The emergence of musical and social chaos in the United Kingdom, ignited by the arrival of the Sex Pistols in the 1970s, was not simply a musical revolution, but a sociological and political one as well. Jamie Reid, whose graphic design work for the band was just as exhilarating and unforgettable as their music, played a pivotal role in their tumultuous impact. Reid, who has sadly passed away at the age of 76, created iconic artwork for the Sex Pistols that captured the essence of their music. His designs were groundbreaking and continue to be celebrated.
One of Reid’s most significant works was his sleeve design for the November 1976 single “Anarchy in the UK.” The design featured a torn Union Jack flag pierced by safety pins, with the band name and song title written in cut-up lettering reminiscent of a ransom note. In addition to his visual contributions, Reid also influenced the lyrics of the song. However, it was his sleeve design for the second single, “God Save the Queen” (May 1977), that truly solidified his legacy. The design depicted Queen Elizabeth II, based on a portrait by the renowned photographer Peter Grugeon, blindfolded by the song’s title and silenced by the words “Sex Pistols” sealing her lips. This iconic image is now held in the National Portrait Gallery.
Reid initially submitted a more controversial version of the design to A&M Records, featuring the Queen with a safety pin through her lips and swastikas in her eyes. However, this version did not survive the band’s brief and tumultuous relationship with the label and subsequent move to Virgin Records. In 2017, Reid revisited this visual concept with two artworks that replaced the Queen’s head with Donald Trump’s, one bearing the slogan “God Save the USA.”
Although record industry manipulation and a BBC ban prevented “God Save the Queen” from reaching the top spot on the charts, it still became a cultural phenomenon, topping the NME chart. The Sex Pistols’ only album, “Never Mind the Bollocks” (1977), adorned with Reid’s distinctive artwork in pink, yellow, and black, debuted at No. 1 and remained on the UK chart for 48 weeks.
Reid’s involvement with the Sex Pistols began when he received a telegram from their manager, Malcolm McLaren, whom he had met during their time at Croydon College of Art in the 1960s. At the time, Reid was working for the left-wing newspaper the West Highland Free Press on the Isle of Lewis and learning the traditional art of crofting. While Reid appreciated McLaren and the notoriety his work with the Sex Pistols brought him, he saw it as just a phase in his career. He believed his work with the Suburban Press in Croydon, where he collaborated with Nigel Edwards and Jeremy Brook to produce literature for women’s groups and anarchists, was more significant. This press, which Reid described as “one of the first community-cum-libertarian-cum-anarchist presses in Britain,” was where he began developing his distinctive “ransom note” visual style. Reid felt a strong connection to the British radical tradition, drawing inspiration from figures like Thomas Paine, William Blake, and the Romantic poets.
Jamie Reid’s upbringing in a politically progressive household greatly influenced his artistic and ideological views. Both of his parents were passionate socialists and met at a Labour party rally in the 1920s. His maternal grandfather, Robert Gardner, wrote a book focusing on socialism, contemporary literature, and Christianity and raised Reid’s mother as a naturist in the sense of having a deep connection to the natural world. Reid’s father, who was originally from Inverness, lost his job at Oxford University Press due to his involvement in the General Strike of 1926 and went on to support striking miners. Reid’s parents took him to Aldermaston marches against nuclear weapons starting in 1958, further shaping his political consciousness.
Reid’s interest in the druidic tradition, which ran in his family, manifested in his Eight Fold Year Book (2017). This book features a collection of images and texts exploring the eight festivals in the druidic calendar.
In addition to his work with the Sex Pistols, Reid pursued various other artistic and activist endeavors. He campaigned on multiple issues, supported Extinction Rebellion, created artwork for the band Afro Celt Sound System, and vehemently defended the Russian punk trio Pussy Riot following their arrest for staging an anti-Putin protest in Moscow. Reid’s artwork depicting Putin wearing a black balaclava and lipstick, with text in his signature cut-up style, showcased his passion for social and political commentary.
Reid’s contributions to art and culture were recognized in 2018 with his first retrospective exhibition, “Jamie Reid XXXXX: 50 Years of Subversion and the Spirit,” held at the Humber Street Gallery in Hull. In 2022, he created “Wildflower Wonder” at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in St Austell, Cornwall, an immersive art installation featuring plants like cornflowers, poppies, and wild carrot. The installation ran until May of the following year.
Jamie Reid is survived by his daughter, Rowan, from his previous relationship with the actor Margi Clarke, from whom he was separated. His legacy as an artist, designer, and activist will forever be remembered and celebrated.
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