John Head, who, with his brother, Mick, were founder members of Shack, were "deeply shocked" by the news of Lee's death: "I knew he was ill and it was pretty serious but I had that feeling that he would pull through - the last time I spoke to his manager, the indications were that he was recovering," said Mr Head.
Fourteen years ago, the band were introduced in Paris after they were recommended as a backing band by a friend to Lee who had been playing solo acoustic sets on the Continent.
"We were big fans of his and I think he was really up for how we knew all of his stuff and that we knew what were doing," said the guitarist singer songwriter from Kensington, who, with the rest of the band, have just released the album At The Corner of Miles and
Gil to mass critical acclaim. The follow-up performance in Liverpool at the now defunct Academy club, on the corner of Wolstenholme Square, was similarly received by the music press.
"I can remember the atmosphere of the crowd that night - if you could bottle it, there would be no such thing as an energy crisis. It was beautiful," said John. "He had a great affinity
with Liverpool. When Mick first took him around the city to get some fish and chips and the like, Arthur turned to him and just said it's great to be home."
Lee, who has regularly visited to "hang out" with Shack in the years since, recently played sell-out gigs at the Summer Pops in 2004 and the Carling Academy last year.
There were even plans that Shack and their hero would get together to make a studio album.
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