Jamie Reid (1947 - )
Related: Cecil Beaton - détournement - Sex Pistols - punk - graphic design - anarchism - Situationist International
Jamie Reid's 1977 appropriation/détournement of Cecil Beaton's portrait of the Queen's coronation, 1953
I must have done literally hundreds of different images around that official Cecil Beaton portrait. I did two days of sessions with photographer Carol Moss until I came up with the safety-pin through her mouth. There was no point in beating about the bush; you use the same tactics that you know are going to get thrown back in your face from the likes of the Mirror and the Sun. The safety-pin image wasn't banned at A&M, although the one where she has swastikas over her eyes was.' --unidentified Jamie Reid quote
Biography
Jamie Reid (born 1947) is a British artist and anarchist with connections to the situationist movement. His work, featuring letters cut from newspaper headlines in the style of a ransom note came close to defining the image of punk rock, particularly in the UK. His best known works include the Sex Pistols album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977) and singles "Anarchy in the UK" (1976), "God Save The Queen" (1977), "Pretty Vacant" (1977) and "Holidays in the Sun" (1977). Sleeve of Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols by Jamie Reid
Reid produced a series of screen prints in 1997, the twentieth anniversary of the British punk boom.
Reid has also produced artwork for the world music fusion band Afro Celt Sound System. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Reid [Apr 2005]
Never Mind the Bollocks (1977) - Sex Pistols
Never Mind the Bollocks (1977) - Sex Pistols [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Never Mind the Bollocks is an album by the British punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Released October 28, 1977 (see 1977 in music) on Virgin Records, it was the only 'official' album of their career, although after the band split up numerous compilations and bootlegs including The Great Rock And Roll Swindle (the soundtrack to Malcolm McLaren's film loosely based around the Sex Pistols) and Spunk (pirated unreleased versions of basically the same songs as NMTB recorded for A&M Records) were to appear.
The album's release was met by a hail of controversy, and an attempt was made to prosecute a record shop in Manchester for displaying the 'obscene' cover in their window. However the case was overturned when defending QC Sir John Mortimer produced expert witnesses who were able to prove that the word "bollocks" was a legitimate old English term originally used to refer to a priest, and that in this context it meant 'nonsense'. Further outrage was sparked by tracks like "God Save the Queen" and "Anarchy in the U.K.", which were perceived as musical assaults on the monarchy and capitalist society, although such notoriety did little to harm the record's sales in the UK.
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols is now considered a highly influential 'rock classic'; lyrically and musically it was a violent assault on contemporary British foibles and frailties. Lead singer Johnny Rotten's slurred, angry vocals scream about corporate control, intellectual vacuity and political hypocrisy, whilst Steve Jones' multi-layered guitar tracks created a much emulated 'wall of noise' foil to this sneering contempt (Producer Chris Thomas took a different approach from earlier punk records, achieving a very clear sound layered with multiple guitar overdubs). Some have however argued that the album is over-produced, and that the Pistols had lost their initial spark of energy and exuberance by the time it was recorded. The band's previous singles, such as "Anarchy in the U.K.", were re-recorded for the album, and many fans believe they lack the energy of the originals.
It peaked at #106 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart (North America). Though sales were slim throughout the world, the Sex Pistols established a wild reputation in the burgeoning punk scene; they were never able to capitalize on their celebrity, though, with the band falling apart before their career could progress much beyond Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols.
It was voted as the best album of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll. In 1998 Q magazine readers voted Never Mind the Bollocks the 30th greatest album of all time; in 2003 the TV network VH1 placed it at number 17. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Mind_the_Bollocks%2C_Here%27s_the_Sex_Pistols [Apr 2004]