Live in Tokyo is a 1983 live album released by Public Image Ltd as a 2-EP 45 RPM set. It was issued by Columbia Records in Japan and later reissued by Virgin Records in the UK and reached #28 on the British charts. A single-LP 33 RPM edition was later issued by Elektra Records in the US.
A 35-minute live videocassette from the same series of concerts was also issued by Columbia Records in Japan under the title Live '83.
Live in Tokyo was the world's first digitally recorded live album according to Martin Atkins and the band recorded the concerts specifically to use the new Japanese digital technology Heylin, Clinton (1989). Public Image Rise/Fall. Omnibus Press. p. 72.
Reception Geoff Orens of AllMusic felt that many of the songs were worse than their studio versions, calling it "resoundingly faceless and bland ", but found that "Religion" was the only one that added "something to the original version, with a new organ introduction and an astonishingly biting performance from Lydon. Ironically enough, because the group recorded with such sophisticated equipment, the sound is phenomenal, capturing a mediocre band in crisp, rich tones."
Track listing Side One "Annalisa" – 5:17 "Religion II" – 5:49
Side Two "Low-Life" – 2:47 "Solitaire" – 3:59 "Flowers of Romance" – 4:46
Side Three "This Is Not a Love Song" – 6:27 "Swan Lake" – 5:06
Side Four "Bad Life" – 4:44 "Banging the Door" – 4:55 "Under the House" – 1:56
Personnel Public Image Limited John Lydon - vocals Joseph Guida - guitar Louis Bernardi - bass Tommy Zvoncheck - keyboards Martin Atkins - drums Technical Kenji Miura - cover photograph
Charts Chart (1983) PeakpositionAustralian Albums (Kent Music Report) 92
References