A researcher with an innovative style, he left his mark on punk and post-punk: guitarist Keith Levene died of liver cancer on Friday November 11, at home and surrounded by his family, in Norfolk (England), announced his family.
Founder in 1976 of the flamboyant punk band The Clash with Mick Jones (guitar) and Paul Simonon (bass) shortly before Joe Strummer joined them, Keith Levene had an influence on the band’s early sound although he quit before success. He notably contributed to the song What’s My Name on the first album released in 1977.
He left to found Public Image Limited in 1978 with former Sex Pistols singer John Lydon alias Johnny Rotten. He is best known for having been the architect of the sound of this flagship post-punk band.
In 1978, after the dissolution of the Sex Pistols, Keith Levene launched with singer John Lydon and bassist John Wardle alias Jah Wobble the group Public Image Limited, which paved the way for post-punk and cold wave. Alongside Lydon’s belches and Jah Wobble’s bass, researcher Keith Levene’s odd, dissonant, abrasive guitar has a lot to do with it: it shears and emits all sorts of sour and twisted sounds then uncommon in a six- strings.
Stayed in the band during PIL’s first three albums: Audience Image: First Issue (1978), metal box (1979) considered a post-punk classic, and The Flowers of Romance (1981), Keith Levene nevertheless had a lasting influence on many guitarists through his explorations, and in particular John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who described his style as “spectacular“.
After 1981, Keith Levene released a handful of solo albums, in which he sometimes swapped guitar for synthesizer, and a few collaborations with Jah Wobble. According to The Guardian, Keith Levene was preparing a book on Public Image Limited before his death with his friend Adam Hammond.
Like other friends and admirers, including Brian Eno or Glen Matlock, Adam Hammond paid tribute to him on social networks, describing him as ‘one of the most innovative, daring and influential guitarists of all time“, and ensuring that “a lot of what we listen to today we owe to Keith’s work“.
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.
1/4 pic.twitter.com/zpCIAhOoA9
— Adam Hammond (@adthedoor) November 12, 2022
Mass Attack wrote on Twitter it was “the architect and re-inventor of punk rock“. And Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) saluted his memory in a tweet, saying his guitar playing owed him a lot.
just found out Keith Levene passed away. i owe him much of my guitar style, in some ways. he made it possible to be me. @realjahwobble @marteeeen very sad, but a big thank you❤️
— anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) November 12, 2022
As for Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream, he quoted in tribute on Instagram a passage from his own memoir about Keith Levene, in which he claims that the guitarist had, with John Mckay of the Banshees, “reinvented the way to play the guitar“.”After these two, we had to rethink how to play the guitar. It was the future.”