Keith Levene: Difference between revisions

Levene was born in [[Muswell Hill]], London on 18 July 1957. His father was [[Jew]]ish.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2014-02-27/ty-article/the-jewish-roots-of-punk/0000017f-f6d6-d5bd-a17f-f6fe23260000?_amp=true | title=The Unsung Jewish Roots of Punk | newspaper=Haaretz }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/england-and-wales-births-1837-2006?firstname=julian&lastname=levene&eventyear=1957&eventyear_offset=0 |title=Search birth records 1837–2006 &#124; Fully indexed birth records |publisher=Findmypast.co.uk |access-date=21 January 2012}}</ref> He was an early fan of [[ska]], [[The Beatles]] and [[progressive rock]]; at fifteen he worked as a [[roadie]] for [[Yes (band)|Yes]] on their [[Close to the Edge Tour|''Close to the Edge'' tour]], "cleaning [[Alan White (Yes drummer)|Alan White]]'s cymbals" amongst other mundane duties.<ref name="pf">Corcoran, Nina. "[https://pitchfork.com/news/keith-levene-the-clash-and-public-image-ltd-guitarist-dies-at-65/ Keith Levene, the Clash and Public Image Ltd Guitarist, Dies at 65]". ''Pitchfork'', 12 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022</ref><ref name="reynolds1">{{cite book|last=Reynolds|first=Simon|title=Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984|date=18 February 2006|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=0143036726|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/ripitupstartagai00reyno}}</ref>

 

 

After the late 1970s British punk group the [[Sex Pistols]] disbanded, Levene and their lead singer [[John Lydon]] co-founded Public Image Ltd (PiL) in May 1978.<ref>{{cite work|first=Neil |last=Spencer|title=Introducing Johnny Rotten's Lonely Hearts Club Band|work=NME|date=27 May 1978}}</ref> He played on [[Travis Bean]] metal-neck guitars.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Tzvi |last1=Gluckin |title=Post-Punk Guitar Antiheroes: Andy Gill, Keith Levene, and Gareth Sager |journal=Premier Guitar |date=14 September 2017}}</ref> He was involved in the writing, performing and producing of PiL's early albums: ''First Issue'', ''[[Metal Box]]'' and ''[[The Flowers of Romance (album)|Flowers of Romance]]''.<ref name = Guardian /><ref>Simpson, Dave. "[https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/feb/13/jah-wobble-keith-levene-metal-box How we made: Jah Wobble and Keith Levene on Public Image Ltd's Metal Box]". ''The Guardian'', 13 February 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2022</ref> While playing with PiL, their 1978 debut album ''[[Public Image: First Issue]]'' reached No 22 in the UK album charts, while the lead track "[[Public Image (song)|Public Image]]", broke the top 10 single chart.<ref name = Guardian />