DEFYING GRAVITY
CATHI with JORDAN
cover image by Ray Yates
NEW! GET DOWN TO THE DEFYING GRAVITY PLAYLIST
Dance to some of Jordan's favourite tunes HERE
For this playlist, Cathi selected songs that tell Jordan's story in sounds, bringing together some of her inspirations and key people who joined her in a life spent DEFYING GRAVITY.
1 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' from The Nutcracker Suite – Jordan's first ever record.
2 Leonard Nimoy 'A Vist To A Sad Planet' from Mr Spock's Music From Outer Space – Jordan's lifelong hero.
3 Krzystof Komeda 'Lullaby' theme to Rosemary's Baby – Mia Farrow's crop in the film was the inspiration for Jordan's first radical hairstyle.
4 New York Dolls 'Looking For A Kiss' – recovering from a near-fatal accident in the summer of 1970, Jordan reads in the NME about the sound of things to come
5 The Faces 'Stay With Me' – inspiration for a generation, the Rod Stewart-led Faces were also Steve Jones and Paul Cook's favourite band.
6 Roxy Music 'Do The Strand' – the soundtrack to teenage nightclubbing at Tricky Dicky's Gay Disco in Brighton and, in saxophonist Andy McKay, the inspiration for Jordan's next radical hairstyle, c/o the late Keith Wainwright from Smile.
7 David Bowie 'Jean Genie' – Jordan first meets David in 1973, at a concert in Brighton where he asks for her home-made starling feather earring – and she says NO!
8 The Modern Lovers 'Roadrunner' – proto-punk kids came from around the country to hear this on the SEX jukebox.
9 Donna Summer 'I Feel Love' SEX symbol by day, disco diva by night, Jordan loved dancing on the star-shaped floor of El Sombrero's in Kensington.
10 The Ramones 'I Wanna Be Sedated' – Jordan is smitten by Dee Dee at Da Brudders first UK gig at the Roundhouse in July 1976.
11 Maurice Chevalier 'Every Little Breeze Seems To Whisper Louise' – the signature tune of the SEX shop's favourite afterhours hangout, Louise's nightclub.
12 Buzzcocks 'Boredom' – The Pistols go to Manchester and get booked for their first televisual appearance on So It Goes at their legendary gigs at The Lesser Free Trade Hall with their pals Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley.
13 Sex Pistols 'Anarchy In the UK' – the best debut single ever.
14 The Heartbreakers 'Born To Lose' – former Dolls Johnny Thunders and Gerry Nolan come to London and inadvertently let Nancy Spungen loose.
15 Jayne County 'Paranoia Paradise' – Jordan loved Jayne and made sure she was featured in Derek Jarman's 'Jubilee'.
16 Adam & the Ants 'Antmusic' – when Malcolm McLaren stole Adam's band for Bow Wow Wow, Jordan masterminded their comeback and then married bassist Kevin Mooney. See her out on the El Sombrero's dancefloor in the video for this.
17 T Rex 'Cosmic Dancer' – Says it all about Jordan.
18 Alexander Courage/Gene Rodenberry Star Trek Original Theme – beyond our sight now but never out of mind, Jordan journeys on.
For this playlist, Cathi selected songs that tell Jordan's story in sounds, bringing together some of her inspirations and key people who joined her in a life spent DEFYING GRAVITY.
1 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' from The Nutcracker Suite – Jordan's first ever record.
2 Leonard Nimoy 'A Vist To A Sad Planet' from Mr Spock's Music From Outer Space – Jordan's lifelong hero.
3 Krzystof Komeda 'Lullaby' theme to Rosemary's Baby – Mia Farrow's crop in the film was the inspiration for Jordan's first radical hairstyle.
4 New York Dolls 'Looking For A Kiss' – recovering from a near-fatal accident in the summer of 1970, Jordan reads in the NME about the sound of things to come
5 The Faces 'Stay With Me' – inspiration for a generation, the Rod Stewart-led Faces were also Steve Jones and Paul Cook's favourite band.
6 Roxy Music 'Do The Strand' – the soundtrack to teenage nightclubbing at Tricky Dicky's Gay Disco in Brighton and, in saxophonist Andy McKay, the inspiration for Jordan's next radical hairstyle, c/o the late Keith Wainwright from Smile.
7 David Bowie 'Jean Genie' – Jordan first meets David in 1973, at a concert in Brighton where he asks for her home-made starling feather earring – and she says NO!
8 The Modern Lovers 'Roadrunner' – proto-punk kids came from around the country to hear this on the SEX jukebox.
9 Donna Summer 'I Feel Love' SEX symbol by day, disco diva by night, Jordan loved dancing on the star-shaped floor of El Sombrero's in Kensington.
10 The Ramones 'I Wanna Be Sedated' – Jordan is smitten by Dee Dee at Da Brudders first UK gig at the Roundhouse in July 1976.
11 Maurice Chevalier 'Every Little Breeze Seems To Whisper Louise' – the signature tune of the SEX shop's favourite afterhours hangout, Louise's nightclub.
12 Buzzcocks 'Boredom' – The Pistols go to Manchester and get booked for their first televisual appearance on So It Goes at their legendary gigs at The Lesser Free Trade Hall with their pals Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley.
13 Sex Pistols 'Anarchy In the UK' – the best debut single ever.
14 The Heartbreakers 'Born To Lose' – former Dolls Johnny Thunders and Gerry Nolan come to London and inadvertently let Nancy Spungen loose.
15 Jayne County 'Paranoia Paradise' – Jordan loved Jayne and made sure she was featured in Derek Jarman's 'Jubilee'.
16 Adam & the Ants 'Antmusic' – when Malcolm McLaren stole Adam's band for Bow Wow Wow, Jordan masterminded their comeback and then married bassist Kevin Mooney. See her out on the El Sombrero's dancefloor in the video for this.
