Public Image* – Public Image (First Issue)

I really enjoyed this release. Totally crazy rearranged First Issue with drums on acid! If you’ve had this (and maybe M. Box) since back in the days, you’ll like this version too. Thank you, PiL!

Really enjoyed this mix and the pressing is good as well.

So I just got this in the mail and gave it a spin. First of all thank goodness Rhino was behind this issue which means top pressing. Very punchy and loud. Excellent dynamics. I bought this as a teen in 1978 and have the original release. I was overjoyed upon hearing about this release for RSD. It was a joy listening to the USA trying to make sense with this album and their attempt to make a mix for the American audience. Obviously eliminating Religion 1&2 and inserting a couple of songs from Second Edition. Probably had no intention of releasing that if they had released this. I'm my opinion every PIL fan must own this. If only for the extended version of Annalisa! Although it is more like an EP than an LP it is very much worth it. Especially at the current low prices. I thought I was gonna have to battle flippers for this release. John's vocals sound so much more grittier on Theme and there are more details on Levine's guitar in certain song mixes. It is a bit annoying that Warner wanted to over use echo on John's vocals at times but it's only amusing because it was obvious Warner had no idea how to approach this album. Wobbles bass remains the same and thankfully still punchy. Overall it is a great solid release and a very welcome addition to any PIL collection. And one final comment. The lack of Walker's photo on the insert does not affect the sound of this record, nor does it diminish his contribution to it.

Can someone please answer the question of why Jim Walker's photo is not included in this?

I find this version LESS compromising than the original. That 10-minute version of Annalisa? Holy smokes.

yes, the mix is a bit more Americanized imo -- more definition and clarity to the chaos giving it just a touch more rock band feel even though it's still far afield from most other late 70s rock. there's enough other changes to make things interesting even though some of the gimmicks may not sound as fresh as they would have then -- in the end much of it seems to make sense, but there's no replacing the original vision -- so it is what it is -- a fun alternate listen for someone who first heard this in high school.

This new mix is really interesting, thick bass and overall a solid rsd title

I'm a little disappointed with the packaging: changing the Lydon pic on the front was a great idea and I thought they'd also change the other band member pics but they didn't (I have a nice Japanese book of pics from the photo shoot so they are out there) .
And sadly, they don't even bother to include the Jim Walker pic.
All in all, half hearted - such a shame.

Could somebody with a US copy confirm what is etched in the run-outs on this version? The EU version is cut by JN-H at Sterling with the Rhino R1 727343 catelogue number etched in the run-outs and pressed at GZ. The R1 number on this version is unlikely to make it a Rainbo pressing.