Reviews"It was a gig that now sounds unlikely. Britain's most notorious punk band, the Sex Pistols, performing at Ivanhoe's nightclub in Huddersfield on Christmas Day, 1977...There to photograph the Pistols that evening for weekly music magazine the NME was Kevin Cummins." -- Yorkshire Post, "A book filled with 150 colour and black and white photographs, in which Cummins expertly captures the passion and power of Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, Paul Cook, and Steve Jones." -- Far Out Magazine, [This]new book showcases a collection of photos that captures the band's last concert in England--they were in their pomp, on their mission, and fully charged.
Dewey Decimal782.421660922
Synopsis"This historically important tome is a stunner from the off, the resplendent glittery hardback exterior merely teasing at the delights within... 'The End Is Near' is an indispensable collection of images from a unique rock 'n' roll moment, beautifully presented." - Phil Singleton. God Save the Sex Pistols. Christmas Day 1977, a day to be spent with family and loved ones, unless of course you'd decided to spend it with The Sex Pistols. The punk band, at the center of a tabloid frenzy and banned from just about every venue in the country, had booked themselves into a small club in Huddersfield to perform a benefit in support of striking West Yorkshire fire fighters. That evening, the band took to the stage to perform what would become their final UK gig. There to capture the chaos was photographer Kevin Cummins. No stranger to The Sex Pistols, he'd been there at that gig at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall just 18 months previously. Kevin incurred the fury of his own family to forgo Christmas in order to travel across The Pennines to document the event. Every frame Kevin shot is here, for the first time, in this book of more than 150 color and black and white photographs, each beautifully capturing Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook as they play together for the last time in their home country. Just weeks later The Pistols would break up and a year later, Sid would be dead. "You've had the Queen's speech. Now you're going to get the Sex Pistols at Christmas. Enjoy." - Johnny Rotten, - Previously unpublished photographs of the Sex Pistols' final UK gig- Taken by Kevin Cummins, preeminent photographer of British bands over the last four decades- Explodes the tabloid myth of the Sex Pistols, photographed playing a charity event for striking firemen- Introduction by writer and broadcaster Paul MorleyOn Christmas Day 1977, the Sex Pistols played their final UK gig. Kevin Cummins was the only professional photographer to document the event. He stood with the band onstage, captured the raw energy of the Sex Pistols at the top of their game. Just three weeks later, after a brief US tour, the band imploded. By the end of 1977, the Sex Pistols had been banned from virtually every town in Britain. But at Ivanho's nightclub in Huddersfield they found a receptive audience. They played two charity gigs on Christmas Day, raising money for the families of striking firemen. The afternoon shift was for the kids, with expletives removed from lyrics and Christmas presents and cake given out - and paid for by the band. In the evening, with Kevin Cummins in their midst, the Sex Pistols thundered through their setlist. Forget the lurid headlines, the righteous outrage, this was the real Sex Pistols, playing from the heart. "You've had the Queen's speech. Now you're going to get the Sex Pistols at Christmas. Enjoy." - John Lydon, Previously unpublished photographs of the Sex Pistols' final UK gig Taken by Kevin Cummins, preeminent photographer of British bands over the last four decades Introduction by writer and broadcaster Paul Morley Short video for the title here On Christmas Day 1977, the Sex Pistols played their final UK gig. Kevin Cummins was the only professional photographer to document the event. He stood with the band onstage, captured the raw energy of the Sex Pistols at the top of their game. Just three weeks later, after a brief US tour, the band imploded. By the end of 1977, the Sex Pistols had been banned from virtually every town in Britain. But at Ivanho's nightclub in Huddersfield they found a receptive audience. They played two charity gigs on Christmas Day, raising money for the families of striking firemen. The afternoon shift was for the kids, with expletives removed from lyrics and Christmas presents and cake given out - and paid for by the band. In the evening, with Kevin Cummins in their midst, the Sex Pistols thundered through their setlist. Forget the lurid headlines, the righteous outrage, this was the real Sex Pistols, playing from the heart. "You've had the Queen's speech. Now you're going to get the Sex Pistols at Christmas. Enjoy." - John Lydon, * Previously unpublished photographs of the Sex Pistols' final UK gig* Taken by Kevin Cummins, preeminent photographer of British bands over the last four decades* Introduction by writer and broadcaster Paul MorleyOn Christmas Day 1977, the Sex Pistols played their final UK gig. Kevin Cummins was the only professional photographer to document the event. He stood with the band onstage, captured the raw energy of the Sex Pistols at the top of their game. Just three weeks later, after a brief US tour, the band imploded. By the end of 1977, the Sex Pistols had been banned from virtually every town in Britain. But at Ivanho's nightclub in Huddersfield they found a receptive audience. They played two charity gigs on Christmas Day, raising money for the families of striking firemen. The afternoon shift was for the kids, with expletives removed from lyrics and Christmas presents and cake given out - and paid for by the band. In the evening, with Kevin Cummins in their midst, the Sex Pistols thundered through their setlist. Forget the lurid headlines, the righteous outrage, this was the real Sex Pistols, playing from the heart. "You've had the Queen's speech. Now you're going to get the Sex Pistols at Christmas. Enjoy." - John Lydon
LC Classification NumberML421.S47