The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Culture Graffiti Sex Pistols

Sex pistols graffiti awarded heritage status by the Department of Culture

Author

By Rebecca Stewart, Trends Editor

March 22, 2016 | 2 min read

In a move that may be leaving some wondering if punk is really dead, graffiti by the Sex Pistols on London's Denmark Street has been awarded heritage status by the Department of Culture.

The artwork, which comprises various cartoon drawings and words including 'awful' and 'headache' drawn on the walls of a house once occupied by the band, has inadvertently helped the building secure Grade 2* Listed Status.

In it's heyday, the site (near Tin Pan Alley) was a meeting place for the anti-establishment outfit, with the demos for tracks such as 'Anarchy in the UK' and 'God Save the Queen' having been recorded there. Following advice from Historic England, the government has decided to commemorate the building for its significant musical heritage.

The move will be seen as a victory for the campaign to maintain Denmark Street, formerly home to spots of significance for David Bowie and the Rolling Stones, in the face of ongoing modernisation and Crossrail development.

There is currently an ongoing debate around punk's place in culture, with entrepreneur Joseph Corré (the son Malcolm McLaren and designer Vivienne Westwood) set to burn $7.1m worth of punk memorabilia to protest the "lame-ification" of the movement.

Culture Graffiti Sex Pistols

More from Culture

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +