Last Friday I dived over the water to the Big City to see an exhibition of photographs taken in the early 80s by a dear friend of mine, and staged at The National Conservation Centre in Liverpool.

The photographer is an Italian fella by the name of Francesco Mellina.

He used to manage a band I was in (Hambi and the Dance) and also Dead or Alive, who treated him very shabbily after they got their first hit away.

Anyway.

His exhibition features pictures of bands and fans from the Eric's Club days and is truly astonishing.

I'd not seen him for the best part of 25 years. We'd not fallen out or anything, just drifted the way you do.

It was amazing to catch up after such a ridiculously long time.

And it's a cliche, but, after his press officer had disappeared and we were left to chat, it was just like the years faded away and we were right back in the day.

His show is incredible. Such wonderful pictures, such memories, such times, such clothes, such haircuts.

If you get a chance, try to pop along and wallow in the hedonism and innocence of the k-k-krazy days of Liverpool life and pop culture before the corporate money men came along and ruined it all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/image_galleries/erics_music_gallery.shtml