Interview With David Paul Seymour

December 10, 2014 by Tim Granda

Years ago I witnessed the work of artist David Paul Seymour for the very first time. It blew my fucking mind! Big chunks of gooey brain matter mixed with splintered skull fragments slammed the walls around me, when suddenly a gorgeous warrior princess draped in the pilfered cloth of a god walked in, casually motioning to her wolves that it was time to feed. As my spirit hovered over my body, preparing to depart for another reality, the floor split open and out leaped a bearded sage riding a huge monstrous snake. He held aloft an eery orb filled with a dark purple mist which he placed delicately into my skull before stitching me back up. The experience was god-damned freaky, as you can imagine.

But it didn’t end there.

We all traveled together for what seemed like years, until we reached a seriously ominous castle that was carved into the jagged rock of the towering mountain it sat upon. The sage and the princess whispered something about finally reaching the realm called “Miikropolis”, or “Minneapolis” (it was hard to hear). As we approached the castle, we noticed it was engulfed in a swirling black fog and protected by an army of snarling savage beasts. The thick vines that covered the door parted as we drew near, allowing us to continue on inside into a grand throne room, where, after a lengthy walk, we stood at the feet of David Paul Seymour himself!

High atop many crumbling stone steps sat a throne within a huge green skull, and behind it hung the wings of a bird that must have been 40′ tall. David’s beard extended all the way down the steps, and it was tended to by some of the most beautiful women I have ever seen (they were freakin’ HOT). David’s eyes were shock white, his head crowned in thorns, and his robe was colored in a shifting pattern of deep orange and red. As he stared down at us, a slight smirk appeared on his face. Suddenly, he stood! He swung his mighty sword in our direction, and the banners that hung throughout the hall became engulfed in flames! “SPEAK!” he bellowed, with a voice that shook the room and squeezed your soul.

And here’s how that conversation went…

Hey David! I’ve heard that prior to being one of the most sought after artists in the metal/indie-rock scene, you spent a good portion of your life as an architect. What led to such a big shift in the type of work you were doing?

Actually, I was and still am a draftsman. Not actually an architect. Essentially I work 2 full-time jobs right now. I go to work every day to a job that I genuinely dislike at this point and I draw art for bands (mostly) for the other half of the day. Almost every day I draw or sketch for my bands. I generally don’t take any days off with the DPS stuff. I started drafting right out of high school and I honestly can’t really complain to much. It’s been very, very kind to me and my family as far as paying the bills. But I’ve worked my ass to the bone over the last 2 years grooming to get myself where I’m at, and I’ve literally managed to make the DPS stuff equal what I make as a draftsman. The good news is, after the kind of year I just had, I am actually putting plans in place to leave the “dayjob” in 2015.

That’s awesome! Do you have any advice for aspiring artists, or for people looking to make a break from the 9 to 5 to pursue their dreams?

Yes. Work your fucking ass off. There are no shortcuts in anything in life and rarely does anything just fall in your lap. I learned that pretty quick. If you want to get somewhere – wherever that is – bust your ass till you get there. I love to draw but there’s plenty of times when I wanted to take a night off or go to bed early but I pushed through that shit. I’ve sacrificed going to concerts, going out with friends, watching tv, dicking around for the results of a bigger goal. The only thing I never sacrifice is time with family. My studio is just off of the living room so even when I’m drawing I’m actively hanging out with them. Also, while it’s the right thing to do to continually push yourself to get better and better, but once you find what works, get better by honing that. Don’t go fucking around with other hit. Stay the course. I made the mistake years ago of trying to draw, spraypaint walls, make stickers, screenprint… You know, do freaking everything under the sun. Jack of all trades, master of none. Once I saw the value of doing just one thing well, I kept at that. And I kept peeling it back to the simplist niches I could. If you look at what I do day-to-day, you will see while each piece is different, my operations are exactly the same. That’s why I am where I am. Simplicity. I’ve made myself into a go-to guy in a small, tight-knit community. And it’s a community I love. That’s the other thing. Be part of something you genuinely love. Don’t fake your way into anything. If you don’t love what you do and who you do it for, everyone will smell you out pretty quick. Like a fart in a locked car. The final thing is, treat your clients right. One of the things I’m also known for is my “customer service”. I have so many clients come back and back again to me, and it’s not just for my drawing ability. It’s cause they know I’m professional and they know they can count on me to deliver with a smile.

