Happy Birthday Julian Cope

I've been a fan of Julian Cope since his days in The Teardrop Explodes. Today is his 62nd birthday so I hope he's celebrating in style. In March 1991 I went to see him sign records at a Virgin Mega store. He was promoting Peggy Suicide - which is an album I've always loved.

I remember Mr Cope was interviewed in store. He was asked about being prolific. They mentioned his books, tours, double albums etc. And Cope said, "It's not about me being prolific, it's more that everyone else is a lazy turd."

The artist Sarah Sparkes and I once collaborated on a Julian Cope painting called, Citizen Cain'ed. I hope we do another Cope painting together one day soon.

Cope his written so many great songs, my personal Top 5 is; World Shut Your Mouth, Crazy Farmyard Animal, Out of My Mind on Dope and Speed, Sunspots. And... (Read It In) Books. Have a listen: here

Corey Samuel's film of You Know More Than I Know at The Art Academy

Film maker Corey Samuel has documented the You Know More Than I Know exhibition that took place at The Art Academy this Summer. See Corey's film: here

Above: The flier for, You Know More Than I know featured a painting by James Johnston

Above: painting by Harry Pye and Rowland Smith.

Above: Photograph by Steve Gillick

Above: Aleks Wojcik holds one of her photos aloft

Above: Nick Cave sculpture by Corin Johnson

Corey Samuel works for Renaissance who are a specialist London based charity, starting from a grassroots approach. They have developed an award winning programme over the last 11 years, supporting young people living with significant life challenges aged 13-19. Have a look at the Renaissance charity You Tube channel: here

Through the Large Glass (October 2006)

Looking back at a show curated by Stephanie Moran and Marcus Cope that took place at Bethnal Green's Three Colts Gallery in October 2006.

"A group exhibition of about twenty artists on the theme of 'Marcel Duchamp meets Lewis Carroll' or 'Rrose Selavy meets Alice' - the first meeting point being games, particularly chess, through Duchamp's love of chess and punning word games and the importance of playing cards and chess in Carroll's Alice books. The other juncture is invention - Rrose Selavy as Duchamp's female alter ego and in herself a pun, connects with Alice's favourite phrase - 'let's pretend'. From the makers of "The Circus Show" comes a surreal extravaganza of make-believe, fantasy, invention and role play.The exhibition will feature opening night performances, paintings, installations, sculptures and more.Dare you step "Through The Large Glass"?"

Players: Jonathan Baldock, Alex Bowen, Dana Brintz, Ruth Calland, Toby Clarkson, Marcus Cope, Sohrab Crews, The Crisps, Sarah Doyle (pictured below)

Martin Dukes, Tom Eastop, Jennifer Harding, Jackson Webb, Kate Lyddon,

Stephanie Moran, Oscillatorial Binnage, Klarita Pandolfi, (standing next to Harry Pye's Magician painting)

Elaine Parry, Harry Pye, Kes Richardson, Geoff Ridgen, Dai Roberts, Mimei Thompson, Jonathan Waller, Chris Weaver, Dan Wilson

Above: photo of Barry Thompson and Marenka Gabeler

Above: photo of Marcus Cope taking a photo of me taking a photo of him

Above Tom Eastop wearing a green top.

Above: Two lovely people - Russell Walker and Tom Scott give the thumbs up to a painting by Harry Pye & Rowland Smith called, 'You Lose Again Pye'

Above: The Little Artists who were big on talent

Above: First bad photo of Tom Eastop's impressive sculpture

Above: My second bad photo of Tom Eastop's impressive sculpture

Above: Geoff Lucas, Harry Pye, Eilidh Crumlish

Above: Claire Smithson

Above: Kes Richardson and Chris Coombes lurk in the background

Above: Julian Wakeling and Chris Coombes

Above: An unflattering photo of Russell Herron

Above: Mark Jackson

Enough or Too Much curated by Harry Pye in November 2000

Around the time I was doing my A level in art I had an idea for a project based around William Blake's Proverbs of Hell. I was introduced to the work of Blake by father who loved Blake's writing and ideas but wasn't a fan of his images. I probably liked the fact that Blake was a South londoner like myself. I remember being amused by observations like, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". My friend Rowland Smith and I joined a printmaking club in Deptford and told them our desire to make a poster for each of Blake's proverbs. We both made one poster each but when we returned to club (which I think was held at the Albany Empire) a week later, we were told someone had broken in and stolen all the printmaking equipment and therefor the club was closed. A few years later, when I was doing my printmaking degree at Winchester School of Art, I began working on the project again but there were too many distractions - although, in 1995, when they made a book featuring a photo and quote of each student that graduated, the quote I picked was Blake's "if the fool would persist in his folly, he would become wise." A college friend called Gemma Shedden invited me to curate an exhibition at a space she co-ran in Paris. At the tail end of 2000, inspired by Mark Francis's fig-1 project (which involved 50 different art shows in 50 weeks), artist Mat Humphrey asked me to curate two of four shows that he wanted to put on in a disused shop Marlborough Court (off Carnaby Street.) The show I was most keen to put on was, 'Enough or Too Much?'

