He's one of our greatest, most eccentric and best-loved contemporary artists - Canterbury painter Bill Hammond. And he's about to have an exhibition at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu named after his other great skill - Bill Hammond Playing the drums. But Simon Morris already knew that. He first saw Bill playing washboard with the legendary Sixties Christchurch jugband The Band of Hope, and later had the honour of playing with him for a month or so in a covers band in Lyttelton. Shortly afterwards Bill launched into his real job - creating exotic and wonderful art.  To track his long strange trip, Simon talked to Bill's long-time friend, photographer Laurence Aberhart.