So where did you grow up, and when did you realize this art thing was pretty cool? You weren’t one of those kids that drew all over the walls, were ya?

I was born and raised in Biloxi, MS. I moved my family to Minneapolis in 2002. I am literally freaking out right now cause I just realized I’ve been here for 12 years. Holy shit! Where did all that time go?!? Lol. So, funny you ask, cause YES indeed I was the kid who drew all over the walls. And the lampshades and my clothes. I started drawing when I could hold a pencil. For real. My parents never needed a babysitter. They literally could take me with them to some friends house and set me up with a stack of blank paper and one ballpoint pen and you’d never know my ass was there. For somebody who struggled with the most intense ADD you could imaging (still do), if you gave me something to draw or a good record and headphones, I could just go into another world literally for hours at a shot. When I hit my teens, I discovered punk rock and skateboarding, and like many other kids my age that I could play music in addition to just listening to it. I became hyper-active in my scene, being a part of the music and skateboarding community. Not just playing and skating, but helping to promote shows and events through drawing flyers and tape covers, etc. I think that’s what I love so much about the Stoner Rock/Doom scene I’m a part of now – it has that exact same DIY ethic and spirit and also sense of strong community as back in the punk days. And that’s saying a lot ’cause thanks to the interwebs, this community is spread out over the whole world. It’s an awesome time.

As a kid, were there any artists that just knocked you out?

Ando Hiroshige is still my favorite all-time artist, but that’s a whole other league no one else can be in. Since my teens, my favorite artists have been Pushead, Jim Philips, Frank Frazetta, Brian Bolland, Todd McFarlane (mostly his Spider-Man era) and Raymon Pettibon. The DNA of everything I do is literally contained in the work of those six dudes.

Is it true that you were in a punk band years ago? What can you tell me about it?

A hundred years ago, I was in several punk rock bands. The most notable was a band called Revision A. That band lasted for a total of about 5 years off and on. We put out a few tapes, one cd and did one roadtrip tour in addition to playing almost every weekend somewhere in our hometown area. Clearly, that band or any of the others I was in ever made it anywhere notable but this was a time when there wasn’t any internet to speak of (we didn’t even have computers in those bands) let alone smart phones, Twitter, Facebook, etc. So what we did accomplish in those days was pretty fucking unbelievable. We mostly played 40 person bars and VFW halls and shit like that. Dudes my age will know exactly what I’m talking about. While nothing came of those bands, I can tell you that had I not been a part of all that, I wouldn’t be where I am today. That work ethic of DIY (TRUE DIY) is why I am who I am.

You must smile like a Cheshire when you look back on the bands you’ve created work for. Clutch, Agnostic Front, The Sword, Red Fang, Graveyard, Earthless, Kadavar, Wo Fat, Truckfighters… dude, what a line-up! Was there a project that you’re particularly proud of, or one that had you pounding the walls?

Oh dude, you have NO IDEA! If today me could travel back in time and tell teenage me who I’d be drawing work for and who I’ve gotten to hang out and have beers with, I’d shit my diaper for sure. I’m genuinely proud of everything I do. Obviously, I get more stoked over doing stuff for a “famous” band, but I’ve built my reputation on doing the same level of work for the garage band as the famous one. I make a point to listen to the music of every band while I draw their project and they are all good. Good music is good music, regardless of stature. And today’s garage band is tomorrow’s potential Metallica. They all start somewhere.

Trashed hotel rooms, sports cars in the pool, drug-fueled orgies… that’s the life of an in-demand album cover artist, right? RIGHT?

