ARAB TIMES, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2010
NEWS/FEATURES 25
Obituary
UK punk pioneer dead
Tributes pour
for McLaren
LONDON, April 9, (Agencies): Punk
icon Johnny Rotten and fashion designer
Vivienne Westwood led tributes Friday
for pop culture pioneer and Sex Pistols
ex-manager Malcolm McLaren after his
death from cancer aged 64.
McLaren died Thursday in a hospital
in Switzerland following a fight against
mesothelioma, a cancer that most com-
monly affects the lungs, his girlfriend
Young Kim said.
Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon led
tributes to his ex-manager, issuing a
statement signed Johnny Rotten, which
was Lydon’s stage name when he per-
formed with the band.
“For me Malc was always entertain-
ing, and I hope you remember that,” he
said. “Above all else he was an entertain-
er and I will miss him, and so should
you.”
Kim said she
was by his side
when he passed
away, as was
McLaren’s son,
Joseph Corre.
“He was a great
artist who changed
the world,” said
Kim, who was the
McLaren music mogul’s
partner for 12
years, in a statement.
Expressions
“Everything he did — his shop on the
King’s Road (in London), his fashion, the
music he created, the bands he man-
aged... were expressions of his art,”
added the 38-year-old. Recent picture of Canadian-US singer and songwriter Rufus Wainwright posing in Paris, on March 31. Wainwright returns to the solitude of the piano for his latest film, saying the instrument became a ‘kind of cocoon’
Les Molloy, a music industry figure in as he worked on the music while his mother battled hopelessly against cancer. (AFP)
London who was described by British
media as McLaren’s spokesman, had ear-
lier Thursday said that McLaren had died
Rufus Wainwright’s tales of women and death
in New York.
McLaren was a leading figure in the US-Canadian artist Rufus Wainwright pop-rock scene thanks to an intense about three weeks later, so her death tion and they’re all on this album: my foray into opera shattered some illusions
punk rock scene. As well as the Sex returns to the solitude of the piano for his voice and a penchant for theatrical was always looming,” Wainwright told mother, my sister, Lulu, Shakespeare’s about classical music. “I was struck by
Pistols, the seminal British punk rock latest album, saying the instrument arrangements. AFP. dark lady and prima donna.” how rigid and how cold and intense it is,”
band of the 1970s, he managed other acts became “a kind of cocoon” as he worked An eclectic musician, he has produced “The piano became a kind of cocoon The record’s release precedes the he said.
on the music while his mother battled a tribute concert to Judy Garland, put or an egg, a nest where I could just be by London launch of a new production of his “Prima Donna” was originally commis-
including the New York Dolls and Bow hopelessly against cancer. Shakespearean sonnets to song for the- myself.” opera, which will premiere at Sadler’s sioned by the Met, but when the presti-
Wow Wow. “All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu,” atre group Berliner Ensemble as well as The album, whose title refers to Louise Wells theatre April 12. gious New York institution saw that the
News reports said his remains would a stripped-down record haunted by his penning his opera which debuted in Brooks (“the personification of the “Operas have always come to my res- opera was in the language of Bizet, it
be flown back to his native London for mother’s death, releases ahead of the Manchester last summer. femme-fatale”), has an intensity reminis- cue emotionally whenever I’ve been in cancelled.
burial in Highgate cemetery, in the north London opening of his debut opera, But for the creative dynamo, 2010 cent of American torch songs. the most difficult of times,” he said. “I “It doesn’t sound good in English. I’m a
of the capital. “Prima Donna”, the story of an ageing began with a tragedy after the demise of “All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu” treat it as a bit of religion and this is my big fan of French opera,” said Wainright,
McLaren was a former partner of soprano in 1970s Paris. his mother, Canadian folk singer Kate could also have been titled “Five Intense chance to add to that religion, to write who is a self-confessed admirer of the
British fashion designer Vivienne At 36, the singer/songwriter has McGarrigle. Chicks”, he said, “because there are all about those gods and create new ones.” 19th-century French composer Jules
Westwood, with whom he set up a bou- cemented a unique reputation on the “I finished the album and she died these women in my life and my imagina- Wainwright said however that his first Massenet. (AFP)
tique on the King’s Road in London’s hip
Chelsea district which they renamed Sex,
selling fetish-inspired outfits.
