Jon Downes meets Keith Levene

[@AlexanderLaurence]

Very sad to hear the brilliant Keith Levene has died. What a legacy he left. His guitar playing on the first PIL records was the blueprint.

[@kobalt77]

Oh shit, I never knew this. Thank you, wow, that is a shock for me.

[@klausrain111]

Yes, Keith died on Nov. 1st 2022.

[@kobalt77]

@@klausrain111 🙏

[@sexobscura]

definitely the blueprint that the Edge has made a nice living from

[@assvibes3866]

Not just guitar playing. He’s responsible for the mad effects and synths and stuff, the overall eerie sonics of Metal Box.

[@skf957]

R.I.P. Keith Levene. I spent an afternoon with Keith and two other guys in early 2019. He’d heard that I was into small singe-board computers and wanted to talk through his idea of embedding such a device in a guitar. Now, I love music, but I was so out of my depth and comfort zone on so many levels I questioned then and now why I even went along. He was an interesting human being though - that is for sure. Not an easy person and he certainly didn’t suffer fools. In terms of age there were only three weeks between us, but I came away feeling old, very old. Oh, and kippered from all the ciggy smoke. Memorable.

[@themindcharmer8808]

Keith's guitar on P.I.L.'s first two albums paved the way for all the 80's avant-garde/indie/underground New Wave and Post Punk scene, enough said?

[@mr.cifuentes1779]

Fucking right. First Issue, Metal Box. Mind-Bomb!

[@piplee1439]

@dan coleman I keep getting it wrong... Its, Issue

[@piplee1439]

@dan coleman what an album.! Theme does it for me. Echoes a 13 year old disposition in England circa 84.

[@piplee1439]

@dan coleman I or II both priceless

[@piplee1439]

@dan coleman you lucky dog. I went with uncool relatives to see the Skids in 79, with no control over my movements at 8 yrs of age. Joy Division played the next day, missed that and the Skids refused to play TV Stars. Shame I wasn't older

[@carolynwayne4603]

straight forward interview. unpretentious, speaks of the past and the present lucidly and succinctly, hes here to get things down. heres whats what when i worked with these people skipping over what true pains in the ass they might have been. genuine and kind. and the beauty in his art always speaks for itself 🍀

[@sexobscura]

exactly

[@delphine-jeanned8959]

I love the fact Keith Levene remains down to earth. For me he really shook the music world in the 80's and 90's. Groundbreaking musician without the grandiloquence and big ego.

[@piplee1439]

Heroin didn't help

[@Somerset-In-The-Blood]

😪

[@buckminsterfuller7252]

I still rate Levene in the top 10 guitarists I've ever heard. His style was unique and often imitated.

[@Somerset-In-The-Blood]

Rest Easy Keith 😪 🕊

[@markgreet3543]

Keiths guitar was amazing,100% on the track public image song.

[@hughbetcha436]

Fantastic interview. IMO Levine and McGeoch were the best guitarists from that scene

[@stephanvenner2939]

And it's sad that we also lost Andy Gill.

[@mummyd1990]

Rip Keith,total honesty all the way through.

[@DungeonStudio]

Flowers Of Romance to me is one of the Top 5 albums of the 20th Century. Keith's parts in Under The House, Keep Banging The Door and all are spot on perfect! And I understand much of the editing was his idea too. The test tone intro, brilliant splicing in the songs. Such a monumental work of art that WB keeps reissuing. Levene was like Picasso or Dali from that point on!

[@mr.cifuentes1779]

Dont forget Metal Box, and PIL's senith First Issue. Still believe its the best Punk sound ever.

[@DungeonStudio]

For sure, great albums as well. Bold and raw, yet catchy and classy at some great moments. But 'Flowers' was such an abandonment to the previous albums, yet such a focused and precise effort. It totally redefined 'bold and raw' and 'catchy and classy'. The Beatles progressed to Sgt. Peppers, but PIL's Flowers came out of nowhere, and is so vividly personal lyric wise. And timeless to this day. Incredible!

[@maxfrudd7666]

I love that album,one amazing piece of work...

[@kobalt77]

I totally agree mate, I cannot understand why it is not hailed a classic, it is about as far from the sex pistols as you can get, but still "Punk" in attitude, but way out left field. The drum sound is still beyond amazing, so creative all of it !

[@kobalt77]

@@DungeonStudio well said, !!

[@SPExJR]

Love listening to his rants

[@thehowlingterror]

Rest well you bright spark.

[@akashg746]

I grew up listening to punk and PIL & much more. I never looked into Keith's music after PIL changed. Thanks

[@klausrain111]

The live PopTones with John in the long red wool overcoat and Jah on bass is some of the most astoundingly great music ever recorded. Keith owns it, all the way. Yes, John has always had a good ear, and he's constantly turning around to smile at Keith, like "Amazing, man! Keep doing that!" Seems like Keith's work with Jah was a match made in heaven, perfect together! Along with John!

[@markuswilliams3190]

Old grey whistle test

[@jmummysweetpea3671]

A troubled man. Amazing guitar player. Smack can ruin people. Don't do it kids!

[@oswing]

amen

[@nicensleazy1892]

Without Levene & Wobble PIL were nothing !

[@mikebenoit5658]

Cool guy, Keith. He'll talk to, or hang with, any one of his fans. His work with PiL is incredible. Looking forward to checking out this collaboration with Wobble.

[@mrsuperger5429]

RIP, Keith ! Poptones in Paris was majestic.

[@SIRRUBADUBDUB]

Great to see the mic inexorably inching towards Keiths face - and the wisdom of the public washing over the rest

[@tintomara6209]

Brian Wilson's let himself go again I see.

