About the Author
Paul Gorman is a writer whose work has appeared in many of
the world's leading publications. Gorman's previous books include
The Story Of The Face: The Magazine That Changed Culture
(2017), Derek Boshier: Rethink/Re-entry (ed. 2105), Mr
Freedom: Tommy Roberts - British Design Hero (2012), Reasons
To Be Cheerful: The Life & Work of Barney Bubbles (2008),
Straight with Boy George (2005), Nine Lives
with Goldie (2002) and The Look: Adventures In Rock & Pop
Fashion (2001).Gorman first met Malcolm McLaren - who
contributed the foreword to The Look - in 1975 and was last
in contact with him a few weeks before his death in 2010. Gorman
subsequently organized exhibitions and events about McLaren,
including The Sound Of Fashion & The Look Of Music in
Copenhagen and Art Into Pop: Let It Rock in Grenoble (both
with Young Kim, 2015), Eyes For Blowing Up Bridges: Joining The
Dots From The Situationist International To Malcolm McLaren in
Southampton (with David Thorp, 2015) and Be Reasonable Demand
The Impossible in London (with Caz Facey, 2015).
Reviews
I couldn't put this book down. Malcolm inspired us to make art out
of our boredom and anger. He set us free * Bobby G (Primal Scream)
*
Exhaustive . . . compelling -- Sean O'Hagan * Observer *
Excellent . . . With this book, Gorman convincingly moves away
from the ossified image of McLaren as a great rock'n'roll
swindler, a morally bankrupt punk Mephistopheles, and closer
towards his art-school roots, his love of ideas. Tiresome,
unpleasant, even cruel - he was, this book underlines, never
boring
-- Victoria Segal * Sunday Times *
The Life and Times of Malcolm McLaren should be required
reading in art schools (and on film and creative writing courses
too): it is a reminder that revolutions don't arise from icy
perfection, only from a habit of getting things wrong * Times
Literary Supplement *
Exhaustive, definitive . . . epic -- Will Hodgkinson * The Times
*
McLaren finally gets the sensitively balanced biography he deserves
. . . Gorman serves him well, with frequently jaw-dropping forensic
eloquence * Classic Rock *
An inspirationally detailed new biography -- Andrew Perry * Q
magazine *
A mesmerising journey, from youthful idealism to shape-shifting,
hit-and-miss adulthood -- Paul Tierney * The i *
An incredible new biography of this provocative figure, perfectly
encapsulating McLaren's ability to identify emerging trends and
position or inveigle himself in at exactly the right moment --
Edwin Heathcote * Financial Times *
Gobsmacker of a biography -- Helen Brown * Telegraph *
Sex Pistols Svengali colourfully - and substantially - brought to
life -- Andrew Perry * Mojo *
Fascinating new insights into the public achievements and private
life of this cultural icon and architect of punk . . . [Gorman] is
such a consummate narrator that you are gripped throughout the
entire book . . . an intriguing and insightful read * Louder Than
War *
A far reaching psychological unravelling of one of the most
fascinating British men of his era . . . Gorman's biography is a
gorgeous work, filled with the kind of startling details fiction
wouldn't dare invent . . . It is a book of great substance, depth
and acuity, drawn with a sympathetic yet never overly reverential
eye to the most brilliant pop cultural curator of them all -- Paul
Flynn * Love magazine *
Gorman has an encyclopaedic knowledge of how music has intersected
with style and design over the last 50 years . . . Gorman's book
becomes most thrilling when it explores McLaren's less familiar
post-punk work -- Mark C. O'Flaherty * Civilian Global *
Gorman dissects McLaren's subsequent adventures in hip-hop,
detourned classical music and cinema in great detail -- Andrew
Perry * Uncut *
Fascinating new tome -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *
A rounded portrait of this oft-misunderstood eccentric . . .
without a hint of hagiography, the book mounts a strong case
for
McLaren's significance and enduring influence
-- Paul Whitelaw * Big Issue *
Neither hagiography nor hatchet job, the book is curious, rigorous
and . . . rarely dull -- Fiona Sturges * Guardian *
A magnum opus on the often overlooked and much-maligned maverick .
. . a hectic and inspiring tale where the only constant is that of
style -- Ben Reardon * Vogue *
Fascinating and detailed . . . a brave biography of an
extraordinary, quasi-shamanistic maverick * Morning Star *
McLaren gets the exhaustively forensic, sensitively balanced
biography he's long deserved . . . vivid and thorough account . . .
fascinating, everything recounted with nonjudgmental eloquence
and
impeccable research. A major work
* Record Collector *
Thorough and engaging -- Alan Clayson * Ugly Things magazine *
Excellent and compelling -- Gary Lucas * Please Kill Me *
Compulsively readable * Bad Feeling *
