Public Image Ltd reform for tour

By Georgie Rogers
6 Music News reporter

Public Image Ltd released a total of eight studio albums from 1978-1992

Public Image Ltd, the band John Lydon started after the break up of the Sex Pistols, are to reunite for a UK tour in December.

Lydon revealed the decision had stemmed from his father's death in 2008 and his brother's battle with cancer.

"It was a very harsh time for me emotionally and I started paying attention to Death Disco, the record I wrote about my mother dying," he said.

The tour marks the 30th anniversary of the band's seminal album Metal Box.

Lydon is the only permanent fixture of PIL, which formed in 1978 and has been on hiatus since 1992.

"I've always been wrapped around some sort of emotional tragedy through PiL, but also great joy," Lydon told BBC 6 Music News. "It's a chance to express every single human emotion possible.

"Although the [Sex] Pistols is a most fantastic band to be a member of, there's more going on in me than that."

Asked why he had started the collective after quitting the Sex Pistols in 1978, he laughed: "I had more to say, so I said it."

New material live

The tour kicks off in Birmingham on 15 December with further dates lined-up for Leeds (16), Glasgow (18), Manchester (19) and London (21).

Lydon said he planned to mess with fans' pre-conceptions and perform new songs.

"Anyone who's ever been to a PiL gig knows that there won't be anything that you're familiar with. It just isn't like that.

"There's a whole wash of new material that I haven't used yet but I will be doing some kindly drop-ins to some PiL anthems," he revealed.

The line-up will include former Slits drummer Bruce Smith, who Lydon described as "rhythmically perfect"; The Damned guitarist Lu Edmonds, who he called a "musical genius"; and bassist Scott Firth, who has worked with John Martyn and Elvis Costello in the past.