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Be Reasonable Demand The Impossible: Happening at Saint Martins to celebrate 40th anniversary of first Sex Pistols gig

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On November 6 1975, the Sex Pistols made their live debut in the refectory of Saint Martin’s School Of Art in London’s Charing Cross Road before an audience of around 20 people.

Booked by Pistols bass-player and Saint Martin’s student Glen Matlock with the ents secs Sebastian Conran and Al McDowell, the appearance was an important event in popular music history and the wider culture, since it is here that the seeds were sewn for Punk to proliferate as an attitude which informs art, design, fashion, media, politics and social activism to this day.

Ending in disarray as it did, the first Pistols gig was an example of their late manager Malcolm McLaren’s lifelong dedication to involvement in events which disrupted the status quo.

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//Malcolm McLaren, from a 1976 photo by Joe Stevens//

To mark that first performance, my wife Caz and I have instigated a celebration on the 40th anniversary at Central Saint Martins in King’s Cross.

We came up with the idea of a series of interlinked events and presented it to head of CSM/ pro-vice chancellor of University of the Arts London Jeremy Till six months or so ago, and he has generously put the site at our disposal in a collaboration with staff and students.

The screenings, talks and Q&As will include an exclusive presentation of previously unseen footage of the outrageous early 80s catwalk shows created by McLaren with his fashion designer partner Vivienne Westwood as well as contributions from contemporary commentators and protagonists at the first gig, including Sebastian Conran and Glen Matlock.

Director Daniel Kleinman was in Bazooka Joe, the headline band the Pistols were supporting on November 6, 1975; he has produced a specially commissioned short film which discusses the truth behind the events of that fateful night. This will be premiered at Be Reasonable Demand The Impossible.

Be Reasonable Demand The Impossible kicks off a year-long series of events being held at Central Saint Martins to mark the anniversary, and is presented with special thanks to the Malcolm McLaren Estate.

Full details here.

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