Westwood — who said she had not
been in touch with McLaren for a long
time — remembered him as “a very
Music
charismatic, special and talented person.”
“When we were young and I fell in
love with Malcolm, I thought he was
beautiful and I still do,” she told the Daily
Mail newspaper.
Group asks Somalis to stand up to Islamists
McLaren, a one-time art school stu-
Somali artists take on rebels with rap
dent, began to manage the Sex Pistols in
1975, bringing Lydon on board as front-
man after spotting him in a torn Pink
Floyd T-shirt and green hair.
The band released “God Save the
Queen” in 1977, the year of Queen NAIROBI, April 9, (RTRS): For centuries,
Elizabeth II’s silver jubilee. Its provoca- Somalis used poetry and songs to pass ‘Country’s leadership lied to the public’
tive lyrics (“God save the queen/her fas- protest messages to powerful rulers they
cist regime (and) there’s no future/in were too afraid to confront directly.
England’s dreaming”) propelled it to the
top of the pop charts, despite the BBC
banning it from its airwaves.
Now, some young Somalis are using rap
to speak out against Islamists who they say
are using religion to wage war in their coun-
Russian rap song slams officials for blasts
Projects try.
The 11-member Waayaha Cusub band, MOSCOW, April 9, (AFP): A young on a morning news show. minute track.”
It was followed later in the year by the Russian rapper has caused controversy “It gave me shivers down the spine,” However, some listeners found the
quartet’s only official studio album, currently in exile in neighbouring Kenya, with a song about last week’s Moscow Nariman, a Muscovite from Dagestan, song offensive, accusing Dino MC 47 of
“Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s the wants its rap lyrics to encourage fellow metro attacks that accuses the country’s said during a phone-in on the show. “I using a tragedy to raise his profile.
Sex Pistols.” Somalis to stand up to Islamist rebels leadership of lying to the public about the think this song is very relevant and very “I’m against this. This rapper is creat-
The Sex Pistols embarked on a US known as al Shabaab. risk of terrorism. timely.” ing publicity for himself,” Nikolai from
tour in 1978, only to split up after a gig in In this undated photo released on April 8, They have handed out at least 7,000 free In the song, simply titled “March 29 “I really liked this song. I can’t calm Kazan told the Echo of Moscow radio.
by Talented Star training school, music copies of their newly-released album titled 2010” and set to video footage of emer- down after listening to it,” said Alexander, “It’s just another rapper who wants to
San Francisco. gency workers and flowers left by mourn- 64, from Moscow. make his name using other people’s
shop employee and singer Lin Yu-chun “No To Al Shabaab” to residents in
The band fell out with McLaren, and poses in Taiwan. Videos of 24-year-old ers at the scene, rapper Dino MC 47 The 28-year-old rapper, whose real blood and grief,” a user called Sharik
he later lost a court case over royalties. Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood, home
Lin singing Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always to many Somali migrants. slams officials — “insolent fat faces” — name is Timur Kuzminykh, told AFP that wrote on the radio station’s blog.
After his time with the Sex Pistols, Love You’ on the Taiwanese talent show for failing to protect the public. he recorded the song on the day of the Kuzminykh defended himself against
McLaren continued to work on music, ‘One Million Star’ have exploded online.
