Copy of The Sex Pistols, “Never Mind The Bans,” Tour Poster

The British political climate of the 1970s was that of economic turmoil, a growing disillusionment for the political parties of the time, and massive industrial strikes that spread across Britain. Events like the “Barber Boom,” the “Three-Day Week,” and the “Social Contract,” inspired thoughts and ideologies of going against the government and causing anarchy, and bred bands like “The Sex Pistols.”

Created in 1977, this poster was created by Designer Jamie Reid for the Sex Pistols' last tour.  The poster includes venues where the band had been banned from playing,  showing the letters of cancellation, with four of the eight shows ( Bristol, Rochdale, Wolverhampton and Birkenhead) being cancelled. 

Jamie Reid, the designer for The Sex Pistols, is known for his ransom letter art style. Some of his most famous works include Nevermind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, Anarchy In The UK, and his creation of Suburban Press, a radical political magazine that Reid founded in 1970.  Many of Reid's work has been featured in the National Portrait Gallery in London. 

This poster is a great example of how Graphic Design was created before computers, with paper being cut and glued together, and scanned in to create a design. It is also a great example of how one designer can create an entire genre of design and influence design for years to come. 

As political climates across the globe today shift, the ideologies and design of The Sex Pistols become more and more relevant, showing how art and creative minds can create revolutions.