He was many things to many different people. For some he was a cheat, a liar, and “the most evil man in the world” (according to Johnny Rotten). For others, he’s a trend-setting Svengali who was able to ride the crest of not one, but four different musical genres: punk rock (with the Sex Pistols), 80’s pop (with Adam Ant and Bow Wow WoW), rap (Buffalo Gals), and world music. He was also a trend-setter in the fashion world, a media manipulator, and a startlingly accomplished musician. A man of many talents, Malcolm McLaren passed away last night at age 64 from cancer in Switzerland.
Of McLaren’s many skills, the one thing he couldn’t do well was be a band manager. He found them all right, but when it came to handling them, he might have been better off handing them away to others. Still, with the Sex Pistols, he helped define an entire generation, for better or worse. Never mind my bollocks, here’s a track from Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols!
Tags: Malcolm McLaren, Sex Pistols, Bow Wow Wow, Malcolm McLaren dead, producer and musician dead, obituaries, music, svengali, music industry