- Title: Malcolm McLaren's son to burn Sex Pistols punk collection
- Date: 24th November 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - MARCH 30, 2004) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SIGN ADVERTISING VIVIENNE WESTWOOD EXHIBITION AT VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM WESTWOOD ARRIVING ON RED CARPET TEE-SHIRT WITH CUT-OFF SLEEVES AND UNION JACK PRINT READING "ANARCHY IN THE UK SEX PISTOLS" SEX PISTOLS ALBUM COVER "ANARCHY IN THE UK" WESTWOOD POSING WITH MANNEQUINS AT HER EXHIBITION
- Embargoed: 9th December 2016 17:11
- Keywords: Joe Corre Sex Pistols punk memorabilia Burn Punk Malcolm McLaren Vivienne Westwood
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / PARIS, FRANCE / NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / PARIS, FRANCE / NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Music
- Reuters ID: LVA00459SWWG7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A collection of punk memorabilia worth millions of dollars will go up in flames this weekend when the son of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood burns the items to protest the movement being co-opted into the mainstream.
Joe Corre will set fire to Sex Pistols records, clothing and memorabilia on Saturday, the 40th anniversary of when the influential punk rock band released debut single "Anarchy in the U.K.".
"I've been wondering for a long time what to do with it all and I think this is the right opportunity to say 'You know what, punk is dead. Stop conning a younger generation that it somehow has any currency to deal with the issues that they face'," he told a news conference on Thursday (November 24).
"It is not. It is dead and it's time to think about something else."
The collection, which includes rare recordings, posters and clothes sewn by Westwood, is valued between 5 million and 10 million pounds ($6.24 million-$12.5 million), Corre, who co-founded lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, said.
The burning, at a yet to be revealed location, is in protest at the British capital celebrating 40 years of punk with a series of events under the banner "Punk.London".
Asked why he did not sell the items and give the money to charity, Corre said: "Who is actually going to buy it?...It would end up going on some banker's wall. That's who'd buy it and that doesn't satisfy me very much."
"I think the die-hard fans are confused and they don't interest me at all. Why would I give it to them? They are just conformists in another uniform."
Corre said his mother, Britain's grand dame of fashion who played an integral part of the 1970s punk scene, would be at the burning and that his late father would have approved.
"Whether he would have agreed with me to burn the lot I think he probably would have done and I think he'd think it was kind of hilarious," he said.
However Sex Pistols lead singer, John Lydon, formerly known by his stage name Johnny Rotten, has criticised Corre, telling British media he should sell the memorabilia and donate the funds to charity.
Corre said however he would keep a few items of sentimental value, including clothing he helped his mother sew as a boy. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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