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Ray Lowry 1944-2008
3:23 PM GMT 14/10/2008
Ray Lowry, the artist who hatched the concept for The Clash’s iconic London Calling sleeve, has died at the age of 64 following an unspecified haemorrhage. The maverick cartoonist had been ill for a number of years and was found at his home in Waterfoot, Lancashire, on the morning of Tuesday, October 14.
An eccentric figure deeply in love with rock’n’roll, Lowry was born in Urmston, Greater Manchester, and discovered music while at grammar school. Initially moving into the world of advertising, he relocated to London where he began to draw cartoons and paint. His work first appeared in International Times and Oz, before he found himself in the employ of more mainstream publications including Punch, Private Eye and Mayfair.
Lowry’s defining moment came in the ‘70s when he created a strip entitled Only Rock’n’Roll for the NME. Catching the Sex Pistols at the Electric Circus in Manchester, Ray found his work revitalised by punk and, in 1979, he famously accompanied The Clash on tour in the US, sketching them using his now distinctive energised style. It was during that tour that Lowry came up with the concept for the London Calling sleeve.
By the 1980s, Lowry had moved on yet again, working for style magazine The Face, but never losing sight of his love for “holy rock’n’roll thunder”. While in later years he appeared to slowly withdraw from life in London, Lowry never stopped painting and drawing.
In 2005 he contacted MOJO to profess his affection for The Kills, suggesting that he follow the duo of Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart on the road and report back with sketches and a review. Sadly, the final results were never submitted for publication.
More recently, Lowry had elected to host his first retrospective show. “The time felt right,” he said last month. The exhibition itself opened on September 12 at the See Gallery And Photographic Studio in Crawshawbooth and also featured new work by Ray, including a series of paintings inspired by Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent’s ill-fated 1960 tour of Britain.
Despite Lowry’s death, the exhibition is expected to run until its original proposed closing date of November 7 as a tribute to Ray himself. The exhibition can be viewed at See Gallery and Photographic Studio, Oddfellows Hall, 1 Binns Street, Crawshawbooth, Lancashire, BB4 8AA.. In the meantime, click HERE for a virtual look at some his work.
MOJO would like to pass on our condolences to the Lowry family. This weekend’s Ultimate Clash show on MOJO Radio (Friday October 17, 9.00pm, repeated Sunday October 19, 9.00pm) will be dedicated to Ray’s memory.
Phil Alexander
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 3:23 PM GMT 14/10/2008
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Comments
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Just a quick note. I took this photo of Ray a few ago, just before his exhibition at SeeGallery - A tremendous man and so sad theat he has passed so soon after what I was hoping would be his revivial.
Posted by Andrew Farrington at 6:12 PM GMT 15/10/2008 Report Abuse
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Just a quick note. I took this photo of Ray a few ago, just before his exhibition at SeeGallery - A tremendous man and so sad that he has passed so soon after what I was hoping would be his revivial.
Posted by Andrew Farrington at 6:12 PM GMT 15/10/2008 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
Just a quick note. I took this photo of Ray a few weeks ago, just before his exhibition at SeeGallery - A tremendous man and so sad that he has passed so soon after what I was hoping would be his revival.
Posted by Andrew Farrington at 6:14 PM GMT 15/10/2008 Report Abuse
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Just a quick note. I took this photo of Ray a few weeks ago, just before his exhibition at SeeGallery - A tremendous man and so sad that he has passed so soon after what I was hoping would be his revival.
Posted by Andrew Farrington at 6:15 PM GMT 15/10/2008 Report Abuse
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Does anyone know who took that photo of Ray Lowry?
Posted by Smart Arse at 11:40 AM GMT 16/10/2008 Report Abuse
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I used to act as Ray's editor on the Thrills section of the old NME. He was simply the best.
Posted by Mick Farren at 12:41 PM GMT 16/10/2008 Report Abuse
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absolutely lovely guy. kept in touch with him every other month about his paintings/upcoming exhibition/the daily grind. extremely talented guy and will be missed
Posted by Lee Reading at 2:10 PM GMT 16/10/2008 Report Abuse
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The lovely photo above looks like a Humphrey Ocean painting!
Posted by Keeps A Lot of Files at 3:27 PM GMT 16/10/2008 Report Abuse
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RE: Mick Farren
absolutely - at a reading by greil marcus, ray seemed to be heckling - greil shut down another heckler complaining about ray with something along the lines of: 'you be quiet, i'm taking this question from the world's greatest rock'n'roll cartoonist'
Posted by richard boon at 3:43 PM GMT 17/10/2008 Report Abuse
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RE: Mick Farren
absolutely - at a reading by greil marcus, ray seemed to be heckling - greil shut down another heckler complaining about ray with something along the lines of: 'you be quiet, i'm taking this question from the world's greatest rock'n'roll cartoonist'
Posted by richard boon at 3:44 PM GMT 17/10/2008 Report Abuse
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RE: Andrew Farrington
Can you repeat that please?
Posted by S. Arky Git at 6:37 AM GMT 18/10/2008 Report Abuse
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