The Clash Co-Founder Keith Levene Passed Away From Liver Cancer At Age 65

Keith Levene, a British guitarist and co-founder of Public Image Ltd. and the venerable band The Clash, passed away from liver cancer at the age of 65. Author Adam Hammond announced on Twitter on Saturday.

He stated, “It is with great sadness that I disclose the passing on Friday, November 11 of my great friend and iconic guitarist Keith Levene. Keith was without a doubt one of the most creative, risk-taking, and influential guitarists of all time.

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Keith Levene Founded The Clash At Age 18 In London

Levene, who was born in London in 1957, co-founded The Clash with Mick Jones and Paul Simonon when he was 18 years old in the middle of the 1970s. Additionally, they succeeded in persuading Joe Strummer to join the band with the help of his manager Bernard Rhodes.

Levene, however, did not become famous or launch a career with The Clash because he quit the band just before they began work on their debut album. His song “What’s My Name” was included on that album’s debut, which was released in 1977.

He Was Made Famous By Public Image Ltd

In 1978, Levene founded Public Image Ltd. with former Sex Pistols singer Johnny Lydon (formerly known as Johnny Rotten), bassist John Wardle, and drummer Jim Walker. That year, the group released “Public Image: First Issue,” the first single from which was “Public Image.”

One of the best post-punk albums, Metal Box, was released by the group in 1979. In 1983, Keith departed the group. Levene stated to Furious.com in 2001, “What happened to me was that once I was proficient enough to know the rules, I didn’t want to be like any other guitar player.”

“I didn’t try to stand out. All I had was an ear for what was amiss. Therefore, I was willing to give it another chance if I did something incorrectly, such as commit a mistake or act out of sync.” Jill Bennett, Levene’s sister, and Kate Ransford, his lover, are left behind.

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