By Russ Bestley and Alex Ogg
It is almost impossible to imagine now that so many of the posters, flyers and other punk ephemera that defined the look of a whole era were used - just once - and then discarded. But despite such humble origins, this groundbreaking artwork continues to have an impact on music, fashion and media today.
The first ever comprehensive review of punk graphics celebrates a wide range of punk posters, flyers, album cover art, fanzines and fashion ephemera. Famous graphics for legendary bands like the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, the Damned and the Clash are included along with less well-known examples from around the world, as punk designs from South America, behind the old “Iron Curtain” and from even further afield are also featured.
This collection includes more than 900 illustrations from famous names, including Malcolm Garrett, Linder Sterling, Peter Saville, Barney Bubbles, Lindsey Kuhn, Raymond Pettibon, Winston Smith, John Seabury, Art Chantry and Paul Imagine, as well as many anonymous and uncredited designs. Also featured are previously unpublished materials by Arturo Vega (Ramones), Peter Gravelle (Sex Pistols/Damned) and Jamie Reid (Sex Pistols).
“If you weren’t there in the early days of Punk, you might not appreciate the importance of art to the Punk ethic. It was every bit as important as the music. From Sniffin’ Glue and PUNK magazine to the many T-shirts, album covers, and flyers, the creativity and humour of the Punk scene was found everywhere, not just onstage. This book has it all, and it’s just as exhilarating and overwhelming now as it was then!” Cheetah Chrome of the Dead Boys
Russ Bestley is a Principal Lecturer at the London College of Communication specialising in graphic design and the history of popular culture. He has co-authored and designed a number of books and articles.
Alex Ogg is an author and journalist whose books include The Hip Hop Years, No More Heroes and Independence Day. He has contributed to publications including The Times, Vive Le Rock, Classic Rock and award winning website The Quietus. He is the former editor of Spiral Scratch and currently co-editor of the esteemed academic journal Punk & Post Punk.
The Art of Punk will be published this autumn by Omnibus Press.