From Sterile Safety to Joyful Havoc
I was recently asked on Twitter to write about the early days of Punk in the UK and its influence on motion graphic design. I was 12 when it all kicked off, watching the Sex Pistols cause joyful havoc.
Before Punk, things were sterile and safe. The UK was in political chaos, and the music scene was drowning in boring “prog rock.” Something had to give!
Then came the realization: you didn’t have to accept what you were being spoon-fed. Disillusioned youth realized they could make their own music, art, and fashion. For a teenager like me—an awkward kid with glasses who didn’t fit in—this was a lifeline. Suddenly, I could belong.
I was incredibly lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Two moments stand out as truly life-changing.
The first was seeing The Slits in Aberdeen in 1978. It was surreal. I ended up meeting them backstage and, in a moment of pure chaos and energy, found myself singing on stage with them. It wasn’t planned; it just happened. That raw, female empowerment is something I’ve carried with me ever since.
The second was Siouxsie & the Banshees, also in Aberdeen. I was there for the gig where they split up. I was even at the record shop where the argument that sparked the split began. I felt the tension in the room, witnessing the end of an era and the birth of something new, all in one city.
I was fortunate to see many others too: Iggy Pop, Joy Division, Crass, The Cure, Patti Smith, David Bowie, and so many more. Every gig was a lesson in breaking rules.
Inevitably, the revolution became a fashion. But the spirit of Punk—the DIY ethos, the raw energy, the refusal to be silent—is still alive. It’s the bedrock of crypto art. Hence why I got so involved with this energetic, revolutionary new art-scene. Next week, I’ll dive into the specific designs of today that owe their existence to this movement.