‘Malcolm McLaren’s funeral will be send off for a very good man’, say family

Punk icon due to be buried today (April 22)

Malcolm McLaren‘s family have spoken out ahead of his funeral, which takes place in London today (April 22).

The former Sex Pistols manager passed away on April 8 after suffering from cancer.

Ben Westwood, who was brought up by McLaren during his relationship with designer Vivienne Westwood, told NME.COM that those attending Highgate Cemetery for the funeral are likely to sing ‘You Need Hands’, the Max Bygraves song covered by McLaren in his Sex Pistols film ‘The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle’ (which you can hear below).

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“It’s just a funeral – the man’s gone,” Westwood said. “I’ve heard that he’s going to get everyone to sing ‘You Need Hands’. I think it’s actually better when you hear Malcolm‘s version. I think he sung it so well and so beautifully, I really do. I’ve been playing that song, more than anything, since he died. It makes me cry. It’s like, ‘Ah dear, Malcolm‘.

“He was really a nice person. He’s got this thing that he was labelled as being this person who would hurt you, but I don’t think he did. I just think Malcolm was as immune to those hurts as everyone else.”

Asked how he was feeling about the day, Westwood replied simply: “It’s the send-off for a very good man.”

Westwood also said he likes the idea of the procession leading up to the funeral, and the so-called ‘minute of mayhem’ at 12 noon (BST), where people are encouraged to play their favourite record as loudly as possibly in tribute to McLaren.

“A minute of mayhem’s alright by me, and the procession as well – it’s a nice way for anyone else who wants to pop along.”

Speaking about his reaction to the tributes that have been paid to McLaren since he passed away, Westwood explained: “I felt that too, when he died – a sort of wave of love. But then I felt that when I heard that he was ill as well. I thought, ‘Oh dear, poor Malcolm‘. I really did. It was very unexpected, because he was quite young and he was healthy.”

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Listen to McLaren‘s version of ‘You Need Hands’ below:

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