Public Image Ltd.'s Keith Levene Prepping Definitive Version of 'Commercial Zone'

BY Alex HudsonPublished Apr 21, 2014

Around 30 years ago, Public Image Ltd. experienced a nasty split, as then recently departed guitarist Keith Levene released the unfinished album Commercial Zone in 1984 without the consent of the rest of the group. His former bandmates then used some of the same songs for their own 1984 album This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get. Now, Levene is promising to release what he says will be the definitive version of the album.

"Finally producing the Commercial Zone my way will allow me to finish important unfinished business," Levene said in a statement on his website [via Slicing Up Eyeballs]. "I know there's been a gap in time of thirty years. However, it seems like it's coming right on time for a myriad of reasons. So now with Commercial Zone 2014 you will get what the fourth album was supposed to be — and much more. It will be much better because it's current and has the benefit of 30 years of my work."

He has started an Indiegogo campaign to sell the album. He's seeking to raise $12,500; as of press time, he's earned more than $7,000 with over a month to go.

On his campaign page, Levene called the prior versions "diluted releases neither of which were satisfactory." This new version promises to finally get it right.

The album will be accompanying by a 30-page picture book with art, photos and a preview of Levene's forthcoming book, Diary. Below, watch a couple of brief clips from Levene about the project.



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