Haha. Suuuuuurrreeeeee. As I said before, I have a family to feed and I’ve sacrificed any kind of social life to get where I’m at. That won’t have to be my existence forever, but it was key in building what I have. I AM looking forward to replacing my POS car I’ve had for 11 years with a new pickup truck. How’s that for rockstar? Huh? Huh?

You’ve also created a lot of rad work with Zac over at Heavy Clothing. How did that relationship come about?

I have such a horrible short-term memory. Ask him. Lol. I have no idea. Knowing me and him, one of us probably just reached out to the other and said “Want to do a shirt?” Zac is definitely one of my longest-standing and most prolific client. I think some of that friendship is we are both Southerner transplants to Minnesota. Something there in the blood I suppose. And he is the most chill and respectful client I could ever ask for.

In addition to your stuff with Heavy, you’ve also drawn some rad bikes for Red Desert.

Yea, Red Desert is a kickass legendary local Stoner band here in Minneapolis. I’ve only done two shirts for them, and only one shirt had a biker culture image to it; so it’s funny how iconic that one shirt has become. It’s become for me I think what the screaming hand became for Jim Phillips. It was one graphic among hundreds but it’s the one people talk about so much. Pretty funny. But I will take it. I can’t imagine anything worse than making a career out of art and never having at least one image that stands out in everyone’s minds.

Are there any artists out there today that you’re really digging?

This is going to sound really shitty and stuff, I hope no one takes it the wrong way. I am horrible at following the work of other artists. Especially in the community I’m in. Part of that is protecting what I’ve built, part of it is a safeguard against me unintentionally biting somebody else’s shit. I just try REALLY hard NOT to look at other artist’s stuff or even becoming too friendly with them. I’ve had really, really bad experiences being friends with other artists. That shit always ends poorly. At least for me. I went out of my way years ago to cultivate a scene, build art shows and collectives around helping and empowering other artists in my community and I was ultimately met with backstabbing and name calling and shit going on behind my back that broke my heart. That’s why I don’t help other artists, I don’t make friends with or hang out with them or go out of my way to encourage them or anything. Again, I know that sounds shitty but that’s where I’m at. No one knows my story or how many times I had my back and my heart stabbed so I don’t rightly care what anyone thinks about my attitude there. It’s my business. I also notice there only seems to be a handful of artists out there working along side me who seem genuine and seem to match my ethic. You can tell when someone has that fire in their belly. That goes further with me that just talent alone. That being said, I love and admire the work of leather artisan Pascal Davyat, tattoo artist Forrest Cavacco, and illustrator Gorgeous George. I love what they do and have the ultimate respect because they’re the real fucking deal. And I’m proud to count them as friends.

Can you give us any hints about what you’re working on next? Any upcoming shows or products that we should keep our eyes peeled for?

2015 has some really cool stuff coming that I’ve either done and haven’t been able to show yet or haven’t started drawing yet at all. I’ve got some sweet stuff waiting to drop that I’ve done for Gas Monkey in Dallas, TX; Volume 4; Earthless; a killer collaboration with Pascal and Forrest; the Burial Beer artwork I’ve done for them will start canning and selling in early 2015; and of course the album cover art for the Jimi Hendrix “Electric Ladyland” tribute record. I’ve also signed on to do some cool stuff with Nuclear Blast Europe to do some art for some of their killer bands. Lots of cool shit. And that’s only the stuff I can even talk about! I am also doing a solo retrospective art show at Nihil Gallery in Brooklyn, NY (UNinvited Festival) in April. It will feature 2 years worth of my original sketches and inkings for all the band work that I’ve done.

I always close out an interview with the following question ’cause you never know what you’re gonna get: If you could travel through time, where would you go?

I would travel back to the day before my little brother died and spend the entire day with him. I’d tell him I love him one more time and he and I would have a pretty epic fucking day.

Wow, that would be an awesome day! That’s without a doubt the best answer I’ve heard to that question so far. Thanks again for the opportunity to speak with you for Doom Cycle, it’s been a blast, and I’m sure everyone who’s reading this is as stoked as I am to get a peek into the man behind so many fantastic works of art. All the best to you, David, and I’ll be looking forward to having my mind blown by your work for many years to come.

