Fuzzcast Paul Holloway

Keith Levene sadly passed away in his home in Norfolk on 11 November 2022, aged 65.  He had been battling liver cancer.

He was a hugely influential figure on the early London punk explosion.  What set him apart from many of his peers, was in a scene based around a DIY- play three chord ethos, Keith really could play. A gifted guitarist, he liked to experiment and push the envelope.

In the summer of 1976, he was a founding member of The Clash.  However, shortly after recruiting Joe Strummer, Keith left the band. After the Sex Pistols imploded in 1978, John Lydon asked Keith to join him and Jah Wobble to former Public Image Limited.

Keith was in PiL for five years, in which time the band released what is widely regarded as some of the most influential material of the time.  Including, Metal Box which is considered by many to be a post punk classic. When I heard of Keith’s death, I had a dig into my audio archives and found an in-depth interview with him recorded in 2013.

At the time Keith was living in the United States.  The recording was broadcast on Fuzzbox my late-night punk & ska show on the sadly missed Pure 107.8FM in Stockport. It’s basically the same format as a Fuzzcast episode, a punk rock life story.

Keith has a lot to talk about - His fall out with John Lydon, how he persuaded Joe Strummer to join the Clash, Sid Vicious, Bernie Rhodes, Jah Wobble, teaching Viv Albertine to play guitar.  It’s all here. So hopefully you will enjoy.

In 1977 Horace Panter was recruited by fellow art student Jerry Dammers, at Coventry’s Lanchester Polytechnic to join his band The Automatics.  The band became The Specials. They led the British ska revival of the late 1970s and created the highly influential 2 Tone Record label. Their hybrid of old school Jamaican dance music, punk attitude, ant-racism stance and social awareness made them one of the most revered bands in the history of popular music.

Horace Panter is still playing bass with The Specials who reformed in 2008 after the band acrimoniously imploded in 1981 when their classic single ‘Ghost Town’ was top of the charts.

SPIZZENERGI are best known for the punk anthem ‘Where’s Captain Kirk’ which became the first record to top the UK Independent Singles Chart when it launched in January 1980.  They were also known for changing the name of the band every year.  Front man Spizz looks back on a 45 year career in punk rock including touring with Siouxsie and the Banshees, working back stage for The Clash and finally meeting his hero William Shatner.

Paul Holloway's second guest on Fuzzcast is Wilko Johnson.

Wilko made his name as guitar player and songwriter with Dr Feelgood.

Hailing out of Canvey Island the band are widely acknowledged as the best band on London’s pub rock scene in the mid 70’s which heavily influenced the birth of punk rock.

The band were riding high after their live album Stupidity topped the UK charts in 1976 but Wilko left the Feelgood’s after a spectacular bust up with frontman Lee Brilleaux whilst recording the band’s fourth album Sneaking Suspicion the following year.

Wilko was later invited to join the Blockheads by Ian Dury and recorded the Laughter album with the band.  During his time with the Blockheads Wilko formed a friendship with bass player Norman Watt-Roy who still plays in his 3 piece band today together with drummer Dylan Howe.

There was a resurge in interest in the Feelgood’s in 2009 when Julien Temple released his excellent documentary film, Oil City Confidential. On the back of the film Wilko landed his first acting role with a part in Game of Thorns as House Lancaster executioner See Ilyn Payne.

In 2013 Wilko was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given less than a year to live. He refused chemopathy and crammed into what he thought was his last year; trips to Japan, a farewell tour, recording a best selling album with Roger Daltry and making another film The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson with Julien Temple about his own mortality.

However, a fan who happened to be a cancer specialist perseuded Wilko to take a second opinion and Wilko underwent a major operation which cured him from cancer.

In 2016 Wilko published his autobiography Don’t You Leave Me Here and in 2018 he released Blow Your MInd, an album of new material. Wilko was still gigging until Covid stuck.

Welcome to Fuzzcast, episode one -  The Sound of the Suburbs with JC Carroll from The Members.

Guitarist JC was one half of the principal songwriting partnership in the band with front man Nicky Tesco. JC & Nicky both originally from the leafy Surry commuter town of Camberley but the band made it’s name in and around West London.

Best known for the punk anthem ‘Sound of The Suburbs’, The Members were a key part of the London punk explosion released three studio albums in the band’s first spell together between 1976-83.

They were signed by legendary label Stiff Records, then Virgin, they toured America and Australia where they also had success. They played gigs with The Police and The Clash, and like both those bands incorporated reggae into their sound.

After a 24 year hiatus, The Members reformed in 2007. JC Carroll has been the ever present driving force behind the band since they got back together. They are still gigging and have released new material and a Greatest Hits album.

In the long hot English summer of 1976, a spark was lit that would change the face of popular music, forever.

British punk started as an alternative underground live music scene in sweaty clubs and pubs around London’s west end and Camden town.

Spearheaded by The Sex Pistols and The Clash and inspired by the New York punk scene, London’s pub rock circuit and a learn three chords and do it yourself ethos - that spark became a flame which spread like wildfire all cross the nation.

Paul Holloway is a radio presenter who  in 2008 I launched a late night  show called Fuzzbox on Pure Radio in Stockport playing punk, new wave and ska.  Now he is  dusting down my little black book of contacts and hoping to catch up once again with some of the musicians who helped to shape the punk rock revolution that changed music forever.  He is sharing their stories with you in a series of podcasts.

This is Fuzzcast,

Punk, New Wave & Ska - It’s anarchy in the UK