Malcolm McLaren

Art student and fashion shop owner Malcolm McLaren took over the New York Dolls' management (he overhauled the band's image, dressing the members in red leather and communist imagery) and rose to prominence as the Sex Pistols' arch-manipulator/manager. After conducting the band through a tumultuous, chaotic career, McLaren turned his attention to Bow Wow Wow before launching his own career with 1983’s Duck Rock. His blend of Zulu music, Appalachian folk, and the emerging rap scene was distilled on the U.K. Top Ten singles "Buffalo Gals" and "Double Dutch." Ever restless, McLaren moved on to a strange fusion of pop and opera with 1984’s Fans, which featured a startling version of "Madam Butterfly" that became a U.K. Top 20 hit.