... Stupefaction ...: Keith Levene

Showing posts with label Keith Levene. Show all posts

Sep 3, 2014

Books of Note: Keith Levene, John Lydon & Tom Waits

We're rolling quickly into THAT time of the year. New books, deluxe albums, etc...will be upon us before we know it. Here are three of note that you may find interesting.

The first is Keith Levene's memoir (pictured above), I WaS a TeeNaGe GuitariST 4 the ClaSH!. Funded by a crowd sourcing effort, check out the versions available, and place your orders at teenageguitarist76.com. The design is suitably teenaged fanzine paste-up 1970's style. Nice!

Next up is a related book of sorts, the second memoir/autobiography by John Lydon, entitled Anger is an Energy: My Life Uncensored. Available October 9, it's sure to be an interesting read. I always find Lydon interviews highly intelligent, articulate, relatable and entertaining. Pre-order here.

Last, but certainly not least, is a new book of photographs of Tom Waits as shot by Mitchell Rose, in Los Angeles in 1977 at & around the legendary Tropicana Hotel. See some examples, and order the book directly from the photographer here.

Mar 27, 2014

Keith Levene Announces Crowd Funding For Commercial Zone 2014

Those of you old enough might remember an album by Public Image called The Commercial Zone. It was to prove the final death knell for the partnership of the original foundation of the band between John Lydon and Keith Levene. Lydon went on to release a, well, more commercial version of the original album to the band's great benefit (retitled This Is What You Want...This Is What You Get), and Levene snuck out an "unauthorized" version of the album not too long after. Well, it seems Keith is back at it, after tackling Metal Box in recent years. The following hit my inbox a couple of days ago:

KEITH LEVENE ANNOUNCES CROWD FUNDING FOR "COMMERCIAL ZONE 2014" INITIATIVE

For immediate release – March 23, 2014: Clash/Public Image Ltd. founding member, Keith Levene will establish a crowd-funding project on Indiegogo to produce the “Commercial Zone 2014” initiative after three decades.

In 1982-1983, Levene composed what was intended to be PiL’s fourth album, the Commercial Zone. However, lack of support and creative differences over that album led Levene to leave PiL and abandon the project in the Spring of 1983.

“Finally producing the Commercial Zone my way will allow me to finish important unfinished business,” explains Levene. “I know there’s been a gap in time of thirty years. However, it seems like it’s coming right on time for a myriad of reasons. For instance PiL’s debut album First Issue from 1978 was released in America for the first time ever only last year by PiL Official. And now, they have released another repackaged album called PiL Gold which contains something like 24 of 28 tunes from the first three albums – which I composed.”

“So now with Commercial Zone 2014 you will get what the fourth album was supposed to be – and much more. It will be much better because it’s current, it contains the best of the original tracks, plus remixes, plus original material, and has the benefit of 30 years of my work. So it’s not another tired, old, re-release of stuff that’s been out since 1978 or 1981. It’s fresh. I’ve had time to reflect. So yeah, it’s better,” he states.

“Many people have not heard about Commercial Zone. In 1984, PiL saw fit to release a diluted version of my work and saw fit to call it This is What You Want, This is What You Get. I leave you to draw you own conclusions regarding that,” Levene says.

A 35 picture book preview of original artwork, photos, and words from Levene’s forthcoming book “Diary” will accompany Commercial Zone 2014.

For further information go to www.keithlevenelive.com or Keith's Indiegogo page

May 28, 2013

(This Is Not) Stupefied: The Keith Levene Playlist (and non-autobiography)

Keith Levene by Andrew Lee

This week's edition of the Stupefied Playlist is particularly special to me. It's from a gent who has been a huge part of my musical education, and has been there from the start: Mr. Keith Levene - a member of not one, but two seminal bands in the UK's modern era. Starting with the Clash (although he's been conveniently airbrushed out of their history) for whom he wrote "What's My Name?" which was included on their debut album by which time Levene was not in the band any longer. He was also, of course, a founding member of Public Image Limited. Along with John Lydon and Jah Wobble, they released two albums (First Issue and Metal Box/Second Edition) which are often cited on "All Time Best..." lists. After the second album, Wobble left the band, while Levene remained to make The Flowers of Romance with Lydon and drummer, Martin Atkins. He really should not need an introduction.

In 2012, Levene reunited with Wobble, and together they released the Yin Yang album on the Cherry Red label, as well as touring a live, and well received, dub recreation of the Metal Box album appropriately called Metal Box In Dub.

Most excitingly, Levene is currently working on an autobiography entitled This Is Not An Autobiography: The Diary of A Non-Punk Rocker. He'll be self-publishing the book, because as he says, "I don't do record or book deals!" Available soon for download, an excerpt can be read at one of Keith's websites, right here.

Besides that, Keith is self-releasing solo recordings as well. Absolute Zero Redux, The Search 4 Absolute Zero, and the Killer In The Crowd EP are all available on digital download only, and available directly from him here. A huge thanks to Keith for the playlist.

To keep up with all of his various doings, please visit the sites listed here:

Official website / other Official website

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Jah Wobble & Keith Levene - Facebook