April 2010 – Musings

I suddenly, and most unexpectedly, found myself feeling inspired to start a personal Blog at the weekend.

I was feeling stunned and still a bit in shock from hearing of the death of punk icon and iconoclast Malcolm McLaren last Thursday. It had really taken me aback that I’d been so affected by his death. Although I was hugely into punk in the late 70s, I’d never really liked the man. It was only on learning of his death that I realised what a major effect he’d had on me and the development of my life. And what a vitally important person he was in the cultural history of Britain, and to a whole generation of Brits.

I’d become an avid, nay addicted, Twitterer over the last few months, and had more or less abandoned the forums I used to frequent. But I felt that I wanted to write a proper piece to show my respect, to do justice to the memory of Malcolm – and Twitter is not the place for that! So I returned to an old haunt of mine 🙂 to express my thoughts properly – and to my surprise, realised I’d really been missing myself the last few months! It was a real treat to be able to use as many characters as I wanted – it was such a treat to say exactly what I wanted to say, to really, properly, express myself. And it reminded me that on a good forum, there is a camaraderie, a warmth that is perhaps missing a bit from Twitter. It’s much easier to get into meaningful conversations and discussions than on Twitter, and to really get to know people.

After writing my piece for the forum, I felt wonderfully creative, and had enjoyed myself so much that I decided there and then to start a personal Blog! And determined that as Malcolm McLaren was such a cataclysmic formative influence in my life, it was only fitting that my first Blog post should be about him.

Twitter is fantastic, but I’d forgotten how amazing it is to have such creative freedom on a forum – and even more so in a Blog! I LOVE Twitter, but you are so limited in personal expressiveness. It’s absolutely wonderful for the short, pithy comment, nailing the heart of the matter – but it’s great to have that bit more room to flesh your ideas out on a forum or on a blog. You can’t beat Twitter for the pace and sheer variety of people and communications, and I love it’s quick-fire mental stimulation, but there is also a need for reflection and perhaps more thoughtful and considered posting, which is where a good quality forum or a pesonal blog come into their own.

I’m still addicted to Twitter – I have strong ideas and opinions, and there is nowhere better for proselytising! And for quickly connecting with others of like-mind. It will still be my first port of call when I log on! 🙂

But I’m really fired up now to make a success of this new Blog, a place where I can really be Me, and let other people know who the real Me is! Be warned: I DO have sometimes controversial opinions and have been known to express them quite strongly 🙂 – but everything I say comes from the heart and is genuinely felt. I value integrity and honesty highly, and will speak the Truth as I believe it to be.

I am an individual first and foremost, and will never blindly follow any ‘party line’. If you are a free thinking person, who is open-minded and who seeks after Truth rather than being a dogmatic and unthinking follower, you are very welcome here 🙂

I always referred to him as Talcy Malcy – it was what the music press used to call him, in a sort of love/hate way. There was a kind of unwilling affection there.

I was absolutely stunned to hear of Malcolm’s death the other night – I’m still feeling pretty shocked about it. It seems strangely bizarre that such a total icon for a generation – a true iconoclast in this country, one of the very few who can claim to be so – can actually die.

Malcolm always lived life as a larger-than-life character. I tended to dislike the man, but I find myself really quite upset that he’s gone. It’s only now struck home to me what a vital part of my life he was, how much he shaped my political beliefs and value system, how much of the punk attitude and view of life was shaped by him. Without him, the Sex Pistols would not have existed, and it’s very doubtful that Punk would have been the cultural tsunami it was.

Life in Britain has never quite been the same again since the Sex Pistols blasted their way into public consciousness, hurling abuse at the monarchy and the System – at a time when when to say a word against the queen was to invite a beating. Genuinely. It’s hard to believe now, but to be an individual and stand up for what you believed in was a brave thing to do back then.

The ideals of Punk shaped a generation, certainly the best minds of that generation. It gave this country a kick in the pants into the modern world. A kick that now desperately needs repeating by some young snotbags, bu that’s another story…

One of the true makers of the modern world has passed on. Not a very nice man certainly, perhaps even a bastard, as some have suggested. But he was undoutedly a great man, one of those who have a massive effect on the world. A mover and a shaker, a radical and an eccentric, a visionary and a catalyst – but above all, an iconoclast.

I say RIP in respect, although I guess resting in peace is not Malcolm’s style, and suspect he is already kicking against the traces, wherever it is he has ended up!

The world is poorer without him

RIP Malcolm