An old friend of Brain Damage, Brian Wernham, has put a painting by Syd Barrett up for auction in a sale being held at Cheffins in Cambridge, on February 24th. Cheffins were the auction house which dealt with the sale of Barrett's belongings following his death in 2006, on behalf of the Barrett family.

The painting has been identified as a representation of the megaliths at West Kennet. Syd was very keen on megaliths, and his keen eye for colour is demonstrated in this very rare piece of late art. He burnt most of his final artwork, gaining satisfaction mainly from the process, and then unfortunately discarding most of the resulting art on his bonfire.

The painting was professionally framed by Trumpington Galleries in Cambridge, with UV resistant glass to ensure the colours will remain rich. It is watercolour and gouache, mounted on blue sugar paper and measures 30cm x 42cm. It is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Rosemary Barrett (Syd's sister). Brian told us: "It really is a beautiful piece and beautifully framed. I hope it goes to a good home."

The painting is lot 284 in the The Art & Design Sale to be held on February 24th at Cheffins. The estimate is a (surprisingly low) £3,000 - £5,000. A previous work by Syd valued in that range sold last May for £28,270, so we suspect a similar figure for this one; his paintings rarely become available and surely over time opportunities will become fewer.

All of us here at Brain Damage offer our very best wishes to Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, who celebrates the very special occasion of his birthday today (January 27th). We all hope you are going to have a great day, Nick!

The cornerstone of the band, he had his first drum kit at the tender age of 13. A member of Pink Floyd since the earliest iterations, he is the only one to have appeared on every one of their albums. Thanks to his late father Bill, he has been a "petrol head" from a young boy, and cars have been - and remain - one of his major passions in life. His most recent book, Passion for Speed, is worth checking out, as is the DVD of the same name focusing on his Ferrari Enzo car (with Nick heavily involved). Of course, for those who haven't read it, Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd is an absolute essential read, and available in a variety of editions: hardback, softback (paperback) and an audiobook, which is read by Nick himself...

Nick has contributed to a number of magazines on motoring issues over the years (including a fascinating monthly column in Octane Magazine), and also became president of the Guild of Motoring Writers. He is a trustee of the Beaulieu National Motor Museum, and a life member and Guardian of the BRDC (British Racing Drivers Club). He has been involved in motor racing since the early 1970s and has entered Le Mans five times.

Musically, of course, the big news over the last few years was the launch of his new band, Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets. The four initial, small gigs in May 2018 held in London lead to a very successful and critically acclaimed European tour in September. This was followed, of course, in 2019 with dates in the US, Canada, and more dates in the UK and Europe. 2020 saw the release of the superb London Roundhouse concert film on audio and video formats, and was due to see the band play more shows. Sadly, the pandemic put the halt on any such plans for 2020, and 2021.

The January/February 2022 tour of the US and Canada has also been postponed, and fingers are firmly crossed that these dates are rescheduled for later in the year, and that the upcoming UK and European dates - due to start in mid-April - go ahead as planned.

Many happy returns, Nick, and see you on the road!

For the 2018 Record Store Day, one of the more popular and sought after releases was a new mono edition of Pink Floyd's The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, the band's superb 1967 debut album. The mono mix on the album was remastered in 2017 from the original mono analogue tapes by James Guthrie, Joel Plante and Bernie Grundman.

For those who missed out on this one-day-only release (which came with a Pink Floyd Records catalogue number of PFRLP26), there's some great news.

This excellent sounding mix is coming on heavyweight 180 gram vinyl, on March 4th 2022. It comes without the additional outer sleeve and poster that the Record Store Day edition came with, instead appearing in the classic cover (with a removable sticker), as per the picture shown here. The record labels mimic the original black and gold Columbia records labels.

It has a catalogue number of PFRLP38, for those who are keeping track of all those - and we know a few people who are doing just that!

ORDERING LINKS: Not all these are fully live yet but please keep trying if your chosen store doesn't have it available yet. All purchases made after using one of our links make a small but vital contribution toward the site running costs, and we really appreciate it!

As an alternative you can also order the new edition of this classic album from the UK based HMV store which may be a preferred option for you.

The new issue of the UK's Mojo Magazine (cover date March 2022, issue number 340) includes a feature - "Echoes Then And Now" - focused on Pink Floyd's masterpiece.

In their preview of the issue, Mojo notes that "fifty years since he helped write the song that lit Floyd’s future path, Nick Mason is taking Echoes on the road. But will Roger Waters join him this time?" Their feature promises an in-depth look at the piece, and knowing how Mojo's articles are normally written, it should be a detailed and accurate feature on Echoes.

Elsewhere in the magazine, amongst a wide range of other things, and subject of the cover photo, there's a piece in honour of the recently departed Michael Nesmith of the Monkees – and with the help of an exclusive new Micky Dolenz interview, they celebrate the group once dubbed the Prefab Four and explore the insanity of their 60s rise and fall. Also in the issue is Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder (with a tribute from his friend, Pete Townshend), a look at Al Green's anthemic Let’s Stay Together, also celebrating its 50th, a Mick Rock feature, Dusty Springfield, Van Der Graaf Generator, and much more.

UPDATE: The feature runs for 11 pages and is a fascinating look back at the genesis of Echoes, fuelled by the memories of Nick Mason and John Leckie, and also includes a look at the recent Saucerful Of Secrets tour rehearsals, revealing more songs that have been plucked from the Floyd back catalogue to perform live once Covid allows! There's also a look at the ill-fated Household Objects project, and some background to the day that Roger Waters joined the Saucers on stage in New York City.

Always a great read, the magazine is due to arrive in UK stores around now, and will be available in selected locations worldwide as an import, in due course. Alternatively, you can order (worldwide) online through the GreatMagazines website which is owned and run by the publishers of Mojo.