This set of objects nicely arranged here by…

This set of objects, nicely arranged here by clever artists in a faux Paolozzi/Barney head and shoulders set-up, remeniscent of Oz 12, was given to me by Barney in 1971, when I was preparing to travel to the West country, and the Scilly Isles, dispersing my collectables for something lighter. They were in exchange for the two type books I gave him, one with the Chicago signwriter’s ‘Chinese’ type face that he used on Poppa MMM Mao Mao, the other for the decorative borders he used on another record cover (I say, RandM, what was name?). Later when preparing to leave for Mill Valley CA in 1972/3 or maybe later on a visit, I also gave Barney the wallpaper pattern catalogs he used for the famous Ian Dury covers in answer to a specific request. This may have been in 1974. “(H)’ey, you still got those Sanderson wallpaper catalogues your Auntie Whatsit gave you? I could use ’em, got an idea to use ’em .”

Addendum: I now think these were just some of the many cool things in the Big Box I got offa Barney in May 1983. One piece was his membership card to the club, at the Station Hotel, the club we frequented, and where Keith Richards opens the first paragraph in his really insightful bio.

The record at top is a pirate recording of the Rolling Stones from, I think, around 1962, although I expect the actual disc was made later, the Beatles cards he collected in about 1967.

Quite normal theatre.

In May 1983, Barney tells me that his parents had seen a picture of himself that you can see, uncaptioned apart from a date, in gorham’s book, Reasons to Be Cheerful, on page 136, where Barney has set up a picture, hands outstretched, as though he was hanging himself from the lamp. Barney says this was used as proof one time that “I was nuts.” Barney went on to say, “I don’t know why they chose that to show the shrink, I think it’s quite normal theatre, don’t you? I can think of a few things I’ve done to show being more weird than that, right?” The picture may be older than the 1980 it’s credited as in the gorham book, but considering the veracity its source that’s probably a correct date.