Metal Box--Stories from John Lydon's PiL

[Snoogans4Jay]

This is the new PiL book by Phil Strongman and I have just started reading it. The book is out overseas and has been for a while but is not yet available in the US to my knowledge.

So far, and I will give the full review when I finish it, this book is just a long cut-down of John. John was not interviewed for the book (of course), but nearly all early members of PiL were-- including Wobble, Levene, Atkins, Walker, etc. The book is short for the money you pay and so far everything that ever went wrong with PiL is John's fault

I wanted the book cause I buy everything even remotely related to John but for the TRUTH, I will wait for John's side of the story.

A full review of this book (if you don't want my slightly more biased one) is up on fodderstompf.com

[M!$H]

lol I heard this book was misleading and slightly biased, but all in all a good look into the other member's view. I've been thinking of ordering it. :\ when I get the money, I probably will. but for now I will wait and see if it pops up in any bookstores, it would be cheaper.

It looked pretty interesting, if for no other reason than humor.

[Snoogans4Jay]

VERY biased. Geez you would think John was back on the cross. The book spends about 3/4ths talking about the first 3 years of a band that existed for 14. That is just sick. The later day band (or hell even the MID day band) got hardly a mention. This book is about Wobble more than it is about anyone else (except John, who is blamed for the end of PiL, the decay of the music scene, the lack of credibility in today's punk bands, the break up of Siouxie and the Banshees and the death of Sid's mother ).......

Don't waste your money, I did.

[seasidegrl]

Wow!!! Was he responsible for the Tusnami? Anna Nicole's Death? Brittney's breakdown?

[M!$H]

Well we ALL know John totally forced Sid's momma to do some more heroin. Cause we all know that is SO how John is. PSSSHT.

I might still buy it...cheap. I'll go to Powell's to get it, see if they'll have a used one by then. I assume they will, as I've been hearing that most people think it's CRAP.

As interested as I am about the first three years of PiL (as they're my favorite...three years.. IDK what I was just trying to say there) if it's biased, whiny, and full of the blame game, I won't like it no matter what.

Hmmm. Someone needs to slap some author's around before they start writing books. Srsly.

[M!$H]

kathy said:

mishhell said:

As interested as I am about the first three years of PiL (as they're my favorite...three years.. IDK what I was just trying to say there) if it's biased, whiny, and full of the blame game, I won't like it no matter what.

I feel the same way. PiL circa 1978-81 was the best. Although PiL made some great music for years, for me it really wasn't the same after Jah and Keith left.

I agree. Jah made the band for me. As did Keith. John's the reason I started listenign to PiL, but Jah's the reason why I still love it.

[Snoogans4Jay]

mishhell said:

kathy said:

I feel the same way. PiL circa 1978-81 was the best. Although PiL made some great music for years, for me it really wasn't the same after Jah and Keith left.

I agree. Jah made the band for me. As did Keith. John's the reason I started listenign to PiL, but Jah's the reason why I still love it.

This may actually BE the dream book for the two of you and those that feel that way..........there is more Jah than anyone and his side of the story is the one completely believed. As I said, the book is not about PiL, it is about PiL circa 78-81. The rest is only skimmed over and dismissed.

For me of course, I remain with John... ...To me (and I can only speak for me of course), John made PiL just as he had made the Pistols before it, in fact more so because it was HIS vision this time. I followed him from the angry lost days to the more stable happy ones and found I really really enjoyed that side of him. Of course I love every aspect of him and his career but I would have been extremely unhappy if he hadn't found his way out of those dark tense years into the brightly colored happy if still somewhat annoyed ones . <----probably doesn't make much sense but I know what I am talking about dammit

Thought I should modify this so that there will not be any misunderstanding (I get misunderstood alot..... )...I was not criticizing those that feel different than myself.. .....just think if Jah were my favorite band member in PiL, I would definitely want this book.......

[Joan D]

I'm reading the book now. I haven't gotten very far through it yet, but I'd have to agree that it seems to put a lot of blame on John & the author doesn't appear to like him that much. So far it seems like the author got much of his information from reading music papers, news articles, etc, from that time.

So far I'm finding myself wondering just why they hung around Gunter Grove if John was so difficult & why John didn't say "get the h*** out of my house". While the music coming out of PiL at the time was, well WOW, I'm doubtful that this was the happiest time in any of their lives.

Anyway, it is interesting to hear other's points of view, even if they may have some agenda of their own. Doesn't mean you have to believe it all.

[Snoogans4Jay]

joand said:

I'm reading the book now. I haven't gotten very far through it yet, but I'd have to agree that it seems to put a lot of blame on John & the author doesn't appear to like him that much. So far it seems like the author got much of his information from reading music papers, news articles, etc, from that time.

So far I'm finding myself wondering just why they hung around Gunter Grove if John was so difficult & why John didn't say "get the h*** out of my house". While the music coming out of PiL at the time was, well WOW, I'm doubtful that this was the happiest time in any of their lives.

Anyway, it is interesting to hear other's points of view, even if they may have some agenda of their own. Doesn't mean you have to believe it all.

I agree. There are only two points of view I would believe until Jonesy's book comes out (you know he HAS to eventually let someone ghost write one for him) ---and those are John and Glen

[kathy]

admin said:

joand said:

I'm reading the book now. I haven't gotten very far through it yet, but I'd have to agree that it seems to put a lot of blame on John & the author doesn't appear to like him that much. So far it seems like the author got much of his information from reading music papers, news articles, etc, from that time.

So far I'm finding myself wondering just why they hung around Gunter Grove if John was so difficult & why John didn't say "get the h*** out of my house". While the music coming out of PiL at the time was, well WOW, I'm doubtful that this was the happiest time in any of their lives.

Anyway, it is interesting to hear other's points of view, even if they may have some agenda of their own. Doesn't mean you have to believe it all.

I agree. There are only two points of view I would believe until Jonesy's book comes out (you know he HAS to eventually let someone ghost write one for him) ---and those are John and Glen

Ahh yes - Steve's long-awaited book. Now that will be an interesting read for many reasons!

[Bad Baby]

It's a good read and has some ineresting facts about unreleased studio tracks rehearsed before Public Image came out...buy it and judge for yourself.

[sistermidnite]

yeah, apparently the song 'you stupid person' was thrown out because it referred to nora, according to someone in this book.

i didn't really like this book. thought it was quite biased and some of it was mean-spirited. Jim Walker (at least i think thats him) clearly has an axe to grind. although it was an interesting read, gunter grove was pretty sordid if this book is to be believed i'm not sure it is though, not 100%