New York Dolls: 'We'll Miss Malcolm McLaren Terribly'

New York Dolls singer David Johansen has paid tribute to the “rascality” of former manager Malcolm McLaren, who died yesterday.

McLaren, who briefly oversaw the US group before launching the career of The Sex Pistols, passed away in Switzerland following a battle with cancer. He was 64.

In a statement, Johansen described McLaren as “a marvellous amalgam of exuberation, sensuality, culture and literacy”.

“All of this was salted with the essential recognition of his own rascality,” he said. “He was the perfect preservation against stuffiness and a lack of humanity.”

Johansen added: “We are going to miss him terribly.”

New York Dolls will dedicate the song 'Jet Boy' to McLaren when they play London's Koko on April 19.

The band's original founding guitarist Sylvain Sylvain said McLaren had “opened up the doors for punk music around the world”.

“He was a visionary and took what was going on in New York City and made it global,” he added.

“He was a massive influence on everyone who ever had a punk shop or a punk band. His passing represents the final chapter in an era when music was exciting.”

Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon and Dame Vivienne Westwood, McLaren's former partner, have also paid tribute.

It is understood that McLaren asked to be flown home to the UK to be buried in Highgate Cemetery, north London.

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