Side One: Theme / Annalisa
Side Two: Public Image / Low Life / Attack / Swan Lake
Record Store Day is always a mixed bag, but every once in a while something of real value shows up. Step up the unreleased US mix of PiL's debut album, originally scheduled for release Autumn 1979. Regarded by many as PiL's holy grail, the tapes had been misfiled at Warner Bros. and remained undiscovered until the past couple of years.
Back in 1979 while in preparation, the LP's content underwent a few permutations with different track listings considered. Consequently a couple of different acetates exist that include Religion. A further acetate was pressed which included the re-recorded version of Fodderstompf (Mega Mix on the b-side of the Death Disco 12"). This 2025 release is the final iteration of the album.
So what do we actually have?
An album of different mixes, not re-recordings, but with a fundamental distinction, the drum parts were redone. But by whom and on which tracks? This remains unclear as the documentation just doesn't exist to confirm. Dave Humphries, who played on Death Disco and a couple of other early Metal Box tracks, is thought to have been involved in the project. However, Jah Wobble and Keith Levene drummed on some Metal Box cuts, so they also remain a possibility. There does appear to be more than one style at play here. Whoever it was on the various tracks, original drummer Jim Walker's contribution was all but erased. The question remains, did the reworked drums improve upon the originals? The answer lies in which mix of the songs you prefer.
Side One couples a nine-minute Theme with a ten-minute Annalisa. Theme isn't radically different, although John is higher in the mix and quite menacing. The highpoint of the side is Annalisa. This may sound familiar to owners of the Songs From The Heart box set but there are some important differences. It is a slightly rougher mix with the drums pushed up higher in one channel. It also lasts an extra four minutes. Four radically spectacular unreleased minutes consisting of piano, acoustic guitars, and general warbling - listen closely for My Way. This segment was never destined for the UK version, but it fits this Side One pairing and is worth the admission money alone.
Side Two starts with a bit of a shock. A radically different mix of Public Image with effects aplenty applied to John's voice. Is it any better than the original? No, and I'm not sure of the reason behind it, but to have another genuine mix of this classic cannot be sneered at. This incarnation of Low Life sounds nastier and more metallic than before, with its chopping guitar cutting through like a scythe. In common with its predecessor, it also has a bit of phasing applied, especially as the track morphs into a completely different, effects-laden conclusion. Low Life is the album's highlight for me. Then, without so much as a split second's break, Attack follows. It's a pounding, atmospheric mix and, like Theme, it enjoys an underlying unease, with a distant howl adding to the disquiet. Swan Lake closes the album. It is the UK Death Disco 12" cut and I'm unable to detect any differences to the 1979 original. It's not out of place in this setting and acts as a bridge to Metal Box. Or it could have done if the album had been released.
So why wasn't it? The most likely explanation is it got so close to the release of Metal Box it was simply scrapped. Swan Lake surely wouldn't have appeared on both?
It's been a long wait and thank goodness it's lived up to its mythical status. It's not better than the UK version of the album, but its variance breathes new life into an old classic. Having known the original backwards, this release made me appreciate it all again. It's equally fascinating to discover what Warner Bros. thought would appeal to the US public. It's a further reminder of the long gone days where different territories released different versions of LPs. Collecting was much more interesting back then!
PiL's Public Image (First Issue) US Mix is one Record Store Day release that you should make a priority to track down. It's an alternative look at a slice of history, and every once in a while you need to clean those specs and look at things afresh.
Review by Phil Singleton
