Govinda Gallery

Donovan seems to be everywhere at the moment. Sky TV’s engaging new series Britannia is using Donovan’s “celtic rock” song, Hurdy Gurdy Man, as its musical theme for the series this year. Jimmy Page played the amazing guitar licks on Hurdy Gurdy Man. Here is the trailer for Britannia, with Donovan’s song. I’m psyched to see Britannia streaming on Amazon this week.

The February issue of Mojo magazine’s cover story is on The Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary of the album Their Satanic Majesties Request. In a sidebar in that cover story, Donovan tells the story of Detective Sergeant Norman Pilcher setting Donovan up, along with having set up George Harrison, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Brian Jones and Mick Jagger, among others, for fake cannabis busts. Donovan was the first victim of Pilcher. “He was collecting busts–and he was collecting headlines,” said Donovan. Pilcher was eventually exposed and put on trial at the Old Bailey, and was convicted of perjury and sentenced to four years.

This past weekend, Donovan was in Glasgow, where he was born, supporting The Ayrshire Rivers Trust to save The River Doon. Donovan put Robert Burns’ poem, The Banks o’ Doon, to a melody and recorded it. He performed at the Milngavie Folk Club to raise funds. The River Doon is in danger, as Scottish Power wants to divert water from the River Doon. The concerts and the recording are to raise funds for The Ayrshire Rivers Trust. The CD is available at donovan.ie.

Last week, The Fairy Tales of Herman Hesse, read by Donovan, was released for the first time on CD. Donovan is a true poet of rock & roll.

The other night I was watching Grace & Frankie on Netflix. It was a kick seeing actors Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston talking about the “folk music cruise” they were going to take, and Sam Waterston saying, “We can’t miss Donovan and Joan Baez.”

Govinda Gallery has been pleased to represent the genius musical artist Donovan’s Sapphographs and has organized several exhibitions of these amazing works on paper.