Like Trousers, Like Brain

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40 years ago today, the Sex Pistols played their first ever gig at Central St Martins art college. A few months later this review appeared in the page of NME featuring a quote that would continue to follow them around for the whole of the Punk explosion. 

 “We’re not into music. We’re into Chaos”

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Just off the back of International Women’s Day… A 1976 health advert encouraging women to quit smoking, featuring the one and only Marc Bolan.

If only I could be tasty for Marc Bolan *sigh*

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Yep it’s legit, the Science Museum have a copy in their archive, (http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?t=objects&type=all&f=&s=Bolan&record=3) though they have their dates wrong. Bolan most definitely wouldn’t have done this earlier in his career, but in 1976 he talked about the campaign in a tv interview so it’s from around that time. By then, Bolan was a bit of a has been and probably had less to lose with such a lame advert

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St Michael’s and All Saints church, Hughenden, Buckinghamshire.

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Adam and the Ants bondage imagery alongside an image from John Willie's Bizarre. Bloody Punks, always thieving ideas.

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Advert for “Punk” boots from NME, 8th October 1977. I think this is one of the prime examples of the dissemination of Punk into the mainstream, would anyone originally labelled a Punk in 1976 be buying shoes out of the back pages of NME?

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The Bromley Contingent watching the Sex Pistols perform on Nationwide, 1976

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Today at Kerry Taylor Auctions, some of Jordan’s clothes are being sold. Not only are these clothes amazing because of who they belonged too, but as pieces that can be properly authenticated they are incredibly rare and important. 

Jordan wore this shirt the first time the Sex Pistols performed on tv, you might notice that the swastika on her armband was covered up, which was the cause of a massive argument with the production company before filming. Obviously the rules on the BIll Grundy show were more lax all round, as Simon Barker wears Jordan’s shirt with the Nazi armband quite clearly on show.

This shirt has an estimate of £5000- £9000, which is ridiculous considering it was just knocked up on Vivienne Westwood’s kitchen table using her son’s stencil kit and a few patches that McLaren had found around London. The most technical aspect of the shirt is the shortened sleeves, but even this was not done with much care. Instead of removing the cuff, cutting the excess sleeve and replacing the cuff, Vivienne simply chopped the sleeve halfway up the forearm and attached the two pieces together! 

But still, the high estimates for these pieces shows the enormous culture significance of Jordan’s clothing, and indeed of Sex/ Seditionaries legacy. Heres hoping these items don’t disappear into a private collection never to be seen again, I would love to see a massive Punk exhibition in London.

[like-trousers-like-brain]

I just read that this shirt sold for £13,000!!!!

[like-trousers-like-brain]

Today at Kerry Taylor Auctions, some of Jordan’s clothes are being sold. Not only are these clothes amazing because of who they belonged too, but as pieces that can be properly authenticated they are incredibly rare and important. 

Jordan wore this shirt the first time the Sex Pistols performed on tv, you might notice that the swastika on her armband was covered up, which was the cause of a massive argument with the production company before filming. Obviously the rules on the BIll Grundy show were more lax all round, as Simon Barker wears Jordan’s shirt with the Nazi armband quite clearly on show.

This shirt has an estimate of £5000- £9000, which is ridiculous considering it was just knocked up on Vivienne Westwood’s kitchen table using her son’s stencil kit and a few patches that McLaren had found around London. The most technical aspect of the shirt is the shortened sleeves, but even this was not done with much care. Instead of removing the cuff, cutting the excess sleeve and replacing the cuff, Vivienne simply chopped the sleeve halfway up the forearm and attached the two pieces together! 

But still, the high estimates for these pieces shows the enormous culture significance of Jordan’s clothing, and indeed of Sex/ Seditionaries legacy. Heres hoping these items don’t disappear into a private collection never to be seen again, I would love to see a massive Punk exhibition in London.

[like-trousers-like-brain]

🐟🐬❤️I’m in love❤️🐬🐟

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My mood today is Murdoc.

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Adam and the Ants patch, 1980-ish. I think the picture of Adam on this patch is a still from the Zerox Machine video. The picture has this weird rubbery texture, but the colours are still really bright even though it's about 35 years old.

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Dupe of Black Milk Mulan skirt, I love it, but wish I could have the real thing!!

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Ari Up and Paul Simonon. 1977. Photo taken from Caroline Coon's 1988. Ari is wearing pants to celebrate the Queen' silver Jubilee. British subversion at its finest.

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Poster from 2013 David Bowie exhibition at the V&A

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Best thing I have ever bought.

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Situationist graffiti, sprayed by the group King Mob along the tube tracks near Royal Oak station in London in the early 1970s. On Election Day it seems appropriate, if somewhat depressing, to remember that some things never change.

[punkinpictures]

Poly Styrene.

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Her dress in the last picture is amazing! English breakfast dress!