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‘He was a hero, a villain, fearless and yet somehow also an innocent,’ says photographer Dennis Morris about Sid Vicious, the bassist of the Sex Pistols. The punk icon is the focus of a new exhibition, ‘SID: Superman is Dead’, coming to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Wall of Fame in Seven Dials, Covent Garden this summer.
From backstage at the Marquee Club in Oxford Street, to on-stage at The Vortex club in Soho, the exhibition features cult London music venues and scenes of the Sex Pistols at the height of their punk glory.
‘The original premise of “Superman Is Dead” was to create an exhibition to distil the image that Sid portrayed of himself to the public,’ says photographer Dennis Morris. Featuring portraits, shots of live performances, and more, Morris’s photos document the Swedish and SPOTS (Sex Pistols on Tour Secretly) tours, as well as the Pistols’ 1977 Silver Jubilee jaunt down the Thames to launch debut album ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’. Needless to say, it was probably a bit more exciting than your drizzly ‘platty joobs’ street party this year.
It gets better. There will also be an immersive installation of recreation of a hotel room trashed by Vicious, so visitors can step inside and ‘get that deeper understanding of the raw energy of punk’. Get ready to be whisked into a trance of hedonism, anarchy, and ear-splintering guitars.
Fancy a peek? Check out these photos of Sid in London and other Sex Pistols snaps from the exhibition.
‘SID: Superman Is Dead’, 53a Neal St, Jun 22-Jul 15. Free. Find out more here.
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