Pitchfork: John Lydon Career Retrospective to Include New Song

John Lydon Career Retrospective to Include New Song

From Sex Pistol to reality TV star, John Lydon has been many things over the years. Not that it's so hard to keep track-- the man likes to talk about himself-- but one could be forgiven for wanting a summary. That is presumably the market niche Lydon hopes to fill with The Best of British �1 Notes, which will collect a healthy dose of key tracks from throughout the former Johnny Rotten's sonic history.

The collection will be available in the UK October 3, in both 20-track single CD and 32-track, 2xCD versions, and will feature highlights from Lydon's near-30 year career fronting the Sex Pistols and Public Image Limited, including such classics as "Anarchy in the UK", "Death Disco", "God Save the Queen", and "Public Image". While both influential bands have seen multiple hits discs, this upcoming collection is the first to combine material from the two.

The intended draw for longtime fans is a new Lydon recording called "The Rabbit Song", which marks his first recorded material since 1997's Psycho's Path; the best-of also collects a few stray collaborations with Leftfield; Afrika Bambataa 12" remixes and less-known album tracks adorn the optional bonus disc. Tracklist:

01 Anarchy In the UK
02 Public Image
03 This Is Not a Love Song
04 Open Up
05 Rise
06 Don't Ask Me
07 Seattle
08 Holidays In the Sun
09 Death Disco
10 Flowers Of Romance
11 World Destruction
12 Warrior
13 Disappointed
14 Sun
15 Bad Life
16 Home
17 The Body
18 Cruel
19 God Save the Queen
20 The Rabbit Song

>>Bonus disc
01 Death Disco (12" Mix)
02 Poptones
03 Careering
04 Religion
05 Banging the Door
06 Pardon
07 Rise (12" Mix)
08 Disappointed (12" Mix)
09 Warrior (12" Mix)
10 Acid Drops
11 Open Up (Full Vocal Mix)
12 God Save the Queen (Dance Mix)

Set for release the same day is a companion DVD that will include music videos and live clips culled from Lydon's past, including Pistols and PiL material, as well as footage shot during the over-hyped Sex Pistols reunions in 1996 and 2002. Exclusive photos, alternate audio mixes, and a discography round out the package.

>>DVD
01 Anarchy in the UK
02 God Save the Queen
03 Public Image
04 Death Disco
05 This Is Not a Love Song
06 Bad Life
07 World Destruction
08 Rise
09 Home
10 Seattle
11 The Body (Uncensored Version)
12 Warrior
13 Disappointed
14 Don't Ask Me (Title Version)
15 Cruel
16 Covered
17 Open Up
18 Sun