Guitarist And Founding Member Of The Clash And Public Image Ltd Keith Levene Dies Aged 65
Monday, 14 November 2022
Written by Jon Stickler
Keith Levene has died aged 65.
Kate Ransford,partner of the co-founding guitarist of The Clash and Public Image Ltd, and author Adam Hammond confirmed the news with a post on Twitter on Saturday (November 12):
"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.
"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.
"Our thoughts and love go out to his partner Kate, sister Jill and all of Keith's family and friends. The world is a darker place without his genius. Mine will be darker without my mate."
Levene died at his home in Norfolk. He had been suffering from liver cancer, although the cause of his death has not been made public.
Born Julian Keith Levene on July 18, 1957 in London, he formed The Clash with guitarist Mick Jones and bassist Paul Simonon when he was 18. It was Levene and the band’s manager, Bernard Rhodes, who tapped Joe Strummer, frontman with the 101ers at the time, to join them.
When the Sex Pistols disbanded in 1978, singer John Lydon, previously known as Johnny Rotten, along with Levene, formed Public Image Ltd with bass player John Wardle, known as Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker.
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.
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