Happy Nude Year

...and let's hope the naked new year a'borning is a damn sight better than last year (let me count the ways...no, better not!)

Gary's acoustic alchemy at the 12-Bar Club, London, 12/30/04 (photos hosted by flickr)

photos by John O'Donnell | Click on a photo to enlarge

Just back from London with Caroline, forgive the dilatory lag between blogs but in truth we were enjoying ourselves so much I didn't have time to post for awhile.
But I want to mention what a beautiful gig a hitherto-unknown-to-me UK fan named Peter Johnstone put on for me at the funky little 12-Bar Club in Denmark Street. Pete had emailed shortly before we were set to come over right before Christmas requesting the tuning and chords for "The Mad World", a track from my Edge of Heaven Chinese pop album that had been recently played by John Peel on his show shortly before Peel's untimely death. Normally I usually decline such requests with "a magician doesn't reveal his secrets"...but in the spirit of the season I wrote him back with the arrangement info, and he replied with an invitation to do this gig as he knew the club manager Andy. There was no time to get it listed in the papers over there--but thanks to Andy I did a Resonance radio interview and performance the night before with Kevin Head to promote the show on Thursday Dec. 30th...and lol, the next night came round and there was an absolutely packed house with actual Lucas fans among them, and I sprang onto the stage at 10pm and played like a maniac for 1 hour to the cheering throng who had assembled en masse in this two tiered music room that looked like the Black Hole of Calcutta (it was originally an old forge dating back to 1653)-- and aware of what musical history had been made there (I know heroes of mine like Bert Jansch have passed through its portals) I gave it my all, and then some, and the crowd gave it back, in spades. It was a tremendously satisfying night for me, a really really special once-in-a-lifetime gig, and I thank sound whiz extraordinaire John O'Donnell for snapping the photos that (hopefully) webmistress Tanya will put up here soon after I ply her with more British chocolate (John did the excellent soundmix for the new Magic Band live DVD which is just on sale online, check beefheart.com for more details).

Have to dash, more sooner than later...

xxGary