Above: Part of the flier for the show

Above: "The bird, a nest, the spider a web, man friendship" by Adrian R. Shaw

Above: "he who desires by acts not, breeds pestilence" by Ben Spires

Above: wall one

Above: wall two xxxx more images soon

David Devant at The 100 Club with Simon Love

The 100 Club on Oxford street is my favourite music venue and David Devant & His Spirit Wife are my favourite live act. My favourite new album of 2018 was by Simon Love. Last night I saw Devant at the 100 club supported by Simon Love and surprise, surprise I had a fantastic evening. Devant have featured in The Rebel before. If you want a bit of background info on these chaps then have a look here. Last night Devant opened with Pimlico. They played great versions of oldies such as, Gentleman Jim, and Everything Fits Into Place. They possibly peaked with an epic version of One Track Mind but the most pleasant surprise of the evening was their new material! He's A Bit Of A Rake, Here I Am (a.k.a "I Remember"), Data Streams, were all totally FAB and, as you'd expect, the crowd went wild.

On Wednesday the 11th of December, Devant are playing like at The Water Rats, near King's Cross. According to fliers being handed out last night - a new Devant album entitled, "Cut Out and Keep Me" will be available to buy on the night. I know what I want for Christmas :)

It was great to hear Simon Love play a couple of songs from his well received album (see above) and his new songs were sounding great too. Simon also played a delightful cover version of a song by The Purple Mountains called, 'That's Just The Way I Feel'. The song was written by musician and poet, David Berman, who sadly committed suicide in August of this year. Have a listen to Berman's track here. One of my favourite musicians of all time is Alex Chilton. I remember once a journalist asked him if it bothered him that his records didn't sell in their millions and trouble the charts. Chilton replied with a shrug and a smile and then said, "Ah well, they all sound like hits to me!" I feel I must say that Simon Love and David Devant are both making brilliant new music at the moment, they are exciting to be around and their songs definitely sound like hits to me.

Making Light Work at the Oxo Tower

Last night was the opening of the latest and greatest charity event organised to raise money and awareness for The National Brain Appeal. More than 350 artworks are on display - the loose theme of the show was, "making light work". Contributors to the exhibition include; current Tate Modern exhibitor Olafur Eliasson, Tracey Emin CBE RA, Mark Dion, David Shrigley, Chantal Joffe, Kate Sherman, BP Portrait Award winners Ishbel Myerscough and Mark Entwisle; Royal Academy Summer Exhibition exhibitors Tom Hammick, and Gill Rocca, plus Mikey Georgeson, Harry Pye, Terry Hall, James Johnston , Gordon Beswick, and the actor Kevin Eldon. Each person donated a work. All the works are on sale for £85. All the money goes to the charity.

Above: A tiny fraction of the works on show

Above: a tiny glimpse of curator Eva Tait

Above: Harry waves hello.

Please Note: The project is called, 'Letter in Mind' as each contributing artist was given an envelope to use as they saw fit. All the works are sold anonymously. Last night The Southbank's OXO tower was very well attended and many of the £85 envelopes were sold. If you can't make it down to Waterloo, you can buy the work online... https://www.nationalbrainappeal.org/product-category/artwork-shop/

Last Chance to see The National Original Print Exhibition at Bankside Gallery

There's only a few days left to see the works selected for this year's National Original Print Exhibition, an international open submission exhibition established by the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers which celebrates the best in all types of contemporary printmaking. You've got until the 29th of Sept!

This year's selectors were Eileen Cooper OBE RA Hon RE (artist), Holly Johnson (artist & musician who made the Silver Sailor print above) and Prof Peter Lloyd (artist and Head of School of Art, Solent University), along with RE President David Ferry and RE Vice President, Michelle Griffiths.

Above: David Ferry with Gordon Beswick

Above: Katherine Jones

Above: A crowd of printmakers gather together to listen to Professor Peter Lloyd

Above: Peter Lloyd

Above: A print of Brian Jones by Harry Pye and Gordon Beswick Over 2,000 print makers applied to be in this show and only 200 got in. My personal favourite was this etching of Victoria Station by John Duffin.

The Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers has its home at Bankside Gallery, which is next to Tate Modern, along with the Royal Watercolour Society. Full address: Bankside Gallery, Thames Riverside 48 Hopton Street London SE1 9JH Open daily during exhibitions | 11am - 6pm