A leading figure of the movement Guy Debord, wrote an influential booked called Society of the Spectacle in 1967. These ideas played an important role in the revolutionary events and demonstrations of 1968 in Paris, which Reid went over to join. He described himself as a ‘seditionary’, meaning that in speech, writing or behaviour he would encourage people to fight against or oppose the ‘establishment’. 

In the UK, Reid took to organising protests and sit-ins with McLaren. They believed themselves to be authentic seditionists, that is, rebels dedicated to overtly stirring up discontent and even insurrection towards established authority. Vivienne Westwood would describe her views on the subject as somewhat more straight forward: “We were just saying to the older generation we don’t accept your taboos and your values and you’re all fascists . . . It was the idea that the world was so mismanaged that we hated the older generation because they weren’t doing anything about it.”

Reid started the Suburban Press in 1970. Based in Croydon it produced six magazines of the same name which focused on local politics and council corruption using cut out pictures and words which sometimes gave it an angry ‘ransom note’ look. Circulation reached about 5,000 until the press was sold in 1975. 

The following year, after receiving a telegram from McLaren, Reid headed for central London and helped set up the Sex Pistols’ management company Glitterbest just off Oxford Street. He assumed the role of agitator-at-large, creating visuals that he hoped would be inflammatory and crackle with anarchic energy. His trademark fragmented style created a menacing unease with his ransom-style typography and torn up edges, it fitted John Lydon’s (Jonny Rotten’s) ferocious vocals perfectly.

Reid continued to produce posters, ephemera and prints, waging a visual vendetta against (what he saw as) injustices, as he had done for his entire career right up until his death in 2023. Buy his artwork from mainstream galleries here.