Public Image Ltd are an English post-punk band formed by lead vocalist John Lydon, guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker in May 1978. The group's line-up has changed frequently over the years; Lydon has been the sole constant member.
PiL performing in 2013
A PiL promotional poster, 1980.
PiL performing in 2009
Lead vocalist John Lydon performing with the band in 2013
Post-punk is a broad genre of music that emerged in 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experimental approach that encompassed a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-rock influences. Inspired by punk's energy and do it yourself ethic but determined to break from rock cliches, artists experimented with styles like funk, electronic music, jazz, and dance music; the production techniques of dub and disco; and ideas from art and politics, including critical theory, modernist art, cinema and literature. These communities produced independent record labels, visual art, multimedia performances and fanzines.
Siouxsie and the Banshees with the Cure. The two groups frequently collaborated.
Devo performing in 1978.
Talking Heads were one of the few American post-punk bands to reach both a large cult audience and the mainstream.
Glenn Branca performing in New York in the 1980s.
