PUBLIC IMAGE LTD – FLOWERS OF ROMANCE LP – Nr MINT UK 1981 PUNK SEX PISTOLS LYDON

Public Image Ltd – The Flowers Of Romance
(Virgin Records  1981  V2189)
Matrix No’s: A2/B2 – UK Pressing

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition
(there are some surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality apart from some light dust crackles)

Sleeve in Very Good+/Excellent condition
– some wear to edges/corners
Lyric Insert in Nr MINT condition

Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (or self-described “company”) formed by singer John Lydon, guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker in 1978. The group’s personnel has changed frequently over the years; Lydon has been the sole constant member.

Following his departure from the Sex Pistols in January 1978, Lydon sought a more experimental “anti-rock” project and formed PiL. That year PiL released their debut First Issue (1978), creating an abrasive, bass-heavy sound that drew on dub, noise, progressive rock and disco. PiL’s second album Metal Box (1979) pushed their sound further into the avant-garde, and is often regarded as one of the most important albums of the post-punk era.

By 1984, both Levene and Wobble had departed and the group was effectively a solo vehicle for Lydon, who moved toward a more accessible sound with the commercially successful albums This Is What You Want… This Is What You Get (1984) and Album (1986). After a late 1990s hiatus, Lydon reformed the group in 2009 and has released several further albums, including What the World Needs Now… (2015).

The Flowers of Romance is the third studio album by Public Image Ltd, released in the UK in April 1981 by Virgin Records.

The title of the album makes reference to The Flowers of Romance, an early punk band of which Keith Levene (as well as Sid Vicious) was a member. “The Flowers of Romance” was also the title of an early, different Sex Pistols song.

The cover photograph is of the band’s videographer, Jeannette Lee.

Track listing

All songs written by John Lydon and Keith Levene except * by Lydon, Levene, Martin Atkins

1. “Four Enclosed Walls” – 4:44 *
2. “Track 8” – 3:15
3. “Phenagen” – 2:40
4. “Flowers of Romance” – 2:51
5. “Under the House” – 4:33 *
6. “Hymie’s Him” – 3:18
7. “Banging the Door” – 4:49 *
8. “Go Back” – 3:46
9. “Francis Massacre” – 3:31

Personnel

• John Lydon – vocals, Stroh violin, saxophone, percussion
• Keith Levene – guitar, bass guitar, synthesiser, cello, piano, drums on “Under the House” and “Go Back”, percussion
• Martin Atkins – drums on “Four Enclosed Walls”, “Under the House”, “Banging the Door” and (uncredited) on “Flowers of Romance”, synthesizer on “Banging the Door”
• Nick Launay – engineer