search for something...

search for something you might like...

McLaren in the Pits Famed provocateur, Malcolm McLaren, gone.

McLaren in the Pits

Famed provocateur, Malcolm McLaren, gone.

by Hamilton High,
first published: April, 2010

approximate reading time: minutes

Along the way he made some pop records for himself that could be listened to and enjoyed

Malcolm McLaren has rolled into the pits one last time at an untimely 64. Mesothelioma. The godfather of the Sex Pistols, grandfather to Agent Provocateur, an ex Mr Vivienne Westwood, an inventor of bow wow wow and boy did he give Adam Ant the biggest leg up ever. Along the way he made some pop records for himself that could be listened to and enjoyed. There's the New York Dolls dalliance, the shops, the shameless self-promotion when there was no shame in shameless-self promotion. It would be shameful now, but of course now he's not doing it. Now it would take a team of media consultants and they'd still get it wrong. By consensus. Malcolm McLaren was a renaissance man when they were thin on the ground. He was a human sampler, a masher upper before mash ups were. Recently, finding myself at a wildly popular Curryoake evening,  I wondered still, had Malcolm McLaren got a hand in it? It's going to be so big in Little India.

I can't tell you whether there would be an outsideleft.com, I can't tell you whether I'd be happier if I'd never heard of him back when I was a kid. I can't blame him for everything can I? All of the good things would most likely be gone, never have happened. No London, Los Angeles, no St. Leonards, no Kirk, no Ron & Nancy, but, on the other hand, look at well, I won't say, some people I know who've never heard of the guy. They do nothing never endeavor and have very nice lives. So maybe without Malcolm McLaren's influence, I might have never tried to do anything ever. Maybe then I'd be happy now.

Hamilton High

Hamilton High was born on Doheny Ave in the gutter, is a poet, writer and observer of popular culture. Likes fashion and cares less for style. He's on the move, he's an alter ego and we hardly ever hear from him.
about Hamilton High »»

Attrition Banner

Monroe Moon at Corks in Bearwood on Friday April 5th web banner

RECENT STORIES

RANDOM READS

All About and Contributors

HELP OUTSIDELEFT

Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]

WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT

If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]

OUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE

The Retrofuturists Are Back February 29th
OUTSIDELEFT Night Out
weekend

outsideleft content is not for everyone