Mount Rushmore

"Go ahead, Punk! Make my day!"

Excelsior Out!

A Capital idea!

Another in the series "Scenes we'd like to see". I'm a big fan of Capital Radio's  Breakfast show, hosted by Johnny Vaughn and Lisa Snowdon, I did this as a little nod to them both. Plus Lisa has one of the sexiest voices on the planet so I had to get this image out of my system!!

Excelsior Out!

Where the mind is without fear.

One of the greatest poems ever written. 

I heard Martin Sheen read it on "Inside the Actors Studio" and it blew my mind. 

Nourishment for the spirit, replenishment for the soul.

Excelsior Out!

England's dreams of passion...thwarted!

An image created in hope rather than expectation. Another campaign of thwarted dreams and stunted ambitions...here's to 2014!

Excelsior Out!

Hail, hail, rock and roll.....

And as a companion piece to Jimi....here's Chuck!

Excelsior Out!

Stand up next to a mountain....

Here's an early piece, in honour of the late, great Jimi Hendrix. 

A guitarist without equal, the coolest of the cool...a REAL ROCKSTAR!!

Excelsior Out!

Raising Hell!

Above is a caricature of four of my favourite hellraisers. Imagine sharing an "Early Doors" session with this lot....WOW! 

Today O'Toole is the only one left standing. I met him once at a charity cricket match, just a handshake and an autograph but I'll treasure it forever.

I can heartily recommend Robert Sellers book "Hellraisers" on the subject. It's a splendid assembly of the exploits of these magnificent rakes....and what exploits they were! 

Burton, Harris and Reed may be gone...but never forgotten. I hope the near future brings O'Toole a knighthood... although I suspect he'd turn it down, citing his "Irishness" as mitigating circumstances.

Excelsior Out!  

Update: The legend that is Peter O'Toole passed away December 14th 2013. He was many things actor, raconteur, author, wit, drinker...genius; and in all of those guises he dwarfed real life completely. In "My Favourite Year" he screamed "I'm not an actor I'm a movies star!"...he was both; perhaps the last great one. He could break your heart and break you up...sometimes within the same moment. To meet him was to love him...I did, and I did; Heaven's Green Room just got a little rowdier.

RIP T.E. Lawrence, Alan Swan, Eli Cross...to name but a few.

Excelsior...