17 T Rex 'Cosmic Dancer' – Says it all about Jordan.
18 Alexander Courage/Gene Rodenberry Star Trek Original Theme – beyond our sight now but never out of mind, Jordan journeys on.
NEW OMNIBUS REMASTERED EDITION OUT NOW
"If you've never read a book about punk, this is the only one you'll ever need" – JULIE BURCHILL
DEFYING GRAVITY was greeted with great reviews, a fantastic "Anarchy" tour and and outpouring of love for JORDAN when first published by Omnibus Press in 2018. You can read about some of our adventures in the pages below. This new edition is part of Omnibus Remastered series of classic titles – for more information go HERE
DEFYING GRAVITY was greeted with great reviews, a fantastic "Anarchy" tour and and outpouring of love for JORDAN when first published by Omnibus Press in 2018. You can read about some of our adventures in the pages below. This new edition is part of Omnibus Remastered series of classic titles – for more information go HERE
JORDAN IN THE IDLER
Jordan's life and times are celebrated in a feature by Cathi the new issue of The Idler. She joins a stellar cast of chaos magicians and cats, including LYDIA LUNCH, LOUIS WAIN, KEITH FLINT and EDWARD TUDOR POLE. in shops now or from HERE
Jordan pic: Mirrorpix/Getty Images. Special thanks to Jacob Smith and Simon Barker for helping us locate Jordan's favourite Harri Peccinotti pic for publication.
Jordan pic: Mirrorpix/Getty Images. Special thanks to Jacob Smith and Simon Barker for helping us locate Jordan's favourite Harri Peccinotti pic for publication.
DEFYING GRAVITY
NEW JAPANESE EDITION
NOW AVAILABLE
The Japanese edition of DEFYING GRAVITY: JORDAN'S STORY is available now, with an amazing LIMITED EDITION BOX SET packed full of goodies!
To order, please go HERE
To order, please go HERE
"IF YOU'VE NEVER READ A BOOK ABOUT PUNK, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE YOU'LL EVER NEED"
– Julie Burchill, The New Statesman
"I WAS ENTIRELY ABSORBED. POP-CULTURAL HISTORIANS HAVE BEEN COMBING THE DEBRIS OF PUNK FOR DECADES, BUT JORDAN AND HER RESOURCEFUL AMANEUSIS CATHI UNSWORTH HAVE BROUGHT ALL KINDS OF UNEXPECTED GEMS TO LIGHT."
– DJ Taylor, author of Orwell: The Life
"JORDAN'S EXTRAORDINARY GOSPEL IS HERE TO SET YOU STRAIGHT"
– Ian Fortnum, Classic Rock 9/10
"THE LAST GREAT PUNK STORY BEAUTIFULLY TOLD"
– John Robb, Louder Than War
"THE MOST INSIGHTFUL PUNK BOOK SINCE ENGLAND'S DREAMING. IMPECCABLE STYLE BUT SUBSTANCE TOO"
– Jim Wirth, Uncut 8/10
“Jordan created punk rock. She was selling it on the front line” – Adam Ant
“Jordan was the original Sex Pistol” – Derek Jarman
With her white beehive and Mondrian make up, Jordan’s look helped shape a revolution and has continued to be an iconic part of pop culture ever since. In Defying Gravity, published by Omnibus Press, the authors talk to key faces of the punk scene including Vivienne Westwood, Paul Cook, Marco Pirroni, Holly Johnson and Michael Collins – Jordan’s partner behind the SEX counter – to reveal the true story of a life at the eye of punk’s storm. How did a ballet mad girl from sleepy Sussex make her way – via the gay clubs of Brighton and London – to 430 King’s Road and the eye of punk’s storm? Jordan finally reveals her outrageous life story as she shares her adventures with McLaren and Westwood, The Sex Pistols, Adam and The Ants, Derek Jarman and Andy Warhol. Complete with specially commissioned cover art by Graham Humphreys, Defying Gravity also features a wealth of previously unseen images from Simon Barker, Sheila Rock and Harri Peccinotti .
Jordan explains. “I had been asked a few times if I would embark on writing my memoir but either felt it self indulgent or simply not the right time, and it took a series of events, unexpected meetings and inspired people to make me want to do it. I needed encouragement to put my thoughts into writing and thank goodness I was introduced to Cathi. We both wanted this book to be a social comment on the times with serious historical content, and we made the many marvellous contributors feel at ease to speak freely and candidly”.
ORDER THE BOOK HERE
ORDER THE NEW PAPERBACK HERE
ORDER THE DELUXE BOXSET HERE, HERE OR HERE
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PRESS ENQUIRIES: [email protected]
EVENT ENQUIRIES: [email protected]
Cathi and Jordan pic by Robert Shiret
Book cover by Graham Humphreys
Cathi talks about Jordan to London in Bits
Cathi was very pleased to get the opportunity to talk about Jordan and Defying Gravity to London in Bits. This is a subscriber service, but you can follow the link, sign up for their weekly bulletin about all things London, and read the full interview HERE
A DAY TO REMEMBER
On Jordan's birthday, 23 June, our publisher Omnibus Press opened a special REMEMBERING JORDAN webpage, with memories, photos and reflections on her life from family, friends and admirers. Please go HERE
Jordan's memorial concert by MC John Robb HERE
Photo by Etienne Gilfillan
Jordan's memorial concert by MC John Robb HERE
Photo by Etienne Gilfillan
READ JORDAN IN YOU MAGAZINE HERE
Jordan pictured with original artwork by Billy Chainsaw
Cathi and Jordan in the studios of London Live
