John Lydon's The Best of British Pound Notes....Trick or Treat?

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http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000AMCZ7O.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Being that I'm still pulled like a staple to a magnet to virtually any product that bears the man's name, I have to ask....is this collection really warranted in the relatively recent wake of this...

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..to say nothing of this....

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and, of course, all the `Pistols compilations and Never Mind the Bollocks

From what I gather, the only real benefit --- unless the material's been remastered -- is the inclusion of the Leftfield and Time Zone contributions.

And, so long as we're trying to up the ante, where's Lydon's coupling with the Golden Palominos ("The Animal Speaks")? And didn't he lend vocals to a Robert Fripp solo project at one point (or did I dream that?) Anyone?

Anyway, what say you? Cash-in or worthy retrospective?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 13:53 (twenty years ago)

Does it have the SINGLE version of "Memories" as opposed to the "Metal Box" version?

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

There should instead be a Metal Box tribute album done by Joe Lally, Steve Albini, John Frusciante and Todd Trainer.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

Disc: 1
1. Anarchy in the UK
2. Public Image
3. This Is Not a Love Song
4. Open Up
5. Rise
6. Don't Ask Me
7. Seattle
8. Holidays in the Sun
9. Death Disco
10. Flowers of Romance
11. World Destruction
12. Warrior
13. Disappointed
14. Sun
15. Bad Life
16. Home
17. Body
18. Cruel
19. God Save the Queen
20. Rabbit Song
Disc: 2
1. Death Disco [12" Mix]
2. Poptones
3. Careering
4. Religion
5. Banging the Door
6. Pardon
7. Rise [12" Mix]
8. Disappointed [12" Mix]
9. Warrior [12" Mix]
10. Acid Drops
11. Open Up [Full Vocal Mix]
12. God Save the Queen [Dance Mix]

All yours for $46.

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

How about just a four-CD box set with the first three, an authorized Commercial Zone, and a bonus DVD w/American Bandstand and Ritz footage? I'd buy that.

― mike a, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 15:22 (twenty years ago)

Is there Ritz footage?

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

I don't know, it's fine, the best of was too skimpy, plastic box is probably too much for most people. it falls off at the end (who cares about acid drops). if I wanted to hear anything post-Album I suppose I'd buy it. But I don't.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Best bargain I ever got on ebay = Plastic Box (sealed) for £4.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

I wanted to hear anything post-Album I suppose I'd buy it. But I don't.

OTM

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 15:49 (twenty years ago)

If you compile the best bits of Happy?, 9 and That What Is Not there's enough decent material for one fairly good album.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

"Sun" is an extraordinarily overlooked and underrated single. If it had been the new Robbie Williams single jaws would, in general, drop.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 06:36 (twenty years ago)

That's very true.

Happy? has lousy mixing, the only decent tracks being "seattle" and "Fat chance motel"

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 06:50 (twenty years ago)

'Seattle', 'The Body', 'Rules and Regulations' are all great; 'Fat Chance Hotel' and 'Open and Revolving' are both excellent. A fine album, even if it's too bloody short. I could do without the instrumental version of whats-it-called at the end too.

As for this compilation, it's a good one, but I'm far more interested in the DVD version. I'm not sure why they haven't included some of the best later PiL tracks- 'Ease' and 'Fat Chance Hotel' in particular- while 'Order of Death' is a criminal omission. Still, it's a pretty good mix of all aspects of Lydon's career.

Now, what I'd really like, is remastered versions of "Album", "Happy?", "9" and "That What is Not", with all the remixes and surplus tracks thrown in too ('Selfish Rubbish', 'Criminal', etc. I'm guessing I'm pretty much alone in that though... ;)

― jim harper, Thursday, 20 October 2005 13:10 (twenty years ago)

When the re-recorded "The Suit" made a b-side, there was mention of other re-recordings made at the time being issued.

Now, I don't suppose anybody actually wants these in preference to the originals...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 20 October 2005 13:38 (twenty years ago)

is plastic box remastered?

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 20 October 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

eight years pass...

I picked up the 2CD version of this last year, it's a great package of career highlights! I believe everything on disc 1 is the single version, which means some of these tracks are unique to this release like "This Is Not A Love Song (single version)" and, of course, the new "Rabbit Song". "Sun" is a different version than on the otherwise poor "Pycho's Path", too. There's some odd identifiers, too, such as the "12 inch version" of "Rise", which is actually the album version compared to the edited single version. Has anyone dug into these differences deeper?

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 10 January 2014 16:27 (twelve years ago)

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