Tracks:
Side 1: Love Song / Mad Max (Bad Life) / Bad Night / Solitaire
Side 2: The Slab (The Order Of Death) / Lou Reed Pt 1 / Lou Reed Pt 2 (Where Are You) / Blue Water / Miller Hi-Life

Release Date:
11.83

Label & Catalogue Number:
PiL Records Inc. XYZ 007

Highest UK Chart Position:
N/A

Personnel:
Vox - John Lydon
Guitar/Bass - Keith Levene
Drums - Martin Atkins
Bass - Pete Jones

Format Info:
Original pressing of 'Commercial Zone', issued in a blank white card sleeve with label hole. Labels feature b&w PiL logo on one side; and track listings on the other.

The LP was initially only available in the US, but later re-issued with better distribution and a proper sleeve as 'Commercial Zone - Limited Edition' in 1984.

In New York, Levene personally distributed some one-off custom sleeves to record shops. Including a sandpaper edition (designed to "fuck up all your other record sleeves"); another with grip tape & computer discs; and even a copy with a pair of boots stuck to the cover! These custom sleeves are extremely rare...

Track Info:
Issued by Keith Levene on his departure from the band these are the original versions of some of the tracks that were later re-recorded for 'This is What You Want...' (alternative titles are in brackets). 'Blue Water' & 'Love Song' are the only two tracks to receive an official release; on the 12" of 'This is Not a Love Song'. 'Bad Night' and 'Miller Hi-Life' never appeared elsewhere.

Publishing Info:
All tracks written by Public Image Ltd
IPS Music / April Music ©1983 PiL Records Inc / Virgin Music Inc

Trivia:
The infamous 'Commercial Zone' where to start... After all these years 'Commercial Zone' still hasn't received an official release; and probably never will due to licensing problems and all sorts of internal wrangles.

Whether or not CZ is the last true PiL record, as is often touted, is highly debatable. However, it's certainly more than the 'bootleg of demos' as is counter claimed. Although largely unfinished, there is no doubt that parts are magnificent. Warts and all...

There has been talk of a CD release via Keith Levene, but it would never be sanctioned by PiL as an official release.

Producer:
Produced by PiL & Bob Miller

Studio:
Park South Studios, New York

Sleeve Design:
Unknown

Quotes:
I did an independent deal and they pressed up about 30,000 copies. Then, Richard Branson just sent these guys a writ, telling them to put a stop to it. Then I went back to Richard, got some more money to sign off of PiL. I thought I was also signing myself off of Virgin. But what happened was he said "Unofficially, you do have the rights to this record in America. But I'm going to tell everybody that you don't. The only way they can find out different is by taking me to court."
- Keith Levene, Perfect Sound Forever 2001

Licensing from who? Keith stole the tapes! It’s not supposed to be sold or released anywhere. We own those recordings. I mean Keith didn’t know about half of those songs until he stole the fucking tapes. Tracks like ‘Miller Hi-Life’ he wasn’t even there it was me, Pete Jones, and Bob Miller our sound guy. Who was almost part of the band at that time. That’s where ‘Miller Hi-Life’ came from, well, it’s a beer too... We were experimenting by putting drum kits through synthesisers in 1982. That’s what we did, we experimented.
- Martin Atkins, Fodderstompf 2001

Lyrics:
Commercial Zone

Press Reviews:
Melody Maker, August 1984