BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Punk
Callum: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English, I'm Callum Robertson and with me
today is Rosie, hello Rosie.
Rosie: Hello
Callum: A question about age Rosie which I hope is not too personal. Do you remember
the 1970s?
Rosie: I'm afraid that I don't because I wasn't born until 1983!
Callum: That makes me feel very, very old because I do remember the 1970s and I
remember them quite well. Now although it happened before you were born
there was a very lively, aggressive style of music that became popular in the
late 1970s. Do you know what that was?
Rosie: Was it punk?
Callum: It was punk indeed. Last week one of the most important figures in British
punk music died. Malcolm McLaren was the manager of The Sex Pistols, the
group who shocked the British establishment in 1976 and 1977. In today's
programme we're going to find out a little about Malcolm McLaren who is
generally seen to be the father or perhaps the godfather of British punk. First, a
question for you Rosie. The lead singer of the group "The Sex Pistols" was
John Lydon, but what was his stage name, was it:
a: Johnny Awful
b: Johnny Rotten, or
c: Johnny Terrible
Rosie: Well I'm pretty sure it was b: Johnny Rotten
Callum: Well we'll find out if you're right later on in the programme. The Sex Pistols
were perhaps the most iconic punk band and as I said they were managed by
Malcolm McLaren. What kind of person was Malcolm McLaren? The BBC
interviewed music journalist Neil Spencer. Neil was one of the first journalists
to see and write about the Sex Pistols back in the 1970s.
This is what he said about McLaren. He uses four different expressions to
describe his personality. How many can you identify? Here's Neil Spencer
talking to the BBC by phone.
Neil Spencer
Malcolm was a real charmer. I mean, he once said 'the media is my lover' and he knew how to
play the media. He was a total spieler, incredibly articulate and he was very well educated.
Callum: That was quite short, let's listen again and remember, try to identify the four
different ways he describes Malcolm McLaren.
Neil Spencer
Malcolm was a real charmer. I mean, he once said 'the media is my lover' and he knew how to
play the media. He was a total spieler, incredibly articulate and he was very well educated.
Callum: So Rosie, did you catch the different expressions Neil used there?
Rosie: Well, first he called Malcolm "a real charmer". A real charmer.
Callum: A real charmer. And what is a real charmer?
Rosie: Well it comes from the word 'charm', which is the word for a special quality
that some people have that makes them very likeable. Their personality is very
attractive.
Callum: Do you think it's a positive expression? If someone described you, for example,
as a real charmer, would you be pleased or disappointed?
Rosie: Well, I know I can charm people, but I don't use it all the time.
Callum: So charm is something that people can turn on and turn off, do you think?
Rosie: Yes, yes, I think so.
Callum: How else did Neil Spencer describe Malcolm McLaren?
Rosie: Well, he also called him 'a total spieler' – a spieler.
Callum: That's an interesting word. What is a spieler?
Rosie: A spiel, spelt s – p – i – e – l, is a word for a talk or presentation. It's often used
in a kind of negative way to describe a speech that perhaps doesn't have real
importance but is designed to sell something, like an advertising spiel, for
example So a 'spieler', as Malcom McLaren is described, is someone who is a
bit of a salesman, but a good one.
Callum: Spiel, it's not an English word, is it? The 'sh' sound at the beginning with the
spelling 'sp' is not really common in English words, is it.
Rosie: Like many words we use in English it has been 'borrowed'. I believe it's
originally a German word, the word for play, but the word was used in Yiddish
with the meaning we have in English.
Callum: So it's come from German through Yiddish now we use it in English.
Rosie: Yes.
Callum: There were two more expressions used by Neil Spencer about Malcolm
McLaren.
Rosie: Yes, he called him 'incredibly articulate', articulate. If someone is articulate it
means they have a very good command of the language. They are able to
express themselves clearly and effectively. He also said that he was very-well
educated.
Callum: So let's recap those expressions. We had a total charmer, a real spieler,
incredibly articulate, and very well educated. Let's listen to that short
description from music journalist Neil Spencer again.
Neil Spencer
"Malcolm was a real charmer. I mean, he once said 'the media is my lover' and he knew how
to play the media. He was a total spieler, incredibly articulate and he was very well educated."
Callum: So Rosie, from that description, do you think Neil has a positive view of
Malcolm McLaren?
Rosie: Yes, I think so. He makes him sound like a very good salesman, someone very
clever who could also often get what he wanted but very charming at the same
time.
Callum: Well thank you very much Rosie. Now the answer to the question we had at the
beginning of the programme. Malcolm McLaren managed the punk band the
Sex Pistols. Their front man's real name was John Lydon, but what was his
stage name. Was it:
a: Johnny Awful
b: Johnny Rotten, or
c: Johnny Terrible
Rosie, you said …
Rosie: I said b: Johnny Rotten.
Callum: And of course you are right. John Lydon's stage name was Johnny Rotten.
Well that's all we have time for in today's programme but do join us again next
time for another 6 Minute English. Goodbye.
Rosie: Goodbye.
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