jamie reid, the british artist behind the sex pistols’ punk album covers, dies at 76

BRITISH ARTIST and political activist Jamie Reid PASSEs AWAY AGED 76

Jamie Reid, the British artist who designed the album covers of punk rock band the Sex Pistols, has died at the age of 76. A significant contributor to the punk rock movement and counterculture of the 1970s, Reid is best known for creating the Sex Pistols’ iconic covers, including the album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, and the singles Anarchy in the UK, God Save The Queen, Pretty Vacant, and Holidays in the Sun.

His death was confirmed by John Marchant Gallery today in an Instagram post stating, ‘We sadly announce the passing of Jamie MacGregor Reid, 16th January 1947 – 8th August 2023. Artist, iconoclast, anarchist, punk, hippie, rebel and romantic. Jamie leaves behind a beloved daughter Rowan, a granddaughter Rose, and an enormous legacy. Universal Majesty, Verity, Love, Infinite.’

REID’S contribution to the punk rock movement AND BEYOND

Born on January 16, 1947, Jamie Reid was raised in suburban Croydon and came from a politically active family. During his time at Croydon Art College, he was involved in the student movement of 1968 where he and his fellow student Malcolm McLaren, who later became the manager of the Sex Pistols, organized an occupation of the college. After leaving Croydon Art College, he co-founded the radical political magazine Suburban Press, where he developed his unique artistic style of cut-up graphics and slogans.

Influenced by the ideas of avant-garde group Situationist International, Reid’s cut-and-paste collage approach combined provocative images with bold typography to convey political and social messages. During the 1970s, he created iconoclastic album covers and artwork for the Sex Pistols, including the cover of the band’s single, Anarchy in the UK, which carries a ripped Union Jack flag, and that of God Save the Queen, featuring the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II – both accompanied by wording in his signature ransom note style. Apart from the Sex Pistols, Reid designed album covers for musicians and bands such Boy George, Transvision Vamp and the Afro Celt Sound System. In recent years, Reid continued to engage visually with socio-political situations, such as Occupy, Extinction Rebellion and the Free Pussy Riot movement. 

Jamie Reid’s work is included in international collections including Tate Britain, Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Art in Houston. Reid is represented by gallerist John Marchant, who has worked with the artist for over twenty five years and holds the responsibility for keeping his archive safe, catalogued and available for institutions, galleries and researchers. Work in the archive covers all periods of the artist’s output, from college work through Suburban Press original drawings and print, the notorious and visceral thrill of the Sex Pistols era, the post-punk How To Become Invisible project, work with bands from the Dead Kennedys to Afro Celt Sound System, protest work for the Anti Poll Tax Alliance to Pussy Riot, his ten year cycle of installation at the Strongroom Studios in London and through to his exploration of the celestial and spiritual Eight Fold Year. A small selection of his works can be viewed here.