Daisy's Letter From London, 2.4.12

 Dear Mr Boogaloo:

I was at JFK on Wednesday at 6:10pm and lifted off the ground into London for breakfast. Later that evening, I was standing by the Costa Coffee at St Pancras International, looking up at a gigantic departure board of overground trains that have been radically interlaced over the years. Here's where you can come down from Birmingham to catch the Eurostar to Paris for Disneyland. Here was a note of a likely strike of the trains to Brussels (takes 1 hr 41 mins on a no-strike day).

Aha! Here's the one I wanted - coming from St. Albans via Luton Airport going south via City Thameslink to Herne Hill, Brixton. Platform A.

Two pounds eighty and 20 gliding minutes later and I'm alighting in Herne Hill. I'm walking round the corner, past Linton Kwesi Johnson's local and the Bluebird Bakery, to the 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning Gallery space on Railton Road.

From a distance, I can see Jamie Reid's Sex Pistols poster glowing in the window and when I get there, I see Gary Loveridge glowing in his fancy tartan trousers.

I've already told you that it's his collection. It's a lovely collection. This is the back room:

Mostly record store posters (which, when the crowd came in, you heard a lot of "I remember pointing at that one and asking What Does That One Sound Like?") There were some beautiful movie posters.

and a few autographed by the bands themselves. I saw a few concert posters and a cabinet with a bunch of badges and tickets, t-shirts and zines, along with some strange collectibles like a Sid Vicious doll in a coffin and a Johnny Rotten doll (complete with box).

I know Gary loves the graphics. I know he loves the music. I know he is proud that his are original, but most of all, he loves it when other people come along and love them too.

Alexandra Bourdelon was among the first of the guests to arrive. A trailer for her movie-in-progress called IN YOUR FACE was showing in the drinks room.

We were so happy to see Rude Boy Ray Gange.

Ray, left, with Gary

Ray is now painting. He recently showed his work in a group show. Lurker Tom Crossley stood next to the Lurkers poster (thank you!)

Tom from The Phobics (not the Lurkers) & Gary

We met Barry Cain who wrote 77 Sulphate Strip. I admired the new front gold tooth of the (best dressed guest) Andy Czezowski (who ran the Roxy Club in Soho back in the day, and tried to manage Adam Ant). His lovely wife, Susan, was also in the room. I met Bart Barton who has an uncanny resemblance to Andy Warhol and told me that he actually does appear in public as Andy Warhol - he even has an agent. His friend Just (not Justin, just Just) was a delight. Another delight was that Comedy Store commedian, Steve Frost, was a punk fan and he came along for a laugh.

From left: Spizz, Steve Frost, Gary

The evening was capped off with a live performance by Spizz '77 of SPIZZ ENERGI who rigged up an amp and sang solo.

and this:

Set List:Virginia Plain
No More Mr Nice Guy
I Fought the Law
The Model
Where's Captain Kirk?

Gary had two write ups before the doors even opened from The Great Wen, and the great Retro Man.

THIS JUST IN:

THE GALLERY IS GOING TO BE OPEN SPECIALLY ON
SATURDAY 18th FEBRUARY from 12 noon til 5pm. At 3:00 Alan Parker is going to be there to read and sign his book YOUNG FLESH REQUIRED.

FRIDAY 24th FEBRUARY, starting at 7pm.
A screening of a film called: SID BY THOSE WHO REALLY KNEW HIM
followed by a discussion/Q&A.

SPECIAL THANKS TO NEWLY WEDS Mr and Mrs. Alison and Harry Haritakis. Long may you love and a million thanks for helping hang the show. Gary will buy you dinner!

Gallery info:
198
Contemporary Arts and Learning
198 Railton Road
SE24 OJT
tel: +44(0)207 978 8309
http://www.198.org.uk