UNITED KINGDOM: FORMER MUSICIAN GEORGE UNDERWOOD HAS MAJOR ART EXHIBITION IN LONDON GALLERY

Record ID: 387803

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: FORMER MUSICIAN GEORGE UNDERWOOD HAS MAJOR ART EXHIBITION IN LONDON GALLERY
  • Date: 1st October 1998
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND (OCTOBER 1, 1998) (RTV ACCESS ALL) EXTERIOR SHOTS OF THE KDK GALLERY, NOTTING HILL GEORGE UNDERWOOD CHATTING AT PRIVATE VIEWING OF HIS SHOW VARIOUS UNDERWOOD SELECTION OF UNDERWOOD'S WORK INCLUDING PORTRAITS OF FREDDIE MERCURY , JIMI HENDRIX , ELVIS COSTELLO AND DAVID BOWIE UNDERWOOD STANDING UNDER PAINTING OF DAVID BOWIE, (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) SAY
  • Embargoed: 16th October 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts
  • Reuters ID: LVA1WWLN48REPLX1LN0FO3DPQGJ5
  • Story Text: George Underwood is less famous for his brushstrokes than his righthook.But now the former musician, who achieved notoriety by causing pop singer David Bowie's dilated pupil, is trying to change all that.On Friday (0ctober 02) in his first major exhibition, Underwood is putting a small collection of his paintings on display.
    George Underwood has spent most of his life in the midst of music.So it's fitting that the former-musician-now-artist has decided to meld his two worlds into one, by exhibiting his paintings of famous pop celebrities in a small gallery in London's Notting Hill.
    Underwood is best known for his association with David Bowie.The chameleon rock star nearly lost his left eye in a fight with his schoolmate Underwood.The pupil is permanently dilated and gave Bowie his trademark alien look.
    Despite the fracas, Underwood and Bowie, then known as David Jones, remained friends.The two formed 'The King Bees' and went on to produce one record together.Underwood then turned his back on his hard living rock 'n' roll champagne lifestyle.Instead he pursued a career in art -- afraid that if he remained in the music business he'd become one of its many casualties.
    Underwood's show features some of the stars, who suffered at the hands of the industry.Stars such as Freddy Mercury former lead singer of 'Queen', who died from the AIDS virus on November 24, 1991.And Biker rocker Vince Taylor, one of the first video stars, who died in the same year after hitting rock bottom.
    The exhibition, Underwood says, is a chance for him to exorcise his demons and break away from his showbiz past.
    But Underwood still has fond memories of those times and the influences his friends have had on the world of pop.
    But one aspect of the business that Underwood hasn't quite managed to break free from is rock star prices.
    Prices for his work ranges from five-thousand five hundred pounds for a portrait of Mick Jagger to two hundred and fifty pounds for an oil painting of a nose.
    All his work is painted from photographs, as Underwood has lost touch with many of his old drinking chums.And none of the stars were out for Thursday night's private viewing.
    The KDK gallery, which is housing 26 of Underwood's paintings, is open to the public from Friday November 2, 1998 for the next six weeks.
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