Thursday, April 08, 2010
Malcolm McLaren has died. For some of us he'll be remembered as an important figure in late 20th Century culture, although all he really did was recognize and promote artists who actually embodied and shaped that culture. Lately I've been listening to Andrew Loog Oldham's show on satellite radio-- he's a similar figure from a generation earlier. The Sex Pistols and the Stones were both somewhat creations of their manager/producers-- the Pistols never really grew beyond that, the Stones did, but neither would have become what they did had it not been for their impresarios. McLaren deserves particular credit for recognizing the social disruption created by the policies of Margaret Thatcher and assembling the band which became the voice of the disaffected. (It's interesting that there isn't a similar figure in the Clash's background....).
Finally, and further to an email exchange last week, McClaren had a rock'n'roll take on libraries that I am completely down with: "More recently he stood for the then newly created London mayoralty in 2000. Amongst his policies was the serving of alcohol in libraries." He could have hired Keef to run them.
Finally, and further to an email exchange last week, McClaren had a rock'n'roll take on libraries that I am completely down with: "More recently he stood for the then newly created London mayoralty in 2000. Amongst his policies was the serving of alcohol in libraries." He could have hired Keef to run them.
// posted by Bill @ 3:34 PM 
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