Malcolm McLaren's Funeral Brings North London Streets to a Standstill

Malcolm McLaren was laid to rest yesterday, April 22, after a ceremony that was as flamboyant and anarchic as the punk legend himself.

In scenes that brought some streets in North London to a standstill, hundreds of mourners followed a funeral cortege that travelled through Camden on its way to McLaren's final resting place at Highgate Cemetery.

A team of four plumed black horses drew a carriage bearing the coffin of the Sex Pistols' svengali, which was spray-painted in white with the legendary slogan, "Too fast to live, too young to die."

A green double-decker bus followed -- destination set for 'Nowhere,' blaring out Sid Vicious' version of 'My Way' and bearing a floral tribute spelling out McLaren's slogan "Cash for chaos" in white flowers -- carrying members of the funeral party, as fans and other curious members of the public walked alongside down Camden High Street.

Mourners included Bob Geldof; McLaren's former wife Dame Vivienne Westwood; McLaren's son with Dame Vivienne, Agent Provocateur founder Joseph Corré; Adam Ant; Buzzcocks guitarist Steve Diggle; and artist Tracey Emin.

The BBC reports that at an earlier private service at a deconsecrated church in North London, Corre read out a eulogy from Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, which joked about the band's legendary spat with their former manager over royalties.

It read, "Dear Malcolm, did you take the money with you? Is it in the coffin? Do you mind if I come back tomorrow and dig you up? I always had a soft spot for you. You showed me a lot when I was 17 ... and I owe you a lot for showing me a different side to life."

Dame Vivienne said afterward, "I am very, very sad that unbelievably, Malcolm is dead, and I just wanted to say on this cruel, cruel day ... get a life, do something with it."

Steve Diggle told the BBC the service had been "a very moving thing, very powerful."

McLaren died on April 8 in Switzerland, aged 64, after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.