The former manager of British punk heroes The Sex Pistols passed today after a bout with cancer. Mclaren dedicated his life to exploring and promoting culture that was on the margin. His 1983 album Duck Rock helped spread the word hip-hop on the other side of the Atlantic where he was from. “Buffalo Gals” from that album became a top ten hit in the UK and gave a preview of how influential hip-hop was becoming. “Double Dutch” was another song from that project to expose Black American culture to the world complete with a video of African-American girls participating in the fancy footwork of the Double Dutch dance.
He recorded some side project music with some of the album’s collaborators Trevor Horn, Thomas Dolby, J.J. Jeczalik and Anne Dudley.
The music from those sessions would become the first album for The Art Of Noise. Mclaren also introduced voguing on a larger scale with his 1989 album Waltz Darling before Jennie Livingston’s lauded documentary “Paris Is Burning” and Madonna. The late great vogue dancer Willi Ninja was featured in the video for the song “Deep In Vogue” and inspired Madonna’s “Vogue” video. The World Famous Supreme Team Show album from 1990 was a solid urban effort resulting from McLaren’s
alliance with the hip-hop group. McLaren is also known for his love of fashion that caused him and girlfriend designer Vivienne Westwood opening up the Let It Rock boutique. Their son Joseph Corre is the founder of the Agent Provacteur lingerie line. Although the couple separated years ago and committed to other partners Westwood’s birthdate became McLaren’s death date.
