(CNN) -- John Lydon is wondering whether he's looking old. He jokes that the camera should be smeared with Vaseline to give a flattering, soft-focus effect. "Or we could use butter!" he laughs in reference to a series of TV commercials which helped to fund his band's latest album. His band is, of course, Public image Limited -- one of the most inventive and influential groups of the post-punk era. PiL were formed by Lydon following the disintegration of his previous band, The Sex Pistols - the group that pioneered the punk era in Britain. With the release last year of the critically-acclaimed "This is PiL," after a recording hiatus of 20 years, Public image Limited have released nine studio albums spanning 35 years. The Pistols produced just one album and were gone within two years but more column inches and interview minutes have been devoted to that short, sharp, shock to music history than to the story of PiL.
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John Lydon was lead singer of The Sex Pistols, before forming Public image Limited
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Public Image Limited have released nine studio albums spanning 35 years
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Lydon is accepting a BMI Icon award, which recognizes his work with both bands
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He says he doesn't want to play to Johnny Rotten wannabes, that individuality is a gift
All of my songwriting now goes into @placeholder, which is a much broader expanse and a more difficult terrain in many ways to deal with but ultimately far more rewarding."