Generic Album released

In 1985, Lydon recorded a song entitled “World Destruction” in collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa ‘s band Time Zone and producer Bill Laswell . PiL’s 1986 studio album release was simply entitled Album , Compact Disc , or Cassette , depending on the format. The cover’s blue typeface and spartan design parodied generic brands ; promotional photos featured Lydon in a “generic blue” suit surrounded by generic foods and drinking generic beer. Produced by Bill Laswell (despite Lydon-fuelled faction and disunion ) and with many of Laswell’s usual rotating cast of musicians, it also featured guitar solos by Steve Vai , considered by Vai himself to be some of his best work. Jonas Hellborg , solo bassist and at the time, member of John McLaughlin ‘s reformed band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra , played bass on the album. Jazz great Tony Williams and legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker drummed on the album, which also featured Ryuichi Sakamoto of the Japanese electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). Controversy reared again, with claims that the album cover and title concept had been stolen from the San Francisco noise/punk band, Flipper , contemporaries of PiL, whose album, Album , featured a similarly unadorned sleeve. Flipper retaliated by naming their next album, Public Flipper Limited .