That What Is Not

That What Is Not was Public Image Ltd's eighth, and to date final album, released in 1992.

Track listing

1. "Acid Drops"
2. "Luck's Up"
3. "Cruel"
4. "God"
5. "Covered"
6. "Love Hope"
7. "Unfairground"
8. "Think Tank"
9. "Emperor"
10. "Good Things"

Personnel

• John Lydon - vocals
• John McGeoch - guitar
• Allan Dias - bass guitar, keyboards, background vocals

with:

• Tower of Power - horns on "Covered" and "Good Things"
• Gregg "J.P." Arreguin - rhythm guitar
• Curt "Kirkee B." Bisquera - drums, percussion
• Jimmie Wood - harmonica on "Covered", "Love Hope" and "Good Things"
• Bonnie Sheridan - background vocals on "Good Things"

Track by track commentary by band members

"Acid Drops":

• John Lydon (1992): “[The song is about] censorship – that particularly relates to America, because there's a lot of vested interest groups, like all these religious fanatics. They're saying the human body, and everything connected with it, is dirty – that's wrong. I don't believe in censorship of any kind.”^[3] “Well, [using a Sex Pistols sample for the song] started off as a joke. The producer threw it in one night for a laugh. I didn't find it too funny at first! But now I think it's perfect for the song. Oh, why not? I can't take myself too seriously.”^[4] “I'd recommend him to anyone – he's the best producer I've ever worked with. He's a rarity, in that he speaks his mind. He doesn't do things for fashionable reasons.”^[3]
• John McGeoch (1991): (about the new album) “It'll be dance music, pretty guitary, pretty fast. And we'll be using a real drummer because however much you humanise a drum machine beat, the feel's never the same [...] It's about half-written at the moment and I don't know where we'll end up doing it [...] I live in the country, so I'd be quite happy recording somewhere like The Manor, and John's the same, but Allan's a real town person.”^[5]
• Ted Chau (PIL tour guitarist, 2001): “I was invited to L.A. to play on 'That What Is Not' but due to timing with other things, never came off.”^[6]

"Luck's Up":

• John Lydon (1999): “'Luck's Up' is about the hopelessness of junkies and druggies.”^[7]

"Think Tank":

• John Lydon (1992/99): “'Think Tank' is me having a go back at all the people who all the time rewrite and misrepresent the events of my past, usually middle-class journalists who were never there at the time.”^[7] “Yes, ['Think Tank' is about rewriting] my history, in particular. I know Jon very well – I just don't like the slant of his book^[8] with that upper-class attitude of those who know everything, while us working-class bums know nothing.”^[3]

Related tracks

"Criminal":^[9]

• John Lydon (1990/99): “A whole bunch of new stuff which will be recorded in January, February, March [1991] - that way, and I think in England. I couldn't tell you who the producer is at the moment, because me and my record company are squabbling! Yes, folks, I do love to drag my dirty laundry out in public!”^[10] “'Criminal' was for the soundtrack for the movie Point Break.”^[7]
• Allan Dias (2004): “It was written specifically for the movie. I think initially it was one of John McGeoch's songs, or a sketch that he had, it was based on that. We went into the studio with a producer specifically to do that track, it was a one-off thing, it wasn't an outtake or anything. As I recall we were approached by someone from the movie, but I think we were in the middle of recording an album or something, possibly working on '9', and by the time we got the track done and put it to them it was too late to be considered for the title track. But they put it on there regardless.”^[11]

Charts

UK

• “That What Is Not” briefly entered the UK Albums Chart, where it stayed for 2 weeks and reached #46 on 7 March 1992.^[12]
• The single “Cruel” briefly entered the UK Top 75, where it stayed for 2 weeks and reached #49 on 22 February 1992.^[12]

USA

• “That What Is Not” did not enter the Billboard 200 album charts.^[13]
• The song “Covered” was released as a promo CD single and entered the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks charts, where it stayed for 9 weeks and reached #11 on 21 March 1992.^[13]
• The song “Acid Drops” was released as a promo CD single and entered the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks charts, where it stayed for 2 weeks and reached #29 on 9 May 1992.^[13]

References