During my time at the children's assessment centre, before I moved to Sheffield's Moorside girls home, I went to the Sex Pistols children's Christmas party. It was held at Ivanhoe's nightclub in Huddersfield town centre, on Christmas Day 1977. The audience were mainly the children of the striking firemen.
Ironically I was chosen to go with a social worker from the home because being middle class I needed to experience the other side, or that sort of thinking, most of the other kids in care had gone home for Christmas. Arriving at the party, small intimate venue, we were given plastic transparent folders with pink zips with sex pistols logo and small gifts inside as well as t-shirts and badges. In a 'what do you want for Christmas competition', compared by Johnny Rotten, I won a yellow skateboard, signed by the band.
After the show when most of the other kids had left I sat at the closed bar with Johnny Rotten, he was interested in my life and we conversed easily. Somehow I think he may remember this because of the unusual circumstances and I being the only non-white kid there. Sid vicious, a dark pale shadow leaning against the opposite wall, brooding dirty looking and maybe not child friendly. In comparison, Johnny Rotten was like a social worker. Children/sex pistols a heady combination.
I believe this was there last UK gig. On Christmas day in 77 the sex pistols gave many kids a complete Alice In Wonderland magical experience. We may not have understood the politics but we could live the rebellion, in that moment. It worked well, the Sex Pistols and kids, both dirty and wild. This was one of the definitive moments in my life. After the oppression of my mother and stepfather I was a natural and ready rebel.
