R.I.P. Keith Levene

brianlux

Sad news today upon hearing that Keith Levene, a truly original guitarist/musician, founding member of The Clash, and integral component of Public Image Limited, has passed away at the age of 65.  A very sad loss. 

R.I.P., Keith Levene.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/12/keith-levene-founding-member-of-the-clash-dies-at-65-public-image-ltd

1ThoughtKnown

Very sad to hear this. Hopefully he is fondly remembered for his outstanding work in PiL. He wasn’t in the Clash very long. 

PiL are amazing imo and you are right blux, he was integral to the sound they created. Those first three albums with him and Jah Wobble on bass are criminally underrated. 

Thanks for pushing the boundaries of rock music… RIP

brianlux

1ThoughtKnown said:

Very sad to hear this. Hopefully he is fondly remembered for his outstanding work in PiL. He wasn’t in the Clash very long. 

PiL are amazing imo and you are right blux, he was integral to the sound they created. Those first three albums with him and Jah Wobble on bass are criminally underrated. 

Thanks for pushing the boundaries of rock music… RIP

I have to confess I had forgotten that Levene was on the ground floor with the Clash, but yeah, he was essential to PiL.  Lydon writes a lot about those years in his book Anger is an Energy.  That part kind of reminded me of a lot of the Ramones years with the angst between Johnny and Joey in that in PiL there was all this friction and anger between Levene and Wobble and yet they forged ahead and tore down walls and made this incredible music.  It might take a hundred years for the world to catch up with that stuff, but it will always be there waiting.

1ThoughtKnown

^^^ Agreed. 

I like all the early PiL, but The Flowers of Romance is next level. I’m heading home on Thursday from a remote work stint, I will be spinning that record.

Pap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ghZRLehxhQ