Public Image Ltd and The Clash founder Keith Levene dies aged 65
Keith Levene, the guitarist and musician who founded The Clash and Public Image Ltd, has died aged 65.
Before forming the pioneering group in 1978, Levene started as a roadie for Yes as a 15-year-old. A few years later, he was crucial in persuading Joe Strummer to form The Clash with him and leave the 101’ers. However, Levene left the band before they recorded any material. He also formed The Flowers of Romance.
Following those ventures, he started Public Image Ltd with Jah Wobble, John Lydon, and Jim Walker following the split of The Sex Pistols. After three albums with the group, Levene left over creative differences over their fourth album, This Is What You Want… This Is What You Get.
In recent years, Levene briefly reunited with Jah Wobble and shared his final album, Commercial Zone 2014, in 2014. It was recorded in Prague after a successful crowdfunding campaign. Levene was also a significant supporter of cryptocurrency, and one of his final interviews was on the podcast What Bitcoin Did.
His death was confirmed on Twitter by his friend, Adam Hammond, who wrote: “It is with great sadness I report that my close friend and legendary Public Image Limited guitarist Keith Levene passed away on Friday 11th November. There is no doubt that Keith was one of the most innovative, audacious and influential guitarists of all time.
“Keith sought to create a new paradigm in music and with willing collaborators John Lydon and Jah Wobble succeeded in doing just that. His guitar work over the nine minutes of ‘Theme’, the first track on the first PiL album, defined what alternative music should be.”
He added: “As well as helping to make PiL the most important band of the age, Keith also founded The Clash with Mick Jones and had a major influence on their early sound. So much of what we listen to today owes much to Keith’s work, some of it acknowledged, most of it not.”
Hammond concluded: “As well as helping to make PiL the most important band of the age, Keith also founded The Clash with Mick Jones and had a major influence on their early sound. So much of what we listen to today owes much to Keith’s work, some of it acknowledged, most of it not.”
Jah Wobble is among those who have paid tribute to his former bandmate, and wrote: “RIP KEITH LEVENE”. Meanwhile, Ride’s Andy Bell posted: “RIP Keith Levene – a guitar tone like ground-up diamonds fired at you through a high-pressure hose”.
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