Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
After guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Pete Jones left Public Image Limited due to major concerns about the direction John Lydon wanted to take the band, Lydon and drummer Martin Atkins reformed the group with members of a New Jersey outfit, Westside Frankie and the Inglewood Jerks, who knew the Sex Pistols' catalog by heart. The band toured Japan in the summer of 1983, and were offered the chance to record two shows on rare Japanese digital recording equipment while in Tokyo. Atkins would later say the resulting album was released not because of the quality of the show itself, but because of the opportunity to record a live album digitally. Comprising of material from throughout the group's history, Live in Tokyo was originally released as two 12" 45's, in keeping with the style of the earlier Metal Box. However, unlike that seminal album, the performances by this version of Public Image Limited were resoundingly faceless and bland. Even Lydon seems unable to muster up any enthusiasm for the material, which is stripped of any of the qualities that made it so revolutionary in the first place. Gone is any semblance of Jah Wobble's deep bass, Levene's brash guitars, or even Lydon's apocalyptic screaming. Instead it is all replaced by bland competence. Particularly appalling is Lydon's call-and-response shtick with the crowd and the soulless versions of the once haunting "Death Disco" and "Flowers of Romance." Only one track, "Religion," comes across as adding something to the original version, with a new organ introduction and an astonishingly biting performance from Lydon. Ironically enough, because the group recorded with such sophisticated equipment, the sound is phenomenal, capturing a mediocre band in crisp, rich tones.
© Geoff Orens /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - John Wardle, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Walker, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - John Wardle, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Walker, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - John Wardle, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Walker, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Stephen Jones, ComposerLyricist - Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Glen Matlock, ComposerLyricist - Paul Cook, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - John Wardle, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Walker, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Bob Miller, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Martin Atkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Keith Levene, ComposerLyricist - Public Image Limited, Producer, MainArtist - John Lydon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Norio Okada, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Guida, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Zvoncheck, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bernardi, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1983 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1983 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Album review
After guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Pete Jones left Public Image Limited due to major concerns about the direction John Lydon wanted to take the band, Lydon and drummer Martin Atkins reformed the group with members of a New Jersey outfit, Westside Frankie and the Inglewood Jerks, who knew the Sex Pistols' catalog by heart. The band toured Japan in the summer of 1983, and were offered the chance to record two shows on rare Japanese digital recording equipment while in Tokyo. Atkins would later say the resulting album was released not because of the quality of the show itself, but because of the opportunity to record a live album digitally. Comprising of material from throughout the group's history, Live in Tokyo was originally released as two 12" 45's, in keeping with the style of the earlier Metal Box. However, unlike that seminal album, the performances by this version of Public Image Limited were resoundingly faceless and bland. Even Lydon seems unable to muster up any enthusiasm for the material, which is stripped of any of the qualities that made it so revolutionary in the first place. Gone is any semblance of Jah Wobble's deep bass, Levene's brash guitars, or even Lydon's apocalyptic screaming. Instead it is all replaced by bland competence. Particularly appalling is Lydon's call-and-response shtick with the crowd and the soulless versions of the once haunting "Death Disco" and "Flowers of Romance." Only one track, "Religion," comes across as adding something to the original version, with a new organ introduction and an astonishingly biting performance from Lydon. Ironically enough, because the group recorded with such sophisticated equipment, the sound is phenomenal, capturing a mediocre band in crisp, rich tones.
© Geoff Orens /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:45:48
- Main artists: Public Image Ltd.
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Virgin Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1983 Virgin Records Limited ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.