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).
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 * Beautifully written . . . history will judge Paul Gorman's biography of McLaren to be one of the very best * The Crack *