Was it not?” the show answers with a pre-recorded videotape that was always destined to ruffle some feathers. And that’s what was expected from us tonight. We do not like cheap publicity, pseudo gimmicks, condescension, and crawling. He almost takes the bait but pulls back and instead replies through gritted teeth, “Public Image. there probably isn’t a question on earth that you’d consider more inane than, the presenters’ first brain-draining remark, “Where did you get the name Public Image Limited from?” The collective sound of four pairs of eyes rolling back in their heads can just about be heard on the audio.Ĭowey has a devilish glint in his eye as he pushes for soundbite answers and deliberately tries to rattle another Grundy episode out of Lydon. To start things off on a bad foot, after agreeing to interview the whole band, the show only set out two seats for Lydon and Jah Wobble (in the footage you’ll see Keith perching on the arms of the two seats and Richard Dudanski crouched behind.) The band insisted and the whole group were eventually welcomed on set.įor an artist like Lydon and Public Image Ltd. Charged with the band’s burgeoning power the group look in fettle, Lydon even joking at the end, “And we get paid for this!”īut as PiL fansite Fodderstompf report, it was when the group sat down with TV presents Chris Cowey (future producer of Top of the Pops) and Lyn Spencer that things all went wrong. “We’re back for the nice people…” says Lydon at the beginning of the sardonic performance. “In Part 2 we’ll be featuring Johnny Rotten’s new group Public Image Limited and talking to them in the studio…”, already unhappy with their situation, the performance of the deliberately difficult ‘Chant’-made more awkward by poor quality monitors that required headphones-is a relatively good one. PiL and Lydon refused to take part unless the whole band were interviewed, the producers relented and the band got ready to perform. They had no interest in Public Image Ltd. The dye was cast fairly quickly as they arrived for filming to quickly realise the producers had a plan to gain some exposure for their relatively small TV show by including Lydon as the typical “punk” in an extended special about the rise of Youth Culture over the last 25 years. Things would quickly go awry though as soon after PiL powered through their spiky and affronted song ‘Chant’ the group were welcomed into one of the most bizarre interviews the band had ever been a part of.

Public image ltd johnny rotten