Keith Levene, founding member and guitarist of The Clash and Public Image Ltd, has died. He was 65 years old.
News of her death was first shared by author Adam Hammond, with whom Levene was working on a written history of Public Image Ltd, according to The Guardian. The British rock star had been suffering from liver cancer and died in her sleep at her home in Norfolk on November 11, the newspaper said.
“There is no doubt that Keith was one of the most innovative, daring and influential guitarists of all time.” Hammond tweeteddescribing Levene as a “close friend”.
Levene was born in London on 18 July 1957. He was just 18 when he formed The Clash with Mick Jones and Paul Simonon. Joe Strummer, who had recently been inspired by punk music after seeing the Sex Pistols play in London at the time, joined the Clash at Levene’s request.
Despite contributing to some of their biggest hits, including “What’s My Name” from their 1977 debut album, Levene grew tired of the band. When the Sex Pistols disbanded the following year, he formed Public Image Ltd with John “Johnny Rotten” Lydon and John “Jah Wobble” Wardle.
Peter Noble via Getty Images
“Keith sought to create a new paradigm in music and with willing collaborators John Lydon and Jah Wobble he managed to do just that,” added Hammond. “His guitar work during the nine-minute ‘Theme’, the first track from PiL’s first album, defined what alternative music should be.”
That album, Public Image: First Issue, peaked at number 22, with a single of the same name reaching the top 10. Fans and music historians consider it a classic of the post-punk genre, Levene revealed to The Guardian. in 2012, “people thought I was classically trained, which was stupid.”
1981’s “The Flowers of Romance” marked Levene’s third and final outing with Public Image Ltd, according to People. Levene officially left the group two years later, citing creative differences during the production of their fourth effort, “This Is What You Want… This Is What You Get”.
“There was a lot of vitriol but it was a magical moment and I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” Levene told The Guardian. “People said [our second album] Metal Box was state-of-the-art, but we didn’t expect that 30 years later people would be talking about a seminal record.”
According to Variety, substance abuse, particularly heroin, derailed Levene’s career for much of the 1980s. Despite this, he moved to Los Angeles and produced the “Violent Opposition” EP with members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1987 and wrote an autobiography.
“Much of what we hear today owes much to Keith’s work, some acknowledged, most not,” Hammond tweeted, adding: “The world is a darker place without his genius. Mine will be darker without my pair.
I’m a passionate and motivated journalist with a focus on world news. My experience spans across various media outlets, including Buna Times where I serve as an author. Over the years, I have become well-versed in researching and reporting on global topics, ranging from international politics to current events.