
This album cover for the sex pistols was designed by artist Jamie Reid and was one of many designs he did for the band. Visually it is quite simple especially compared to other album covers but what it represented and still does is significant. The image consists of a union jack which looks to have been ripped and maybe burnt and the ransom type text . The destroyed union jack was a very anarchic shocking image to be seen around the time which is what the whole punk rock fashion was about. Using the union jack as well it shows the origin of the band and is used in many of Reid's designs. The colours are basic but used together represent punk very well. The blue and the red next to black and white also is sort of rebellious and sums up the pistols. The text is made up to look like a ransom note , which is a style of writing used constantly on graphic designs even today and obviously as ransom notes are used in crimes it has the rebellious feel to it again. Ransom notes were often cut out of newspapers therefore the typography sits nicely on top of the image as the ripped flag with a dirty white looks almost like a newspaper.The image and the bands reputation is levelled down a bit by the safety pins in the flag and makes them look less like meaningful criminals and more like slapstick rebels.
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