[@chrisinfidel]

Great to hear the truth and well done to Giant Haystacks for conducting the interview. In all seriousness I love Keith's guitar playing and though I love the Clash like to hear the bullshit mythology getting busted.

[@plasticbob556]

RIP Keith x

[@pappy9473]

Great to hear Keith interacting completely unaware that his is being interviewed.😁

[@andypike1234]

Legend

[@piplee1439]

'are you interested in this shit?' What a strange question. I'd listen to Julian all week.

[@akashg746]

Also Keith if you read this I would gladly buy you a few drinks and talk!

[@dougtull4594]

For better or worse, there's no Edge without Keith Levene.

[@michaelwilson2340]

Get Keith and Geordie Walker in the same room for an interview and I'll bet the swear jar will really fill up. I found an old copy of Keith Levene's Violent Opposition from 1987 last year and it's great.

[@kobalt77]

Geordie has been in my mind reading all the comments about the best guitarists of that era, he absolutely was and still is.

[@chrisgee188]

both now gone :(

[@proinseasokiellig4388]

RIP

[@cfztv]

I didn’t know he had died. It is a big shock

[@chumbawampa]

Legend thanks so much for this interview

[@videodrome5]

great interview. Keith go back to the guitar playing of "Albatross", "Another", "Graveyard"

[@Tomversal]

Another and Graveyard? They're the same song

[@jmummysweetpea3671]

@@Tomversal As is 'Not Another'!

[@Oare987]

Was the Farren's Memorial do? I see David Arnoff at one point. I went to one, same place, WITH Farren there - a benefit of some sort. Tho I didn't see Keith. Can you recall what year this was plz?

[@stephenkane2464]

so awesome thanks

[@bionicbenofficial]

What is that triangular guitar Levene played with PIL? Never seen that guitar in my life until Keith.

[@camilelcoyne]

Do you mean the wedge? If you mean the one in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGnIY3aKd56im7M it's a Travis Bean TB3000 and it's incredibly cool!

[@thisnameiseitherrestricted6270]

That fucking microphone...

[@mr.cifuentes1779]

He was also too close to his face, you see Keith pull his arm down lol

[@moorsidefc]

Jim Royle

[@piplee1439]

Julian and John are PIL. Walker was the look.

[@jamiegroves5155]

Kieth you were ahead of your time my friend always thinking of you and your talent say hello to Joe and the boys

[@Ami483]

Did he play in the Lobster movie? focus on a guy who's playing guitar

[@maximopx]

you spelled his surname wrong.. Levene!

[@Bencopland1]

Was that Martin Fry from ABC behind him here?

[@jamesbrannigan1630]

Great interview, have to say the only one I've seen where KL isn't being very arrogant about his peers and his own contribution to the scene... Great guitarist but a jaded and hypocritical man in my book

[@cfztv]

It was at the Mick Farren memorial gig, which was also the last ever Deviants show, and everyone was feeling somewhat sombre

[@Captain_Rhodes]

my band used to play gigs there!

[@jonesy2111]

Legend!

[@twizzkid9703]

Love how those people decided they were just gonna fucking stand there right behind them and talk very loudly.

[@matthewjdouglas6471]

I didn't even notice them until you said. Now I can't concentrate. Thanks not

[@WHIZZER86]

I thought Giant Haystacks was dead!

[@rjh2464]

The black swan (mucky duck) in Sheffield had some top bands play there in the 1960s and 1970s.

[@saraivatoledo1842]

Top ten ? top 3 , and I have to do some proper thinking before I place 2 above .

[@ficticious2025]

He’s an honest geaser

[@BurtonRdForever]

Geezer.

[@PeterUK-Maratime]

Think he has been on the old marching powder 😊

[@JSTNtheWZRD]

The Clash does suck

[@jojojones8246]

There is a reason why nearly every body who worked with him refuses to work with him again starting with Lydon. Then there's his over-blown ego taking credit for everything and everyone's career. He's obviously jealous he puts down everyone yet he was the idiot who chose drugs over his career. Walked away from the Clash and PiL and chose junk instead can you imagine? Unlike Jah Wobble who had a long productive career what's this guy done since 1983 really except stick needles in his arm? As far as I'm concerned he was given some talents and chose drugs over music. He should be admonished not glorified.

[@pattycifra2602]

+jojo jones Your comments are very rude, disrespectful and offensive. As a PiL fan, I am very upset by the misinformation (i.e. rumors and lies) you two are perpetrating here on this post about Mr. Levene. Cut it out. If you actually bothered to learn something about his career, you'd find that he's been working steadily on musical projects for many years. His recent live Metal Box in Dub shows with Wobble were brilliant, better than Lydon's current version of PiL, in the opinion of many PiL fans - in large part due to Levene's guitar.

[@markuswilliams3190]

Patty Cifra not misinformation sadly the truth

[@thetalentedmrfitz]

He's almost as bitter and annoying as Lydon

[@victorlabouche6471]

I think you’re missing the point. Keith Levene WAS the sound of PIL from 1978-83 when everyone agreed that was their golden period. The Chili Peppers were lucky to have this guy in the same room as them when they wanted to work with him. He had personal demons but his guitar work has always been 100% avant garde and he was a bit too smart for the basic punk-by-numbers Clash. He also wrote more on that first LP then they gave him credit for.

[@ficticious2025]

Getting rid of the Albatross

[@wheelz-2997]

1:14 😂

[@guynelson2341]

Oh dear, he smokes roll-ups.

[@jamiegroves5155]

Rip kieth I will always miss you my mate