more malcolm mclaren

Another friend offers up an intelligent, detailed response to the life and work of Malcolm McLaren:

“The Meaning of Malcolm McLaren”

It is safe to say that every single person for whom I have great respect, who has sounded off on McLaren since his death, has written positively about his work and influence. I haven’t felt this much out of the loop since Frank Zappa died and I expressed a hostile “good riddance.” I will say this: champions of McLaren make a far better case for the man than do Carpenters’ fans for the object of their affection. Although, now that I think of it, a lot of the people writing so eloquently about McLaren are also fans of the Carpenters. I feel like climbing in bed with an old record player, listening over and over again to a 45 of Charlie Feathers singing “One Hand Loose” and reminiscing about the good old days … although since I was only three years old when “One Hand Loose” was released, I’d be reminiscing about something I didn’t actually experience in its original state. Not for the first time, either.

Comments

[Charlie Bertsch]

I'm curious to know whether your objections to McLaren are different from the sort you would lodge against other managers and promoters who have been accused of mishandling their charges or treating them in a condescending manner. Frankly, I never really had much urge to side with him or against him. But learning more about his personal history, especially his childhood, gave me a different perspective on what he did.

[Charlie Bertsch]

Also, I should note that the impetus for the piece, as I hope is clear, was reading all the ambivalent and negative things being written about him in the wake of his passing. Indeed, your decidedly hostile assessment was the trigger for the whole thing!

[Steven Rubio]

Well, if I triggered your fine piece, I'm glad, but I must not have been very coherent ... that you are still curious about my objections suggests they didn't make enough sense, even as they inspired you! Honestly, the thing I regret most, as I noted a couple of times, is that a post about the New York Dolls became a discussion about Malcolm McLaren. To me, there's something backwards there.

The thing I like best about McLaren is his mid-80s music, but that just gives away my biases ... I prefer listening to music over admiring the artist's manager. There are those who would counter by noting that McLaren's work in promotion was a large part of his art, and again, I have no useful reply to that.