BRIGHTON, England, Aug. 6 -- The Prankter's arrival on a sunny and extraordinarily hot day for this seaside town drew throngs of onlookers and produced the usual psychedelic chaos. A few hundred fans came to marvel at the magic bus Further and seemed surprised to see it actually on the road in England. "I've read about this bus and imagined it all my life, and to see it here is truly remarkable," said one woman clearly Kesey star-struck. "You drove all the way from Oregon?" questioned some confused locals. "Getting across the ocean was the hardest part," quipped a Merry Prankster.

Onlookers get their first glimpse of the Further bus as it pulls up to the "Peace Statue" on the shore at Brighton Beach. The statue was erected by the towsnfolk in 1910.

Ken Kesey signs books and autographs on the steps of the peace statue. Many psychedelic fans brought copies of novels written by Kesey for him to sign including "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Sometimes a Great Notion," "Sailor Song," "The Further Inquiry," and "Last Go Round" Some people brought copies of the sixties cult novel "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test," the official Merry Prankster biography, written by Tom Wolfe. To the surprise of fans, Kesey often signs these books "Tom Wolfe."

A local woman rejuvinates the hipppie spirit with her young daughter. The Prankster's arrival into Brighton definitely ignited a spark in these sleepy beach town. Judging by the facial expressions of some of the town's older regulars, they had never seen the likes of a multi-colored magic bus.

Intrepid Trips webmaster "Are We Really?" looks out the bus and talks to the crowd via the Further bus audio system. The Merry Pranksters have been advancing the state of sound performance art since the 60s. The bus is wired with several plugins for microphones and headsets which are mixed together with music and other sound effects and broadcast over loudspeakers as well as over the radio airwaves. While travelling within 2-3 miles of the bus, Prankter audio can be heard over 105.7 FM. Kesey calls it "K-BUZ live radio."

For more of the tour, click the right arrow. To go back click left.


Reported by HAZARDOUS MEDIA
All photos (c)opyright 1999, Hazardous Media.