Ray Lowry drew cartoons for a wide range of publications. With the emergence of the underground press in the 1960s his work was published in "Oz" and "International Times", which led to a long and better-paid relationship with the "New Musical Express" (better known as "NME"), including a weekly cartoon strip, "Only Rock'n'Roll". Lowry's love of raw rock and roll was the perfect complement to the new punk mentality that emerged in the late 1970s. He saw the Sex Pistols' on their Anarchy tour at the Electric Circus in Manchester and there he met The Clash. He struck up a friendship with the members of the band, which led to an invitation to accompany them on their tour of the United States in 1979. From this he created the artwork for the sleeve of their album "London Calling", using a photograph by Pennie Smith.