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Art by David Paul Seymour

Interview With Mike Mastrangelo

June 13, 2014 by Tim Granda

Mastrangelo is a punk. A low down, dirty punk… and I mean that endearingly. His work is fast and loose, like a guitar riff hammered out by a beer soaked Steve Jones dodging bottles at the 100 Club. It’s real, and from the heart. Full of swagger and purpose. Mastrangelo is that tease that keeps you crawling back for more.

He has an uncanny knack for the “hook”, which I can best describe as the ability to produce an image that instantly becomes etched in your brain. Check out the Manson piece below that he drew for Heavy, and then honestly tell me it isn’t one of the most iconic images in the scene today. Read the fuck on, foolish mortals. This film is about to begin.

Mastrangelo’s work lives on the edge, and by that I don’t mean some bullshit marketing description to signify that something is outrageous. By “edge” I mean that line where if you fall off one side you achieve utter brilliance, but on the other it’s nothing but limb-strewn carnage and chaos. Think of it like this: you’re coming in hot on a turn, when suddenly you catch the rear in some loose gravel. You’re either going in the fucking ditch, or you’re straightening her out and leaving a hot testament of rubber snaking across that old country road. Fuck yea! Living through those moments are what life’s all about, and inevitably those moments become the stories that define us. The stories we pass on to those who matter.

That’s the “edge” where Mastrangelo lives. The place where time stands still. The place between the frames of a camera. That place on the country road where your headlight reveals past conquests laid out in rubber.

Grab hold, we are about to begin…

Hey Mike! Can you tell our readers where you’re based?

I’m London based, and have been for all my 50 years on this planet.

Where about did you grow up?

I was raised in a little town just outside of main London Town… a very interesting place… a little place called Thornton Heath. It was the hangout in the ’70s for one of the first unofficial UK bike chapters: The Nightingales, who as a kid I used to walk past. Seeing these greasy bikers and their shinny machines had me jumping up and down! They looked dangerous. I ended up working with one of the members many years later and was told the odd story or two. Some of these guys were old English rockers from the ’60s.

Who were some of the artists you were digging back then?

As a kid, I was heavily influenced by American comics: old Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Hulk, you know, the old DC and Marvel stuff. BUT the stuff in those comics that I loved were the ads for life-size Frankenstein’s, Magic Horses, ha ha. I also loved Aurora model kits and one day can across some old Roth model kits in a newspaper store near my grand parents home. Now those kits blew my tiny mind! Rats driving drag machines, brother Rat Fink on a motorbike, Angel Fink etc.

Being close to London also meant I’d be able to get great comics and magazines. We had a second hand book store near me which I use to go to when I was 14, and it had great comics, old Easyriders, but the best bit was it had a section in the back of the shop which housed adult magazines! Playboy, Knave, which was a classic ’70s adult magazine that ran a feature on the Hells Angels. I had heard of the HA through papers, but never actually seen pictures of them, and as you can imagine SF California was another planet! I loved the imagery of the bikes; those choppers where like flying saucers from another world. Another place, far far away.

I was also influenced by early skateboarders from the ’70s. It was a big thing for a short time, but again I found myself looking at the likes of Tony Alva and the Dogtown crew as something I really loved. Many years later when I worked for the Gun Club, I got to meet Tony Alva as his band The Skoundrels supported the Gun Club at an L.A. show. Seeing Evel Knievel jump was another big inspiration. I saw him jump at Wembley Stadium in 1975 and crash. It was amazing!

