The last week of Polemically Small‏

Zavier Ellis and Edward Lucie-Smith are the brains behind The Polemically Small exhibition at the Orleans House Museum in Richmond, which runs until 23rd September The museum is located in a historic building situated in Richmond, on the banks of the Thames. It has a large regular attendance, averaging 55,000 visitors a year, and an active out-reach programme. Artists in the show include Joe Machine, Gavin Nolan, Tim Parr, James Jessop, Peter Lamb, Charles Thomson, Rose Gibbs, Dale Adcock, Dan Coombes, and Gordon Cheung.

(Above: "Chris" painted by Harry Pye) to see the real thing you'll have to get yourself down to Orleans House Gallery, Riverside, Twickenham, TW1 3DJ and fast. (Below: "Kevin" painted by Harry Pye - which is also in the show.)

Team Beswick & Pye get involved with Art Below's Peace Project

(Above image: "No Justice Means No Peace" by Team Beswick & Pye 2012.) Gordon Beswick and Harry Pye have accepted the invitation of Ben Moore to take part in a special Art Below project that features work about peace. Other artists involved include Billy Childish, Cathy Lomax, Alison Jackson, Philip Levine,and Sarah Maple. London's Gallery Different (14 Percy Street, just off Tottenham Court Road) is having a private view of the works on the 11th of October. Proceeds of selected works will go to the Halabaja Community Playground Project in Northern Iraq. Selected works from the show will also appear in Regent's St Tube the same time as The Frieze Art Fair (11th-14th Oct). Art Below was founded by Ben and Simon Moore in 2006. They are an independent public arts organisation who give artists the chance to exhibit their work in tube stations. For more info about the event phone Ben on: 0207 731 0333

The day Sir Horace Gentleman of The Specials met Ron Nasty of The Rutles

Some know him as "The Urban Spaceman", some know him as "The 7th Python" and to others he will always "Ron Nasty of The Rutles". In my opinion The Bonzo Dog Band are up there with the greats so I was absolutely delighted to hang out with ex Bonzo Neil Innes yesterday. Neil came to Julian Wakeling Studios in South London to record the vocals for "Flying Down To Rio" a song written by Mike Nesmith of The Monkees. Julian had recorded a demo featuring himself on guitar and piano and me doing percussion. Paul Speare recorded two amazing solos on the baritone saxaphone. Playing the bass guitar was our extra Special guest: 2-Tone legend Horace Panter!

Paul and Horace both appear on In The Studio with The Special AKA. When The Specials split up Horace worked with General Public whose keyboard player Mickey Billingham used to be in Dexys the same time as Paul.

Horace and Paul are also huge Bonzo fans who (if ever needed) can quote vast chunks from songs such as Hello Mable, Mr Apollo, and The Intro Outro.

(Above: Neil holds a copy of The Rutles All You Need Is Cash e.p) A Team Beswick & Pye video for "Flying Down To Rio" by Neil Innes & The Values featuring Horace Panter will appear on You Tube in a month or so. Horace Panter will be taking part in the BIG ONE concert in aid of The Teenage Cancer Trust at Parkdean Sandford in Dorset. Over 20 acts including Roddy "Radiation" Byers, Rhoda Dakar, Rico Rodriguez, Dennis Bovell, Winston Reedy and more will be in attendance. Tickets & accommodation are still available for more info visit: http://www.specializedcharityalbum.co.uk

The Values pay tribute to Ray Davies & The Kinks

Many great bands including The Fall, The Stranglers and Big Star have released great version of songs written by Ray Davies of The Kinks. The Kinks have organised a competition in which they invite fans to record a cover of one of their songs and the winner gets to meet Mr Davies and Kinks drummer Mick Avory at the famous Konk recording studios. Go on You Tube and serach for: "The Values Harry Rag" and you can witness the splendid new video that Team Beswick & Pye have made to go with the Values version of a little known track from the "Something Else" LP that The Kinks released on Pye records in 1967. Paulo Hewitt said of the original: "A jaunty celebration of the ordinary cigarette rather than the herbal variety traditionally favoured by musicians, Harry Rag put us right back in the music hall of Ray's youth, it's funny lyrics about tabacco addiction roaring out. Harry Rag is Cockney rhyming slang for fag (ciagarette)." The Values version of Harry Rag was produced and arranged by Julian Wakeling. The lead vocal is by Mikey Georgeson. The tin whistle is played by Paul Speare.

