Public Image Ltd. reissuing ‘Metal Box’ on CD, plus out-of-print ‘Plastic Box’ compilation

Virgin Records will commemorate the reunion of John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd. this December by releasing a newly remastered edition of the postpunk band’s classic second album, Metal Box, on CD as well as by reissuing the act’s limited-edition four-disc Plastic Box compilation.

Like the original 1979 vinyl edition, the new Metal Box — which was issued on a single CD in 1990 and again in 1996 — will be inconveniently split across three separate discs and packaged, probably a bit too snugly like the original U.K. LPs, in a metal tin modeled after old film canisters. Although by trying to even out the number of tracks per disc, Virgin has broken the flow of the original vinyl split (see tracklist below).

Both Metal Box and Plastic Box — PiL’s long-out-of-print 1999 box set, which featured 64 tracks spanning the years 1978 to 1992, and now sells for hundreds of dollars — will be reissued on Dec. 14, the band announced Monday. (Metal Box, incidentally, was last reissued on vinyl in 2006, for those seeking a closer replica of the original edition.)

Lydon revealed in September that he will reactivate PiL this winter for its first concerts in 17 years to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Metal Box. So far, he’s booked seven U.K. shows this December — although the reconvened band doesn’t feature that classic lineup of Jah Wobble, Martin Atkins and Keith Levene, but, rather, is comprised of late-’80s members Lu Edmonds (a former Damned guitarist) and Bruce Smith (onetime drummer for The Slits and The Pop Group), plus new bassist Scott Firth.

The PiL reunion tour opens Dec. 15 in Birmingham.

See full ‘Metal Box’ and ‘Plastic Box’ tracklists after the jump…

Tracklist: Public Image Ltd., Metal Box

Disc 1:
1. “Albatross”
2. “Memories”
3. “Swan Lake”
4. “Poptones”

Disc 2:
1. “Careering”
2. “No Birds”
3. “Graveyard”
4. “The Suit”

Disc 3:
1. “Bad Baby”
2. “Socialist”
3. “Chant”
4. “Radio 4”

Tracklist: Public Image Ltd., Plastic Box

Disc 1:
1. “Public Image”
2, “The Cowboy Song”
3, “Theme”
4. “Religion I”
5. “Religion II”
6. “Annalisa”
7. “Low Life”
8. “Attack”
9. “Poptones” (Radio 1, John Peel Session 17.12.79)
10. “Careering” (Radio 1, John Peel Session 17.12.79)
11. “Chant” (Radio 1, John Peel Session 17.12.79)
12. “Death Disco” (12″ Remix)
13. “Half Mix” (Meggamix)
14. “No Birds Do Sing”
15. “Memories”

Disc 2:
1. “Another”
2. “Albatross”
3. “Socialist”
4. “The Suit”
5. “Bad Baby”
6. “Radio 4”
7. “Pied Piper”
8. “Flowers of Romance” (12″)
9. “Four Enclosed Walls”
10. “Phenagen”
11. “Track 8”
12. “Hymies Him”
13. “Under The House”
14. “Banging The Door”
15. “Go Back”
16. “Francis Massacre”
17. “Home is Where the Heart Is”

Disc 3:
1. “This is Not a Love Song” (Unreleased LP Remix)
2. “Blue Water”
3. “Bad Life” (7″ edit)
4. “Question Mark”
5. “Solitaire”
6. “Tie Me to the Length of That”
7. “Where Are You?”
8. “The Pardon”
9. “1981”
10. “The Order of Death”
11. “FFF”
12. “Rise”
13. “Fishing”
14. “Round”
15. “Home”
16. “Ease”

Disc 4:
1. “Seattle”
2. “Angry”
3. “The Body” (US 12″ Mix)
4. “Selfish Rubbish”
5. “Disappointed”
6. “Happy”
7. “Warrior” (UK 12″ Remix)
8. “USLS 1”
9. “Don’t Ask Me”
10. “Criminal”
11. “Lucks Up”
12. “God”
13. “Cruel” (Radio 1, Mark Goodier Live Session 25.2.92)
14. “Acid Drops” (Radio 1, Mark Goodier Live Session 25.2.92)
15. “Love Hope” (Radio 1, Mark Goodier Live Session 25.2.92)
16. “Think Tank” (Radio 1, Mark Goodier Live Session 25.2.92)

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