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Monday, 28 September, 1998, 16:21 GMT 17:21 UK
Shooting the Sex Pistols
A visual history of the 70s punk band The Sex Pistols has gone on display in
London.
The revealing pictures were taken by photographer Dennis Morris, who has worked with pop icons from Marianne Faithful, Tricky, Radiohead through to Liam Gallagher.
Alex Proud, owner of Proud Galleries, the location of the exhibition said: "It will be more an art
installation than a standard photographic exhibition. With the emphasis on recreating the excitement
of the time, with music and lights as well as creative displays of the shots.
"London should brace itself for a blast of '77 spirit," he said.
Return to the 70s
In 1974 the young Dennis Morris was snapping a then unheard group called Bob Marley and
the Wailers. When he was aged just 14 his legendary pictures were published on the front
cover of The Mirror.
Three years later John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten, a reggae fan was so impressed with
the Marley images he invited Morris to photograph the Sex Pistols.
"They were powerful and they were perfect for a generation, they captured the whole spirit of
what everyone was thinking at the time and I felt it was important to document this."
The band gained notoriety for the blatant antisocial behaviour of bassist Sid Vicious, who
replaced the more temperate member Glen Matlock.
And also for the rantings of singer Johnny Rotten, who roared over the furious thrashing
of drummer Paul Cook and guitarist Steve Jones.
In 1977 Morris accompanied the band on a tour all over Britain. The year was a
memorable one for the Pistols.
The Sex Pistols demise took place rapidly the following year.
On an American tour in 1978 Vicious was accused of murdering his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen,
then he died of a drug overdose in 1979 whilst out on bail.
The band went on to film The Great Rock and Roll Swindle and its soundtrack - then
split.
They reformed again in 1996 for their final worldwide Filth Lucre tour that lasted six
months.
Capturing the spirit
The aptly titled Destroy exhibition will showcase photos of the Pistols at the
peak of their career.
It will include rare and unseen shots of Sid and Nancy exchanging beer's
backstage, front row reportage of Pistol's fans at the gigs and clubs in
full home made punk regalia.
There are also shots of Vivienne Westwood serving customers in her sex
shop and Richard Branson chatting with Malcolm Mclaren.
Morris, the only photographer to gain access to the band during their time feels that the band
were basically misunderstood,
"The Pistols were the perfect representation of how English youth were seen at the time and
people tend to forget they were good musicians and could actually play," he said.
"Hopefully the public will gain an insight into what it was like at the time and see how
they were loved and loathed with equal passion by the Great British public."
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