Arthur Brown: Give Him a Flower

Before Arthur Brown released Fire, he released a single called Devil's Grip on Me. And this was on the B-side.

Give Him a Flower is a mixture of groovy Hammond organ, Kevin Ayres vocals and an early David Bowie novelty record.

An interview with Psychedelic Baby! reveals that Brown fits my ideal profile of a Sixties musician: he had a father who played jazz and he sang as a boy.

It also reveals that he was one of the first graduates on the scene - before then the expectation was that you would put away childish things like "pop music" when you went to university.

There's more about Brown's career in a Classic Rock interview from earlier this year.

When I saw Arthur Brown at the Harborough Theatre ten years ago, his show was all about looking back at his life and career:

Finding himself treated as a guru by some because of the themes of his songs, he felt a fraud and has dedicated his life since to seeking enlightenment.

And tonight the way brought him to Market Harborough.

But, wonderfully, despite occasionally setting himself alight with the flaming headdress he wears when he sings Fire, Arthur Brown is still with us and still touring as The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the age of 82. 

Catch him in York, Milton Keynes or Bromsgrove next month. He was one of the pioneers of combining rock with elements of theatre, circus and other arts, and we should cherish him.