Flowers of Romance (album)

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The Flowers of Romance
The Flowers of Romance cover
Studio album by Public Image Ltd
Released April 10, 1981
Recorded Oct.-Nov. 1980 [1]
Genre Post-punk
Length 33:18
Label Virgin Records V2189
Producer(s) Public Image Ltd.
Professional reviews
Public Image Ltd chronology
Paris au Printemps
(1980)		 The Flowers of Romance
(1981)		 Live in Tokyo
(1983)


Back cover
Back cover

The Flowers of Romance is the third studio album by Public Image Ltd., released in the UK in April 1981 by Virgin Records.

The title of the album makes reference to The Flowers of Romance, an early punk band of which Keith Levene (as well as Sid Vicious) was a member. "The Flowers of Romance" was also the title of an early Sex Pistols song.

The cover photograph is of the band's videographer, Jeanette Lee.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The album is largely centered around drums and percussion, and Levene has described it as "probably … the least commercial record ever delivered (to a company)."[2] Similarly, the Trouser Press Record Guide states that "the music is so severe as to lend credence to a record executive's statement that The Flowers of Romance is one of the most uncommercial records ever made – at least within a 'pop' context."[3]

Occasional drummer Martin Atkins played on three songs, while band members Levene and John Lydon handled percussion duties on the other tracks. The prominent, and heavily processed, drum sound was influenced by Peter Gabriel's third album, on which engineer Hugh Padgham had processed Phil Collins' drums.[4] Collins, in turn, was so impressed with the sound on The Flowers of Romance that he hired the album's engineer, Nick Launay, to reproduce the sound for his own projects.[4]

Throughout the album, musique concrète sounds, such as amplified wristwatches, reversed piano and televised opera, weave in and out of the mix. Vocalist John Lydon contributed Stroh violin and saxophone (though he was not known to be trained on any particular instrument) and, according to a Rolling Stone article about the album, simply banged on anything handy for percussion, including the face of a banjo on "Phenagen".

Keith Levene's innovative guitar style was stretched even further through the use of reversed tapes and trebly distortion, and his synthesizers drone and burble throughout the album. Several songs (for example "Four Enclosed Walls," "Phenagen") have a Middle Eastern feel.

Bass player Jah Wobble had left the group before The Flowers of Romance was recorded, and so Keith Levene played bass on "Track 8" and "Banging The Door", the only two tracks to feature the instrument.

[edit] Singles

One track from the album, "Flowers of Romance", was released as a single in March 1981, reaching number 24 in the UK charts. This featured a different mix to the album version.

The B-side included an instrumental version of the lead track and, on the 12-inch single, "Home is Where the Heart Is", with Atkins on drums, and Levene again contributing bass, with help from tape loops.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by John Lydon/Keith Levene except * by Lydon/Levene/Martin Atkins.

[edit] Side one

  1. "Four Enclosed Walls" – 4:44 *
  2. "Track 8" – 3:15
  3. "Phenagen" – 2:40
  4. "Flowers of Romance" – 2:51
  5. "Under The House" – 4:33 *

[edit] Side two

  1. "Hymie's Him" – 3:18
  2. "Banging the Door" – 4:49 *
  3. "Go Back" – 3:46
  4. "Francis Massacre" – 3:31

[edit] Personnel

  • John Lydon — vocals, miscellaneous instruments
  • Keith Levene — instruments
  • Martin Atkins — drums on tracks marked *
  • Public Image Ltd — production
  • Nick Launay — engineer

[edit] References

  1. ^ Heylin, Clinton (1989), "Timeline", Public Image Limited: Rise/Fall, London: Omnibus Press, ISBN 0711916845
  2. ^ Gross, Jason (July 2001). Keith Levene interview (part 3 of 4). Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved on 2007-02-24.
  3. ^ Isler, Scott & Ira A. Robbins (1985), "Public Image Ltd.", in Robbins, Ira A., The Trouser Press Record Guide (4th ed.), New York: Collier Books, 1991, ISBN 0020363613
  4. ^ a b M, Scott (February 2003). Nick Launay interview. Fodderstompf.com. F&F Publishing. Retrieved on 2007-02-24.

[edit] External links

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