The Clash - London Calling - Original Sketch by Ray Lowry

The Clash - London Calling - Giclée Print of Original Album Design Sketch by Ray Lowry.

Edition of 70.

Outer dimension - 23" x 23" | Art Dimension - 16.5 x  16.5"  | Giclée print | Hahnemühle German Etching | 310gsm | 

Framed option comes in wooden frame with anti-glare acrylic glass.

Ray Lowry was an English cartoonist, illustrator and satirist, with a highly distinctive style. He contributed to The Guardian, Private Eye, Punch, Tatler and NME, among many other publications.

With the rise of the underground press in the 1960s, his work found a home in publications like Oz and International Times. This exposure led to a lasting collaboration with the New Musical Express (NME), where he contributed a weekly cartoon strip titled “Only Rock’n’Roll.”

His passion for raw rock and roll aligned perfectly with the emerging punk scene of the late 1970s. After seeing the Sex Pistols on their Anarchy tour at the Electric Circus in Manchester, he met The Clash. This encounter led to an invitation to join them on their 1979 U.S. tour as the official tour artist. Armed with sketchbooks, pens, and paint, he captured impressions of the tour in real-time.

Later that year, he designed the iconic sleeve for The Clash's third album, London Calling. He chose Pennie Smith’s photograph of Paul Simonon smashing his bass at New York’s Palladium Theatre on September 21, 1979. The moment he saw the photograph, he knew it was perfect; reminding him of the iconic image of Elvis Presley on his debut album. He felt both images perfectly encapsulated the essence of rock 'n' roll. When sketching his vision for the album cover, he incorporated vivid green and pink lettering as an homage to that Elvis Presley LP.

In the words of Ray Lowry:

“ The London Calling album cover had to feature the infamous pink and green rock and roll lettering, God made me do that. Early roughs show that as the one constant with say, the band roughly delineated, depending upon which photo was eventually to drop from heaven. Joe would often look over my shoulder, as would Micheal, and Mr Strummer thoroughly approved of my choice, as he made quite obvious. Everything was done on an wink and a nod basis and why the hell I thought I was even going to get near to the cover is a bit of a mystery, sod it, lets just have a go. I believe that Joe and I were the only ones to share that exultant, “Yihaa, This Is It” moment when we spotted that marvellous little shot among the many, many shots on Penny’s sheet of contact prints one shady, smoky evening in some hotel in some state towards the end of the trip. I didn’t know until just recently that the dear chap had wrangled long and hard with Penny about it. The old gal didn’t fancy it because it was out of focus, but I think that his Strummership and Moi saw a fantastic rocking moment. Monsieur Simonon smashing the tool of his trade to smithereens on the stage of the New York Palladium – POW! Take that you Yankee Upstarts – We’re still so bored with the USA.
Actually, I had no idea that it was out of focus. Half blind at the best of times and probably half pissed at the time, that simply had to be the one. History seems to have proved us correct. But back then, it seemed that the combination of rip-off lettering and unrecognisable central figure would cause all sorts of difficulties with the powers the be’d at CBS. We need not have worried, my design and myself were met with something a little short of indifference back in London and I was confined to the obscurity of some corner in their art department while the big boys excited themselves with the then, latest Shakin Stevens slice of vinyl regurgitation. I seem to recall Radio 1 being on most of the time. Nom due merde! We who would be valiant be etc, etc”

All limited prints are numbered, embossed and come with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Samuel Lowry on behalf of the Ray Lowry Estate