Public Image Ltd.

After the Sex Pistols imploded in 1978, singer John Lydon went on to form the band he would spend the next 14 years with: Public Image Ltd., which would become nearly as important in shaping post-punk as the Pistols had been shaping punk. The group evolved swiftly, abandoning the edgy, dub-heavy noise of early records in favor of a more traditional dance-pop sound by the ’80s, before dissolving in 1992, when Virgin Records dropped the group. Last year Lydon re-formed the group for a well-received reunion tour, which has continued into 2010. Click here to read the Shepherd’s interview with Lydon, who hopes to make enough money from touring to fund a new PiL record.