Challenge They “tell us from the screen that no attacks. the accusation.
film and art. “We will wipe out the fear of our people one can scare us” while “their children “I was watching news broadcasts like “I’m being accused of trying to get pub-
Since his performance Friday evening, are in London and all their money is in everyone else. Under the impression, I licity from the tragedy,” he said. “It goes
Later projects included composing a April 2, clips have racked up nearly that no one can speak out against al
Shabaab. We will show our people that we the Cayman Islands,” he says. “What wrote the song right that day and went to without saying that I didn’t have such an
theme tune for airline British Airways, 800,000 views on YouTube and were should we do, tell us. Where should we the studio to record it,” he said by tele- aim.”
BBC radio shows and last year he exhib- likely to climb further. (AP) can challenge them,” said Shine Abdullahi, run?” phone. “My state of mind was: how much The song makes ironic references to
ited his art in Britain and the US. the group’s founder. In an apparent dig at the power duo of longer can this go on?” the Russian leaders, saying that “our top
He split his final years living between Al Shabaab have besieged Mogadishu’s President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime “They try to tell us that everything is leaders with very serious faces tell us
New York and Paris, according to his Variety Western-backed administration and control
much of the countryside. The United States
Minister Vladimir Putin, the rapper asks:
“Who is the head of our country? Who
OK, everything is good, but in fact it isn’t
at all,” he said. “I think it’s better to tell the
that the fight will continue, there will be
no talks with terrorists and every single
girlfriend.
Veteran music journalist Jon Savage, says it is al Qaeda’s proxy in eastern Africa. will answer for this? Will anyone at all truth. If we are living in a state of war, the one should be destroyed.”
author of “England’s Dreaming”, a histo- The rebels have been joined by foreign resign?” citizens have a right to know about it.” After the attacks, in tough rhetoric
ry of the Sex Pistols and punk, said: TAIPEI, Taiwan: As a younger man, militants who Western security agencies say More than 29,000 people have The song appeals: “Tell us the truth: Medvedev vowed to “find and wipe out”
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-chun sang for hours on end, watched the video to the song on the suicide bombers and mujahidin are the bombers, while Putin called for secu-
“Without Malcolm McLaren there would are using the country as a haven to plot YouTube since it was posted April 2. The out there” and criticizes the “weak and rity forces to “scrape them out from the
trying to get his mind off the sneers he attacks in the region and beyond.
not have been any British punk.” endured because of his portly figure. song was originally posted as an audio feeble-minded” authorities for “lying.” bottom of the sewers.”
The British press Friday remembered “They are talking about Holy war, they track on the rapper’s web site on March Liberal newspaper Novaya Gazeta The song’s video hints at a lack of
The round-faced soprano with the bowl
a man who, despite the controversy he haircut never imagined his voice would one are training and misleading youth, and we 31, two days after the metro suicide praised the song in its blog, saying that, leadership with a shot of an empty micro-
stirred up when he first caught the pub- day transform him into an international sensa- want to stop the spread of those ideas and bombings. “Practically everything that can be said phone standing on a podium decorated
lic’s attention, had become a national warn our people there is no Jihad,” Last Saturday, the Echo of Moscow about the tragic events of March 29 in with the Russian Federation’s double-
tion. talk radio station played the track twice Moscow can be found here, in this two- headed-eagle emblem.
institution. But now, he is being compared to Britain’s Abdullahi, 27, said.
Also: Susan Boyle, the plain-looking 48-year-old The new album attracted more than
LONDON: Christopher Cazenove, who who shot to stardom after singing “I Dreamed 100,000 viewers onto the group’s website,
a Dream” on “Britain’s Got Talent.” www.waayahacusub.com, in the first three ing her head as most Somali women do, and music in areas that they control, allowing The group’s youngest member is 15-year-
played Ben Carrington in the TV series is wearing tight jeans. only recital of the Quran. old Suleqa Mohamed, who is a student at an
“Dynasty,” has died at age 64, his family Lin’s Whitney Houston-like rendition of weeks. Abdullahi says it has since been cor-
“I Will Always Love You” on Taiwan’s rupted, possibly by al Shabaab. “They criticise me and say ‘she is not Waayaha Cusub toured the semi- Eastleigh school.
