PiL "Careering" + "Poptones" on American Bandstand, May 1980
The Guardian UK announced this week that the recently reformed John Lydon-led Public Image Limited (PiL) will be performing five announced UK only dates in the coming months. For those who can't make the trip over the pond, the short but exciting planned set by Studio 154 at tomorrow night's (September 13th) Am
oebapalooza Hollywood '09 should somewhat satisfy the need to hear the music of the post Sex Pistols Lydon band, whose almost surreal performance (as in "performance" art) on American Bandstand from 1980 is excerpted in the video above.
oebapalooza Hollywood '09 should somewhat satisfy the need to hear the music of the post Sex Pistols Lydon band, whose almost surreal performance (as in "performance" art) on American Bandstand from 1980 is excerpted in the video above. As in the PiL TV clip above, Studio 154 will also be performing (not lip syncing) the song "Poptones" as well as music by two other bands in their all too brief 10 minute set scheduled for after 11pm. Comprised of Bob Weider on vocals, Bill Tutton on bass, and Amoebites Greg Griffith on guitar and vocals,, Rick Frystak on guitar & efx, Rick Frystak, and Marc Weinstein on drums, the band's 3 song set will, in addition to PiL, also include the music of Gang of Four ("Not Great Men") and Wire ("Blessed State").
"The Wire song is off the 154 album, so, [it's] a play on words with Studio 54," said Weinstein, adding, "We feel as if this era of minimalist post-punk art rock has been generally under-represented at Amoebapalooza in the past."
As for the actual post-punk band PiL, the newly reformed lineup by Lydon, who you'll recall also regrouped the Sex Pistols in years past, will not include original PiL members Jah Wobble and Keith Levene. Instead it will be made up of late-1980s PiL members Lu Edmonds and Bruce Smith, in addition to Scott Firth, who has played with various pop/rock acts over the years. Read the Guardian UK article linked above for more insights on this reunion.
Meanwhile, among the other 22 acts scheduled (two more than on the flyer) to perform at Amoebapalooza Hollywood tomorrow night are Ben Ricci, The Sonnets, The Zombie Zombies, and Flathead. Click here for more info on Amoebapalooza Hollywood 09.
In all of the tributes written about skilled American television host Tom Snyder, who passed this week at age 71 - a victim of leukemia, one common accolade was how the TV host with the personal yet tough interview style, really knew how to listen to his subjects - something very rare in most television talk show hosts, especially today. Additionally, unlike most commercial television interviews which never seem to ow to delve deep, his interviews were conducted with enough time for the able host to really allow him, and us, to get to know his guests. 
1980 interview with both John Lydon (formerly Johnny Rotten) and his Public Image Limited (PIL) band-mate Keith Levene. Bear in mind that by this stage that Rotten as main spokesman of the Sex Pistols had earned a justified reputation as one of the most difficult and unpredictable interviewees for any radio or television host. But watch it and witness how brilliantly Snyder handles his tough subject and how Lydon, used to knocking over - especially older generation - interviewers seems to have finally met his match and has to struggle a bit to keep in character and try to maintain an upper hand. 
The end result is a perfect sparring match, with both Snyder and Lydon puffing away on cigarettes, that makes for the most engaging type of TV. Do me a favor: watch it and in the COMMENTS box below rate (on a scale of 1 to 5) both Snyder's and Lydon's performances. EG: Tom = 3, John = 3.
