The Rock & Roll Public Library, London Electric

The Rock & Roll Public Library (RRPL) will launch the second issue of its periodic magazine on 11th September 2025, along with a chance to catch an updated version of the acclaimed accompanying experiential exhibition at London’s Mile End Art Pavilion from Thursday 11th Sept – Thursday 18th Sept inclusive (11am – 8pm daily) – one week only.

The theme for the second issue of The Rock & Roll Public Library Magazine is “London Electric” and it features three different covers, with contributions from Viv Albertine, Tom Vague and Jon Savage amongst others and tunes into the electric forces of growing up in 20th century London including scandals, subculture, postcodes and the psychogeography of the city itself.

To mark the launch of Issue #2, a version of the acclaimed experiential exhibition of The Rock & Roll Public Library will be open to the public at the Mile End Art Pavilion from Thursday 11th Sept – Thursday 18th Sept inclusive. The exhibition will celebrate over-the-counter-culture, featuring elements of bookshops, newsstands, comic book stores, record shops and video rental libraries. This is a celebration of pre-digital – the analogue, the physical pop culture history of the 20th century and beyond.

The personal collection and archive of Mick Jones (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite), RRPL is a large, material archive of 20th century pop culture, collected over a lifetime, which launched the first issue of its periodic magazine in March this year. Collected by the British musician, songwriter and producer, RRPL encompasses thousands of items, including books, comics, magazines, musical equipment, literature, art, clothing, ephemera, as well as music and film in every format, revealing a wide network of influences that span the entire 20th century.

This new periodic collection of the Rock & Roll Public Library Magazine is created to share elements of the Rock & Roll Public Library and serves as a curated selective journey through the archive. A portable exhibition in itself, it invites the reader to find their own connections and inspirations from the Library’s wide-ranging artefacts. Edited by the RRPL team, the first issue focused on DIY culture – from punk rock fanzines to fashion, art school to dole queues, four-track home cassette demos to high-tech studios – a ragged map to aid further exploration and, hopefully, to inspire yet more creation.

Both Magazine Issue #1 and Magazine Issue #2 will be available to buy at The Art Pavillion from 11th September 2025 as well as through RRPL’s online shop and other retail outlets.

Selected by Mick Jones and the RRPL team, highlights of the exhibition will include: a retro recreation of a living room where visitors can use items from the archive such as Mick’s home recorded VHS tapes, books, comics and newspapers from another time; guests can browse through and listen to a selection of his record collection in a recreation of a 1970’s listening booth; plus a visual art installation in the style of a Kiosk that will sell the magazine and other bespoke RRPL merchandise.

“A new exhibition showcasing Jones’ extensive and stunning collection… serves as a journey
through late 20th-century punk, and by extension, society as a whole.”
– ROLLING STONE UK

The Rock & Roll Public Library exhibition will be open to the public at The Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, Clinton Rd, London E3 4QY from Thursday 11th Sept – Thursday 18th Sept inclusive (11am –8pm daily). For more information, visit www.rocknrollpl.com

All images ©Jeff Pitcher