box album (see link below).
photo of galvanized album cover by Styrous®
photo of galvanized album cover by Styrous®
The opening for the song Cables nicely reflects the audio equivalent of twanging metal. You can hear it on YouTube. A great piece of punk/new wave.
The packaging for Bulldozer was pretty elaborate; not only was the cover of galvanized sheet metal, there was a brilliant red 12" x 12" poster (shown above and below).
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
ad sheet
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
The Pigeon Kill can be heard on YouTube
I'm a Mess can be heard on YouTube
photo by Styrous®
Texas can be heard on YouTube
Seth can be heard on YouTube
There is a huge 25" x 35" poster folded up in the album
poster photo by Shawn Spencer
for the Marion, Indiana, Chronicle-Tribune
photo of poster by Styrous®
for the Marion, Indiana, Chronicle-Tribune
photo of poster by Styrous®
Didn't they love doing fancy stuff with albums back then?
Bulldozer lineup:
Steve Albini - klang guitars, vocals
Pat Byrne (from Urge Overkill) - drums
Jeff Pezzati (from Naked Raygun) - bass, stairwell snare
Santiago Durango (from the Interceptors) - smash quitar
Roland (actually a drum machine) - roland
A little history:
Steve Albini organized Big Black in 1981 while at Northwestern University. He taught himself to play bass guitar in 1979 during his senior year while recuperating from a broken leg after being struck by a car while his was on his motorcycle.
Albini named his new musical project Big Black, calling the moniker "just sort of a reduction of the concept of a large, scary, ominous figure. All the historical images of fear and all the things that kids are afraid of are all big and black, basically." He used the Lungs tape to try to enlist other musicians to the project, briefly recruiting Minor Threat guitarist Lyle Preslar who was attending Northwestern, but the two proved incompatible as musicians. Albini passed Lungs on to John Babbin of the small local label Ruthless Records, who released 1,500 copies of the EP in December 1982 with random objects such as dollar bills, used condoms, photographs of Bruce Lee, and bloody pieces of paper thrown into the insert.
In early 1983 Albini met Naked Raygun singer Jeff Pezzati through mutual friends and convinced him to play bass guitar with Big Black. Pezzati recalled that Albini "knew a heck of a lot about, right from the start, how to release a record and get the word out that you have a record", and that "He jumped at the chance to have a band play his stuff." The two practiced in Pezzati's basement, and one day Naked Raygun guitarist Santiago Durango came downstairs and asked to play along. The trio clicked as a unit, Durango's ability to rework arrangements and tweak sounds helping to refine Albini's song ideas. According to Albini, "He ended up being absolutely crucial to Big Black."
Albini got small local label Fever Records to finance the next Big Black EP, bringing in drummer Pat Byrne of Urge Overkill to play on the sessions as accompaniment to the drum machine, which they dubbed "Roland" for album credits. Albini achieved a signature "clanky" sound with his guitar (beautifully demonstrated in the song, "Cables") by using metal guitar picks notched with sheet metal clips, creating the effect of two guitar picks at once.
Many of the EP's lyrics depicted scenarios drawn from Albini's midwest upbringing, such as "Cables", which described the slaughtering of cows at a Montana abattoir, and "Pigeon Kill", about a rural Indiana town that dealt with an overpopulation of pigeons by feeding them poisoned corn.
Steve Albini - klang guitars, vocals
Pat Byrne (from Urge Overkill) - drums
Jeff Pezzati (from Naked Raygun) - bass, stairwell snare
Santiago Durango (from the Interceptors) - smash quitar
Roland (actually a drum machine) - roland
A little history:
Steve Albini organized Big Black in 1981 while at Northwestern University. He taught himself to play bass guitar in 1979 during his senior year while recuperating from a broken leg after being struck by a car while his was on his motorcycle.
Albini named his new musical project Big Black, calling the moniker "just sort of a reduction of the concept of a large, scary, ominous figure. All the historical images of fear and all the things that kids are afraid of are all big and black, basically." He used the Lungs tape to try to enlist other musicians to the project, briefly recruiting Minor Threat guitarist Lyle Preslar who was attending Northwestern, but the two proved incompatible as musicians. Albini passed Lungs on to John Babbin of the small local label Ruthless Records, who released 1,500 copies of the EP in December 1982 with random objects such as dollar bills, used condoms, photographs of Bruce Lee, and bloody pieces of paper thrown into the insert.
In early 1983 Albini met Naked Raygun singer Jeff Pezzati through mutual friends and convinced him to play bass guitar with Big Black. Pezzati recalled that Albini "knew a heck of a lot about, right from the start, how to release a record and get the word out that you have a record", and that "He jumped at the chance to have a band play his stuff." The two practiced in Pezzati's basement, and one day Naked Raygun guitarist Santiago Durango came downstairs and asked to play along. The trio clicked as a unit, Durango's ability to rework arrangements and tweak sounds helping to refine Albini's song ideas. According to Albini, "He ended up being absolutely crucial to Big Black."
Albini got small local label Fever Records to finance the next Big Black EP, bringing in drummer Pat Byrne of Urge Overkill to play on the sessions as accompaniment to the drum machine, which they dubbed "Roland" for album credits. Albini achieved a signature "clanky" sound with his guitar (beautifully demonstrated in the song, "Cables") by using metal guitar picks notched with sheet metal clips, creating the effect of two guitar picks at once.
Many of the EP's lyrics depicted scenarios drawn from Albini's midwest upbringing, such as "Cables", which described the slaughtering of cows at a Montana abattoir, and "Pigeon Kill", about a rural Indiana town that dealt with an overpopulation of pigeons by feeding them poisoned corn.
There is a film about the early days of Chicago’s rock underground, You Weren't There (and Neither Was I).
Songs from Bulldozer that can be heard on YouTube:
Cables
Seth
Styrous®, September 22, 2012
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