Pauline's Gone Digital (for Pauline Boty), Derek Boshier, 2011. Diptych, 5' x 10'. Acrylic on canvas from the series Paris Texas, Paris France, Paris Hilton.

This month’s arts calendar in London is marked by a rare treat: From Doris To Chemical Cowboys, a talk by the great British artist Derek Boshier at Chelsea College Of Art’s lecture theatre on January 18.

Los Angeles-based Boshier will be discussing recent projects as well as providing insights into earlier achievements, including his part in the Pop Art explosion of the 60s and his Texas work of the 80s.

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Tags: 1973, Allen Jones, Chelsea College Of Art & Design, David Bowie, David Hockney, Hayward Gallery, Ken Russell, Lives, Lodger, Palisades, Pauline Boty, Peter Blake, Peter Phillips, Pop Goes The Easel, R.B. Kitaj, Ready Steady Go!, Reel, Royal College, The Clash

//TV crew sets up in the basement.//

Yesterday I was visited by a camera crew for an interview about the behind-the-scenes individuals who have made the difference to British popular music over the years.

The team, from Kobalt Productions in Berlin, are producing the documentary for Franco-German arts channel ARTE. The director is Simon Witter, who has a fine pedigree in journalism and broadcasting.

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Tags: Andrew Loog Oldham, ARTE, Blur, Boy George, Charles Shaar Murray, Colin Newman, David Bowie, Gered Mankowitz, Graham Coxon, Hapshash & The Coloured Coat, Heaven 17, Jill Furmanovsky, Jon Savage, Kevin Rowland, Kobalt Productions, Lloyd Johnson, Malcolm McLaren, Mark Powell, Martyn Ware, Miles Copeland, Paul Morley, Pennie Smith., Peter Blake, Simon Napier-Bell, Simon Reynolds, Simon Witter, Storm Thorgerson, Wire

Johnson & Johnson jacket and shirt, 1973.

These images are from the private view for The Lightbox gallery’s exhibition Snap Crackle & Pop (about British pop art and it’s influence on culture); I contributed exhibits and advice after being approached by BBC TV’s Katherine Higgins (who sure knows her stuff).

This excellent show was opened on Friday by Peter Blake. Among the attendees were John and Molly Dove, Lloyd Johnson, Mike Ross of Ritva and Paul Weller (the subject of the gallery’s current companion exhibition of photographs by Lawrence Watson).

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Tags: 1979, Chelsea Space, Derek Boshier, Hayward Gallery, John and Molly Dove, Katherine Higgins, Keith Wainwright, Lightbox Gallery, Lives, Lloyd Johnson, Michael Regan, Mike Ross, Paul Weller, Peter Blake, Ritva, Woking

Ian Dury sent this letter to Roberta Bayley in May 1977.

As the late songsmith’s biographer Will Birch explains here, Dury was just a few months away from achieving nationwide fame.

Tags: Davey Payne, Denise Roudette, Humphrey Ocean, Ian Dury, Peter Blake, Roberta Bayley, Stiff Records, Vic Sweeney, Will Birch, Wreckless Eric