Sex Pistols event for York

Archaeologist John Schofield from the University of York was part of the team that documented the artworks made by the band during their time living in Denmark Street in Soho, which drew comparisons between the significance of the graffiti and prehistoric cave paintings.

In a lecture at the Ron Cooke Hub, Prof Schofield will discuss the Sex Pistols and their cultural contribution, as well as the reaction to this archaeological investigation. He will also reveal what John Lydon - or Johnny Rotten - pictured above, thought of it all, and ask whether something so recent can be of archaeological interest.

With the help of Prof Schofield, Half Moon Brewery in Ellerton near Bubwith, have created Rotten Ale, which will be available at the drinks reception following the talk, which will also include a performance by local band Sherbet Flies, photographs of the artworks, and a short film.

Tony Rogers from Half Moon Brewery said the one-off drink would be available to the public in pubs around York, and almost ended up with another, Sex Pistols-related name.

Tony and Jackie Rogers at Half Moon Brewery

He said: "I thought archaeology was bones and old pots, but we got talking to John and learned about living memory archaeology. I asked if he fancied doing a brew for the occasion, and he did.

"We didn't want it to cause people to spit like the punks did, we want it to be a Rotten Ale in name only. We ended up brewing it on the Queen's birthday, so I said we should have called it God Save the Queen, really. But we'd already given it it's moniker by that point."

The beer is an IPA which will be about 4.5 per cent, and Tony said he had tried to nod to "the Englishness of punk", by mainly using British hops, but had included one kind of American hop to reflect the influence of the US on the punk movement.

Tickets to the talk, on May 23, are free and available at york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/public-lectures/summer-2016/no-future/