"[S]aying McClaren brought something new to the table is like saying Colonel Parker brought something new."
Dennis,
You have GOT to be kidding me, Dennis. I'm no fan of MacLaren's, but I'll repeat again it's hard to overestimate the cultural impact he had.He didn't do it alone - no one does - but he was a prime mover in a major cultural sea change, and not just in music. I'm also talking aesthetic sensibilities that are so commonplace now it's hard to notice them with fresh eyes.
None of this says there weren't folks - mostly in isolation, here and there (The Monks, COUM Transmissions, and yes Velvet Underground did "Venus in Furs," Stooges likewise with "I Wanna Be Your Dog," etc.) - but 1977 was really year zero of some kind. If you can't agree with *that*, then I don't know what to tell you. If you do agree with that, how you can discount MacLaren's major role in the cultural shift is beyond me.
Again, I'm a fan of proto-punk and its precursors and eccentric showmen involved in rock n roll (viz. Screamin' Jay Hawkins). But, come on, dude. Jon Savage's _England's Dreaming_ does a better job at this than me. MacLaren helped bust open a whole new cultural space that enabled bands even like Crass, hardcore punk, etc., etc to exist. He's an important figure, even if he was an asshole. You know, like Murray Bookchin. :)
-B.