Guitarist Keith Levene, co-founder of The Clash, dead at 65
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Keith Levene: What you need to know Musician Julian Keith Levene was born on July 18, 1957, in London. (NCD)
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Keith Levene, a founding member of The Clash and longtime guitarist for Public Image Ltd, died Friday at the age of 65, friends and former bandmates confirmed to the BBC.
According to The Guardian, Levene died of liver cancer.
Levene’s death in Norfolk, United Kingdom, was also announced on social media by former bandmates Martin Atkins and Jah Wobble.
As per Variety: “While his career was sidetracked by substance abuse beginning in the early 1980s, Levene’s work with Public Image — the band Sex Pistols singer John Lydon formed after that group broke up early in 1978 — cast a long shadow on the musical landscape of the post-punk era. Both melodic and discordant, sonorous and violent, his jagged, lurching chords and chiming arpeggios set a template that echoed across countless bands over the years, far beyond PiL’s postpunk milieu. This writer can recall hearing the Red Hot Chili Peppers spontaneously break into the riff from PiL’s classic 1979 song ‘Poptones’ during a 1991 concert, and his sound can be heard in the decades-later work of everyone from Franz Ferdinand to LCD Soundsystem.”
According to the BBC, Levene founded The Clash with Mick Jones in the 1970s but left before they became successful. He then joined Public Image Ltd, the band Sex Pistols singer John Lydon formed after that group split in 1978, but exited before they gained mainstream success in the mid-1980s.
Levene was reportedly instrumental in persuading 101ers frontman Joe Strummer to join The Clash, and he is credited with “with helping to pioneer an angular post-punk sound that is still regularly cited,” according to the BBC.
According to the network, close friend and author Adam Hammond said that Levene had been living with liver cancer for two years, but his death had been unexpected.
“He had so many plans - there were so many things he was doing,” Hammond said, confirming to the BBC that Levene had just completed a book about Public Image Ltd, co-written with Hammond, and had been working on accompanying music.
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Photos: Keith Levene through the years Ex Sex Pistols lead singer Johnny Rotten seen here with Keith Levene. The pair have teamed up with Jeanette Lee to form Public Image Limited (aka PIL). (Photo by Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images) (Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years Keith Levene of Public Image Ltd., 1980 (Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage) *** Local Caption *** (Chris Walter/WireImage via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Photo of Keith LEVENE and John LYDON and PUBLIC IMAGE LTD; L-R: ?, John Lydon, Keith Levene. First line-up at Virgin Records, London (Photo by David Corio/Redferns) (Photo � David Corio/Redferns via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01: Photo of Keith LEVENE and John LYDON and PUBLIC IMAGE LTD; John Lydon & Keith Levene (Photo by Peter Noble/Redferns) (Peter Noble/Redferns via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years ATLANTA - APRIL 24: (L-R) Bassist John Wordle (AKA Jah Wobble), vocalist John Lydon (formerly Johnny Rotten) and guitarist Keith Levene of Public Image Limited (PiL) perform at the Agora Ballroom on April 24, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Tom Hill/WireImage) (Tom Hill/WireImage via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Photo of Keith LEVENE and John LYDON and PUBLIC IMAGE LTD; L-R: John Lydon, Keith Levene, ?. First line-up at Virgin Records, London (Photo by David Corio/Redferns) (David Corio/Redferns via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years (L-R) Musicians Keith Levene and John Lydon of Public Image Ltd. attend Warner Bros. Grammy Party on February 27, 1980 at Chasen's Restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Betty Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) (Betty Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01: Photo of Keith LEVENE and PUBLIC IMAGE LTD; Keith Levene (Photo by Peter Noble/Redferns) (Peter Noble/Redferns via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years INDIO, CA - APRIL 16: Keith Levene of Public Image Limited performs as part of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Fields on April 16, 2010 in Indio, California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) (Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years LONDON - JULY 25: Keith Levene first public apperance in over 20 years, founding member of The Clash and Public Image Ltd., at the Launch Party of Bouga Cocktail Lounge on July 25, 2007 in London, England. (Photo by JAB Promotions/WireImage) (JAB Promotions/WireImage via Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years John Lydon ex Sex Pistols with Keith Levine 1981. (Photo by Maloney Mike/Mirrorpix/Getty Images) (Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
Photos: Keith Levene through the years Keith Levene first public apperance in over 20 years, at the Launch Party of Bouga Cocktail Lounge on July 25, 2007, in London, England. (Photo by JAB Promotions/WireImage) (JAB Promotions/WireImage via Getty Images)
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