COBDEN CLUB, LONDON

The occasion of the 'reunion' gig of Van der Graaf Generator at the Royal Festival Hall, London on 06/05/2005, gave some friends of mine, Seán Kelly, Alan Hutchinson, David Scoffield and Peter Ostrowski, the idea of promoting a lunchtime Judge concert. This would take advantage of the hoards of VdGG fans who would be in town, and who might actually have heard of me. It would also act as an album launch for 'The Full English'. These friends, God bless'em, did a magnificent job. The venue, the historic and atmospheric Cobden Club in West London, was perfect; there was a splendid printed program; the band and I were treated like kings, and I was even put up in a posh London hotel the night before. My band consisted of John Ellis, Michael Ward-Bergeman, and René Van Commenée, the Dutch percussionist, who had travelled to the UK to do the gig. They did me proud and, best of all, the place was packed. I think the show was pretty good, and I think we rocked in places. The whole episode is a very happy memory for me.

Photographer: Sylvie Hamon