NEWS
Public Image Ltd (PiL) have announced plans to release an alternative US mix of their debut album ‘First Issue’ on Record Store Day 2025.
The “long lost” version of the 1978 record from the post-punk band, fronted by former Sex Pistols vocalist John Lydon, features mixes and re-recordings of tracks from the original album that were created during the 1979 sessions for their second studio album ‘Metal Box’.
This version of ‘First Issue’ has never been released and it includes different sleeve artwork compared to the original version.
According to the official RSD listing “an alternative version of ‘First Issue’ was initially intended for release by Warner Bros. in 1979, but it never saw the light of day. It was thought the recordings were lost. However, the misfiled tape was later accidentally discovered in the Warner Brothers vault in the USA and features mixes and re-recordings of tracks from the original debut.”
The LP was announced as part of the extensive RSD ’25 list – also featuring exclusive vinyl drops from the likes of Oasis, Charli XCX, Fred Again.., The Cure, Gorillaz and Taylor Swift.
These will be available when the annual event returns for its 18th edition on Saturday April 12.
The band are set to the hit road for their ‘This Is Not The Last Tour’ in May. The UK and Ireland dates also include a headline show at Dreamland Margate.
Elsewhere, Frank Carter is currently fronting the Sex Pistols who are set to perform a gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust on March 24.
The band with Carter in place of Lydon, played a series of shows including an autumn UK tour. In November, they were announced as part of the Download 2025 line-up, and earlier this year an Australian and US tour was announced.
Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones recently spoke to NME, about Lydon’s non-inclusion in their recent tour.
He said: “John ain’t interested in doing it. You think you’re gonna get a negative thing by doing [it without him], but I’m surprised. There was no backlash whatsoever. There was a few die-hards on Instagram, but they hadn’t even seen us. They just can’t see it without John, which I get, but even the ones that came out of curiosity were into it after a couple of songs.”
Jones continued: “I wish him well. He’s going out this year, doing PiL again, and I hope he does well. I know he must be in a weird place, losing his wife and his best mate [Lydon’s wife Nora Forster and long-time friend and manager John “Rambo” Stevens died in 2023].”
London four piece Keo are on course to land their first UK Number 1 album with Put A Smile On For Me. After building a loyal audience over the past two years, the London band now lead this week’s Official Albums Chart update. Their debut record explores love, guilt, and self destruction.
Nothing But Thieves are close behind at Number 2 with their fifth album, Stray Dogs. The Southend band are hoping for a second straight Number 1 after Dead Club City reached the top in 2023. Taylor Swift is at Number 3 with The Life Of A Showgirl, helped by the expanded The Encore edition. Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In sits at Number 4, while Soft Cell’s Danceteria opens at Number 5. It is the synth pop duo’s final album together following Dave Ball’s death last year.
Europe could reach Number 9 with Come This Madness, giving the Swedish rock band its first UK Top 10 album in four decades. A 30th anniversary reissue of Alice In Chains’ MTV Unplugged is at Number 13 in the midweek update, with Orbital’s Glastonbury 1994 set at Number 14. Julia Jacklin is heading for her first Top 40 album as The Gem reaches Number 18, while Suede’s Coming Up returns at Number 23 after its 30th anniversary physical release.
Also on track for Top 40 places are Nessa Barrett’s Tough Love at Number 29, the companion soundtrack to LINKIN PARK: UNSHATTER at Number 30, and Dublin band Gurriers’ Nobody’s Coming To Save You at Number 31. Blondshell, Kneecap, Tina Turner, and Leon Bridges also appear in the lower half of the midweek chart.
The official positions will be announced when the final Albums Chart is published on Friday.
