Feature 01: First Past the Post -“The Coronation of Keith Flint”

Feature 01: First Past the Post

“The Coronation of Keith Flint” (C) 2023 Mx. Max Benedict Wadmore

Mixed Media (Acrylic, Watercolour, Experimental Hybrid Paints of Various Pigments/Carriers, a variety of shallow/deep marks, scratches and grooves TAKEN AWAY from Solid Wood Panelling)

SKU: OMP_POP001

This was a one-off bespoke piece that i did for a very, very dear family friend, on their birthday a couple of years ago. I understand this may have significant meaning/value to members of Flint’s family, friends, or even to another fan of the man himself of course! While the friend that i commissioned this to has no connection to Flint, the band, or are even a fan themselves of them (to my knowledge anyway!); she is most certainly a fan of art, and while she has a very refined taste in art - she is one of the few people that i can have a real decent, genuine, learned conversation regarding. A conversation that only someone with a background in both Art, and History of Art can share with someone else with a background in both also. She also happens to really embody what i consider the ‘unmistakably and unashamedly’ British way of expressing one-self. Quite simply, if you were to get Keith Flint and my friend in question, in the same room; “one would not need to spark, or encourage in any other way, the lively exchange (of ideas, opinions, of raw passion itself) between these two particular brilliant British liberals.”

While there is a more detailed, and in-depth analysis of the work: i really would prefer to collate it together (as my notes are everywhere) and present both my mindset while working on it and the context to what was going on just prior and around the time of painting. As the original is strictly not for sale, i would very much like to offer a signed print on canvas, and my accompanying thought, philosophy and emotions recorded into a high quality collectors package. This is all based on whether there is a demand for this, however. If you do have a serious interest in one of a signed, personal, and very limited edition copy - please send me a message on 07706752190. It is one of my personal favourite pieces, if not my favourite from my own work. It represents an extremely important individual to me, who served as a huge inspiration and influence behind my own beats, sound synthesis, art, and finally - they made arguably the most powerful contribution to my ideals of liberalism, my ethical and moral code, and as my painting is meant to represent; “While my parents had the Sex Pistols, being born in 89’ i really, REALLY missed out on the shameless, almost ‘abstract’ expressionism of the 90s with post punk and industrial music. I certainly wasn’t at an age where i could really appreciate every side to Cobain’s expression while he was still alive. By the time i had started to really resonate with parts of the music i never thought i would have, unfortunately he was long-gone. While his beauty truly is undying, the fact that just when i was starting to GET it, to GET him, when he GOT me, before he would have even known i existed… Man it kind of alienated me. I have always been kind of over-emotional in some ways and just devoid in others, but i generally felt lost. Like this guiding hand that was giving me an outlet, that convinced me to pursue with the guitar and bass, that helped convince me to stick around… Well when that person has definitely put a gun in their mouth, it has taken a long number of years to actually have an interest in listening to the music again, and this is definitely like a sub conscious survival thing i do, as over sensitive as it may sound. Anyway, Flint was not just my own jilted generation’s Johnny Rotten, hell to me he was more of a driving figure/force than all of the Sex Pistols. Yeah yeah, you can’t compare them and whatever. I agree. The Sex Pistols don’t have anything on Flint, nor can they even dream of actually inspiring a fraction of the people that were inspired by Flint. Sure the Pistols laid the foundation for Punk as a genre, but much of this is just opinion. What is specifically relative to Flint, and their contribution to the world, is simple; Flint is not really a musician, nor a dancer. The role that he played within the band, is a role that isn’t nearly (if ever) seen with modern music acts anymore; the role of the showman, the stage performer, the band’s energy likewise the band’s fuel. His image was as unique as his trademark vocals, and in this sense he has made more of an impact on the world, not just the music industry. While Bowie and Mercury were outstanding performers, and certainly no one could criticise them for not being original and unique, personally i find it very difficult to compare even them to Flint. The only other person i can think of (to date) that had (perhaps even exactly the same amount) of influence on both art, music, fashion, and expression in general - is Marilyn Manson. In some ways you can describe Manson as the US offering to the UK’s Flint. They have broken boundaries, stereotypes and the barriers that genres present us with. Likewise they have forged bonds between genres that paths would not have otherwise crossed, like the punk and electronic scenes. He gave The Prodigy the time-transcending quality that we know and love it for, and lets be honest “can you really think of anyone who has managed to fuse punk, acid, trance/techno” and obviously i don’t just mean the sound. These cultures have all liked getting pretty messy, lets be honest - but we all know that is not always the best thing to have as the thing you have in common (especially when its not the only thing you have in common!). While we didnt have the Pistols in my youth, we also didnt have the same things that seemed synonymous with music at the time (gangs and violence!). Hearing about Teddy Boys beating up the Mods, who didn’t like the Punks…. Exhausting! Whereas you look at the video of Flint at (V! Festival, or Glastonbury i can’t remember which one), where he is hanging out with Police, helping them do their job while just hanging out and having a go on one of their bikes… He brought people together, and while i still don’t have the confidence to be as bold as him in terms of my fashion - i would like to feel that one day, perhaps when i feel a little more successful, i hope to truly embody what Keith Flint instilled in me from a very very young age, growing up with The Prodigy. The Experience was the first dnb/jungle album my mum got us, and they were the first gig that we went to together! Luckily we both got to see him live, albiet v far away at the O2, but nonetheless saw him.”

Maxi