‘Wot No Bike’ is a limited print run publication of the work of Paul Simonon. Simonon has been a Biker since he was old enough to ride one – his first was a white and gold Triumph 3TA, and it was this, along with subsequent bikes, that established him in the 1970s within the remarkable community of Bikers discussed in David Lancaster’s introduction to the publication.

The bikes, jackets, boots, helmets, gloves and other biking paraphernalia that feature in Simonon’s paintings are his own possessions, things that he uses pretty much every day. As such, the paintings are as much in the tradition of self-portraits as still lifes: “It’s like writing a diary, in a way, but in paint”, says Simonon.

With an independent-minded, outsider spirit, Simonon’s paintings in ‘Wot No Bike’ bring British subcultures of the 1950s to 1970s into dialogue with modernist and realist painting traditions, particularly the social realism that came to the fore as these subcultures were emerging. Bound up in the middle of this is Simonon himself – his personal history, family, childhood, adolescence, adult life, social life, private life, music and, in fact, his inner life. Simonon has often kept his painting practice relatively low key, sometimes exhibiting at galleries and selling works privately.

Encouraged by Anomie Publishing to collaborate on a publication about his recent body of painting, Simonon has been personally involved in the book’s development, resulting in a cloth-bound hardback publication in an edition of 1000 copies. Edited by Bruce Cameron and Serena Rees, and designed by Martin Bell / Fruitmachine, the publication features twenty-two new and recent paintings under the banner of ‘Wot No Bike’.

Paul will be signing his book at

WATERSTONE’S PICCADILLY
Saturday, 31 January 2015, 12:00PM

If you can’t make it to the book signing, signed copies of the book are available here