"I Remember" at the A-side B-side Gallery

Wednesday the 14th of November is the date of the p.v of "I Remember" at The A-side B-side Gallery. The address is 5-9 Amhurst Terrace, Hackney E8 2BT The night will also be a launch party for a special issue of The Rebel magazine which features 50 people sharing a memory, plus texts by Susan Finlay, John Douglas Millar, Russell Walker, and Kitty Davies, and a free 5 track CD featuring tracks by Trogons, Orpheus Knoxx, The Values, The Pheromoans, Mikey Georgeson. The "I Remember" exhbition will feature one artwork each from... Justin Bailey, Gordon Beswick, Mel Cole, Chris Coombes, Rosalind Davis, Caroline Gervay, Dom Kennedy, Tom Lovelace, Chloe Mortimer, Simon Munnery, Kate Murdoch, Liam Newnham, Christopher Owen, Liz Purchase, Kes Richardson, Alli Sharma, Annabel Tilley, Barry Thompson, Julian Wakeling, Aleksandra Wojcik, Paul Wye. Contributors to The Rebel magazine of memories include Francis Upritchard, Andrew Mottershead, Jasper Joffe, Tinsel Edwards, Abigail Zara Parry, Cuong Sam, William Smart, John Duffin, Gemma Fleet, Tine Frellesen and Uliana Apatina. Curator Harry Pye says: "After watching Federico Fellini's 1973 film Amarcord I thought it would be interesting to see how willing some artistic friends of mine would be in sharing some of their memories. Visitors to the show, readers of the magazine and listeners to the CD will be faced with many different memories from many different people. Some say: "Half the fun of remembering is the rearranging" I don't know how much rearranging has been going on. I picked the artists rather than the work. I am unable to say which memories are true or not. I Remember is both an art exhibition and a publication with an accompanying CD. Don't forget to remember the opening party on the 14th of November."

(Above image by Aleksandra Wojcik from the series "Postcards from my life") The gallery is open Thursday to Sunday 12 - 6pm or by appointment. For more info e-mail: asidebsidegallery@hotmail.com 44787634029 or 447792126195

MOTHERS show has successful run in Wirral

The Festival of Firsts art program got off to a glittering start on June 25th at the Holiday Inn, Hoylake with more than 70 attendees taking in the work of some star-studded names. Feted artists, the Singh twins (pictured above) were among the audience as the Preview of the Mothers Exhibition launched – one of the many attractions at this year’s Wirral Festival of Firsts. The Exhibition is now on show at Holiday Inn, Hoylake until the 8th July. Admission is free. Amrit and Rabindra Singh are British born twins of Indian origin, who have become world famous for depicting their home city of Liverpool and other scenes in the traditional Mughal miniature painting style but on a grand scale. Their work has featured in shows all over the world.

Closing party at V22 Summer Club tomorrow

The V22 Summer Club is a platform for an eclectic gathering of artists, arts organisations and community groups who have collaborated to produce a rich, interactive, public programme which includes exhibition, film, dance, live art, theatre, performance, music, sound, lectures, discussions, workshops, games, digital interactivity and other special community events Utilising V22's impressive 50,000 sq ft exhibition spaces in Bermondsey, the Club has also created a purpose-built cinema, an intimate live music venue, a pop-up cafe serving excellent food, a dance floor and an organic cider bar. New constructions and additions to the space continue to invigorate the whole site and offer a range of experiences, activities and artforms in a family-friendly environment.

Closing Party Sunday 29 July, 12 - 11pm Come along on our final day for a variety of events or simply to join us in a closing glass. Kids' day kicks off with Nico and Miila's choice of films, while Harry Pye & friends create a Wall of Smiles. Join the DiY punk and Sound/Space parties, bring along 7" records as Lucky 7's goes Warehouse, catch rare sneaker documentaries, style classics and the occasional Michael Jordan highlight reel, enjoy 1150 images of great and rare sneakers...! Should be fun

(Above: Harry Pye and Cuong Sam)

(Above: The wall of smiles with added artworks from Denise Morden's children's workshop)