The conventional wisdom is that punk is rebellion, a middle finger to the Establishment and propriety. But that pipe dream might finally fade now that auction house Christie's is hawking memorabilia from the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Ramones, Patti Smith and other shining lights on November 24 in New York.
"We understand that tastes change, tastes mature," Christie's Simeon Lipman told the Associated Press. "Ten years ago, punk memorabiliaprobably wouldn't be something we'd be auctioning here. But now, peopleof a certain age have a certain ability to splurge on this material."
Splurge indeed. Money, or lack thereof, has always been the prime mover in punk, rock and hip-hop. The Sex Pistols were cobbled together by Chelsea fashion mavens Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, who lead Pistol John Lydon once called "a pair of shysters: they would sell anything to any trend that they could grab onto." Speaking of marginalia. Christie's will sell material from the period like flyers, posters and press releases in search of a comfortable payday.
In short, anything you can grab onto.
Other rock, punk and post-punk legends are on Christie's bill, including Blondie, Bowie, The Smiths, The Cure, and The Velvet Underground. The kitchen-sink auction also includes a restored portable organ played by John Lennon during the Beatles' 1965 blockbuster concert at Shea Stadium, which could rope in over $150,000. Money may not be able to buy you love, but it sure can buy you enough proxy cool. That could come in handy during a global economic meltdown. You never know.
Photo: Wikipedia