said. “Avenue to Stardom” talent show last Friday Muslim because of wearing a trouser’. I am autonomous northern region of Puntland in Most of them want to return to Somalia
“Christopher died peacefully on April “They are unkind, teach terrorism, and
has already racked up some 1.3 million views worthless lessons, they blindfold, and cause Muslim,” she said. “I want to reach my peo- July but Mohamud hopes to perform in her and live off their music when peace returns
7 surrounded by his loved ones, having on YouTube, and the number is climbing fast. ple. I will not stop my mission because of hometown one day. but currently survive on sponsorships by
contracted septicemia at the end of pain, inject drugs, that lead to actions, force
For the 24-year-old with the disparaging them to kill their fathers and relatives,” one fear or other people’s desires. History will “The trip to Somalia was great. That is businessmen and Somalis in the diaspora.
February,” the family said in a statement nickname of “Little Fatty,” the event has been tell who is right and wrong.” when I realised people like our music, and it Their songs have angered some people.
released Thursday by his agent, Lesley of the group’s raps goes.
a life-changer. The group’s only female member, Falis Mohamud was born in the southern town really gave us confidence not to stop our Even in the relative stability and security of
Duff. He died at St. Thomas’ hospital in “I now have more confidence in pursuing a of Kismayu that is now an al Shabaab campaign because a few people who dislike Kenya they have been attacked. Gunmen
London. Abdi Mohamud, is a rebel in her own right.
singing career,” Lin told The Associated Press In one video, the 23-year-old is not cover- stronghold. The insurgents have banned us.” shot and wounded Abdullahi in 2007.
Cazenove played the black sheep in a telephone interview. “You don’t have to
brother of Blake Carrington, played by be a good-looking man or woman to succeed.
John Forsythe, who died April 1. Just be yourself and try your best.” (AP)
Cazenove appeared in 36 episodes of ❑ ❑ ❑
“Dynasty” in 1986-87. Matsumoto, central Japan, in August and a nosed with oesophageal cancer and had can- out of Kamuzu international Airport on a private
He appeared as Charlie Tyrrell in the TOKYO: Acclaimed Japanese conductor Seiji series of concerts with the Vienna celled his schedule for at least six months to jet bound for London, the official said.
Ozawa said Friday he was recovering well Philharmonic Orchestra in Europe and Japan. undergo treatment. (AFP) Madonna’s charity, Raising Malawi, is
1976 miniseries, “The Duchess of Duke from cancer but decided to cancel more
Street.” Film roles included “Three Men “I’m really sorry for troubling and worry- ❑ ❑ ❑ building a $15-million Girls Academy to edu-
engagements to concentrate on treatment. ing everyone,” Ozawa said in a statement. “I cate young Malawi girls from poor back-
and a Little Lady” in 1990 and “A Ozawa, the 74-year-old musical director at myself feel great regret but I want to take all LILONGWE: US pop star Madonna jetted out grounds. The star already funds several chari-
Knight’s Tale” in 2001. the Vienna State Opera, had moved “one possible measures to (recover) by listening to of Malawi on Friday ending a five-day trip ties in the country, including homes for chil-
He is survived by his son, Rhys, and more step” towards a full recovery from my chief doctor’s instructions.” which included laying a foundation stone for a dren with AIDS.
his partner Isabel Davis. oesophageal cancer, his office said in a state- Ozawa, however, was still planning to con- new girls school, an airport official told AFP. She has built a multi-purpose community
Funeral arrangements were not ment. duct other concerts scheduled for later this The singer who was accompanied by her biolog- centre 50 kms (30 miles) from Lilongwe
announced. But Ozawa had decided to follow doctors’ year, his office said. ical children Rocco and Lourdes and her other which looks after more than 8 000 orphans.
instructions and cancel an opera in In January, Ozawa said he had been diag- Ozawa Madonna two children whom she adopted in Malawi flew (AFP)