Following the death of former Sex Pistols’ manager, Malcolm McLaren, on Thursday 8 April, CMCI’s Dr Ruth Adams featured on BBC Radio Wales’ ‘Good Morning Wales‘ on Friday 9 April to discuss his impact on British music and culture. To to listen to the interview on BBC iplayer, click here. It’s 1hour 15 minutes in.
Ruth appeared with Rhys Mwyn, former bass player in Welsh punk band Anhrefn, and manager of the indie-pop band Catatonia, and was asked her opinion on the effect of punk on Britain in the 1970s, the nature and scope of McLaren’s influence, and its lasting legacy. Ruth argued that punk had provided a vital challenge to cultural and political stagnation, and although McLaren had not, as he often claimed, invented punk, he had certainly created an environment in which such a subculture could flourish. She further suggested that the development of various affordable and accessible digital technologies, including social media, have facilitated the continuation of the ‘Do- It-Yourself’ ethic that punk championed.
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