Arthur Brown, the crazy man of Sixties rock'n'roll, lives a genteel life in Lewes these days - but now he's finding notoriety of a different kind.

Known to ageing pop fans as The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, he set the pop world alight - not to mention his own headgear - with the psychedelic hit Fire.

He wore bizarre stage outfits and make-up long before Alice Cooper and the glam rock brigade.

Those days may be gone, but Arthur Wilton Brown has found new notoriety as the subject matter of a painting by Lewes artist Julian Bell.

Julian is a descendent of the Bloomsbury set - the grandson of Vanessa Bell, Virginia Woolf's sister.

Five years ago, Julian bumped into Arthur at a party - they're near-neighbours - and decided one day he would paint him.

Julian, 49, said: "I like the way some people make a completely distinctive space around them when they walk down the street. Arthur was one of those people.

"I thought even mighty Titans of rock myth need a bit of wonga in their pocket now and again so I decided to ask him to pose for me."

The work began one day last summer. Arthur, along with four other Lewes residents, now features in a painting called Cash, on show at the Francis Kyle Gallery in Mayfair, London.

The picture depicts a queue of people waiting to use a cash machine outside a supermarket.

Julian said: "It was odd but it was right. Cash is fundamental and someone who gives a strong spiritual force to the picture is fundamental too, and that's what Arthur did."

For a man still filled with boyish enthusiasm at 59, holding a pose for hours on end was a new challenge for Arthur.

He said: "I didn't have to pose for too long - just several aeons. He bribed me with nice things to drink and we had some great conversations."

Julian chipped in: "And in return, I got a free recital of Arthur's repertoire, from Carl Perkins and Shenandoah to children's songs and choral stuff. It was absolutely fabulous - he has a voice range of four octaves."

The painting was unveiled to all the participants late last summer.

Julian and Arthur are now firm friends and rejoice in the attractions and eccentricities of their town. For them, the centre of the universe is the Unicorn Bookshop, where "all life is to be found".

Arthur still performs and will be playing the Isle of Wight and Canterbury festivals, as well as touring with The Pretty Things in September.

He is also planning a retrospective CD and is working on a project about Arthurian legend.

Unlike some stars who are saddled with the "one hit wonder" tag, he still loves to perform Fire and enjoys it when boys from Lewes Grammar School sing it back to him when they see him in the street.

Fire, which is full of mythical imagery, was chosen as a single by the record company.

Arthur explains: "I think they thought it would give me a heavy, dark image. The next thing I knew I was a satanic devil worshipper. In reality I drank tea and ate ginger biscuits."

Arthur was born in Whitby. He arrived in Lewes six years ago after leaving Texas.

He looked up some old friends and found himself drawn into Lewes life. He said: "Lewes is a magical place."

Arthur has retained the "crazy" tag but says it is in name only.

He added: "The world is a pretty crazy place now. I'm pretty normal. The things people do on the streets now are a lot worse than the things I did on stage.

"Now the only crazy thing about me is that I am ordinary."