Musically speaking, “Public Image” presented a logical bridge between Lydon’s old and new ventures, retaining the punk-rock drive and agitated vocals, but with a greater sonic expanse highlighting Jah Wobble’s subterranean basslines and Keith Levene’s metallic (in the materiality sense) guitar grind, and hinting at the dub reggae and Krautrock influences that would inform the early PiL’s sound. But the album on which it appears, First Issue, presents no convenient gateway, tucking the single onto Side 2 while greeting rubberneckers with “Theme”, a grueling nine-minute dirge– on which Lydon repeatedly screams “I wish I could diiiieeee” with varying degrees of anguish– that serves as a litmus test to instantly ward off Pistols fans looking for another excuse to pogo. [Source]
New Music United 