There’s something somewhat satisfying and shadenfreude-y watching Malcolm McLaren, one of the bigger thieves and musical grifters of pop music, get ripped off himself. After all, this is the man who allegedly siphoned off every possible penny from the Sex Pistols, stole the Ants from Adam to create Bow Wow Wow, and booted Boy George from that group in the process.

As a recording artist (what did he actually do in the studio besides take a piece of the publishing? You tell me), McLaren notched a worldwide dance hit lifting early hip-hop with 1983’s classic “Buffalo Gals,” then turned his sticky little fingers to opera in 1984 with a synthed-up version of “Madame Butterfly.” So when it came time to record another album five years later, why not hop genres again to … waltz and ballroom?

Waltz Darling featured a collaboration between McLaren and Bootsy Collins’ Bootzilla Orchestra called “Deep In Vogue,” (download) an ode to the ballroom scene started by young, gay black and Latinos in New York City featured in the documentary Paris Is Burning. Dedicating the song to all the “Houses” of ballroom and vogueing, the track featured vocals from vogueing legend Willi Ninja. (more…)