DEFYING GRAVITY
CATHI with JORDAN
"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 We both wanted this book to be a social comment on the times with serious historical content, and we made the many marvellous contributors feel at ease to speak freely and candidly”.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
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PRESS ENQUIRIES: debra@greatnorthernpr.co.uk
EVENT ENQUIRIES: David.Stock@musicsales.co.uk
Cathi and Jordan pic by Robert Shiret
Book cover by Graham Humphreys
Punk and the Pistols
Jordan tribute screening
Dalston Rio cinema
13 September 2022
TUESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER
DALSTON RIO CINEMA, 6.30PM
FOR TICKETS GO HERE
Join us for a celebration of Jordan and the spirit of ’76 with a rare cinema screening of the definitive (and uncensored) BBC Arena documentary on the UK Punk scene, Punk and the Pistols – the only film to feature candid interviews with John Lydon, Malcolm McLaren and his former-partner in fashion crime Vivienne Westwood. Along, of course, with Jordan herself and a host of other punk luminaries including Glen Matlock, Poly Styrene and Siouxsie Sioux.
Hosted by Travis Elborough, special guests on the night will include Cathi, Bertie ‘Berlin’ Marshall, Richard Boon of Buzzcocks, New Hormones records and Stoke Newington Library fame and the filmmaker Paul Tickell.
Copies of Defying Gravity will be on sale and Cathi will be signing after the screening.
Aidan McManus (Soho Punk Tours and Flipside Radio) will be DJ-ing in the lobby.
Image: Graham Humphreys/Omnibus
DALSTON RIO CINEMA, 6.30PM
FOR TICKETS GO HERE
Join us for a celebration of Jordan and the spirit of ’76 with a rare cinema screening of the definitive (and uncensored) BBC Arena documentary on the UK Punk scene, Punk and the Pistols – the only film to feature candid interviews with John Lydon, Malcolm McLaren and his former-partner in fashion crime Vivienne Westwood. Along, of course, with Jordan herself and a host of other punk luminaries including Glen Matlock, Poly Styrene and Siouxsie Sioux.
Hosted by Travis Elborough, special guests on the night will include Cathi, Bertie ‘Berlin’ Marshall, Richard Boon of Buzzcocks, New Hormones records and Stoke Newington Library fame and the filmmaker Paul Tickell.
Copies of Defying Gravity will be on sale and Cathi will be signing after the screening.
Aidan McManus (Soho Punk Tours and Flipside Radio) will be DJ-ing in the lobby.
Image: Graham Humphreys/Omnibus
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
READ JORDAN IN YOU MAGAZINE HERE
Jordan pictured with original artwork by Billy Chainsaw
Cathi and Jordan in the studios of London Live