But without a doubt, it was the Dave Mann’s work in Easyriders that I loved. Frank Frazetta was also a huge influence, and someone I wished I could be as good as. I loved all his great movie posters. All those great Clint Eastwood film posters. In fact, the first film I took my now wife to was Every Which Way But Loose, which of course has the legendary Black Widows in it. I wanted to be a Black Widow big-time! Still do, ha ha! Also various artists like Charles Burns, Gary Panter, Spain, Roth, Robert Williams, Joe Coleman, and one of my all time favourite artists is Edwin Pouncey (aka: Savage Pencil). I have been a friend of his for years, and have some of his original art, but for me helping him with one of his greatest pieces of work blew my mind. In the ’90s he put together a fantastic LP called Angel Dust Movie Music for Bikers, a selection of killer tracks from various ’60s and ’70s biker movies with a beautiful gate-fold sleeve and picture disc LP.

Do you remember the moment where you realized art would become a lifelong pursuit?

Nope! Music has been one of my biggest loves. I actually came back to art about two years ago in a big way, but working in the music industry is the full time gig. I have to pay the bills and support the family!

As a very young kid I loved bands like KISS, Black Sabbath, Led Zep, Deep Purple, as well as old Rock ‘n’ Roll/Rockabilly. My parents loved music, and my father worked for an old ’60s record pressing plant so I was subjected to all kinds of great music. Beatles, Stones, reggae… loads of music! The art of LP covers always played a big part with regards to what records I purchased. Anything dangerous looking came home with me. I was lucky to live near the UK’s largest second-hand record store Beanos, and would take my pocket money and buy LPs by The New York Dolls, Stooges, Grateful Dead, and The Fugs, to name a few. I loved Glam Rock; that was the first thing that was mine. The Sweet, T Rex (Marc Bolan), Suzi Quatro, Slade, but PUNK really got me going!

I was 14 when punk rock broke, and I remember the first time I saw the Sex Pistols, along with The Damned, Ramones. It was dirty and dangerous. Music has been a big part of my life. In the early ’80s I got a gig running the fan club for one of my all time fave bands: The Gun Club from LA. I was also a huge Cramps fan, so I started doing fanzines, writing for music papers, and doing flyers for bands as well.

Over the last 25 years, I have worked in the music business. I managed a large second-hand record store, then went to work for Sanctuary Records by putting records out, and doing artwork for the likes of the Sex Pistols, The Fall, The Damned, Motorhead, and Black Sabbath (to name a few). In fact, I oversaw the transfer of music from original master tapes for the then recently discovered multi-track tapes for the first 3 Black Sabbath LPs when I worked for Sanctuary Records.

Most people tuning in for this interview will recognize your art from Show Class Magazine. How did you hook up with those dudes?

A few years ago I hooked up with an old friend Dean, who does DiCE magazine. I had not seen him in years, and as it turned out I’d bought some issues of DiCE but never made a connection for some reason. I’d been painting old Rock ‘n’ Roll stars like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Johnny Kidd in my style for fun, and one night when Dean came over we had some beers and I showed him my stuff. He asked me to do something for a possible DiCE cover, but it was never used as they changed the format and style..

I had so much fun doing it but it was a bit too cartoonish, I fear. My bike builder Benny Thomas said I needed to make the biker art more realistic, and that was sound advise which I thank him for. But seeing Dean and seeing what he was doing in LA made me sit up and want to do what I’d dreamed of doing for years: get myself a bike! Fulfill a dream. Here in the UK, Harleys are not cheap. You pretty much have to double up on US prices! Plus the old school chopper scene is pretty small, BUT there are some great people in it

It’s not been easy, but I got me a chopper! Then I wanted to look cool as F**k on it, so… I contacted Billy at Hellmutt Liners. We chewed the fat and got on well. I got a killer helmet done and am so afraid to wear it – it’s a work of art in its own right. But I saw he was selling a magazine called Show Class, a term I was aware of due to having read Hunter S. Thompson’s HA book.

I bought all the issues Billy had and was sold as soon as I saw it. It’s different to DiCE. I love both magazines but Show Class is a bit more dangerous, if that makes any sense at all? Billy put me in touch with Tim from Show Class as he’d been doing some stuff with them. I said to Tim “You know what the magazine is missing? A cool Dave Mann style painting like Easyriders. It’s got everything else but that.” Tim said yeah, then why don’t you do some paintings then. The rest is history, as I’ve been knocking ’em out like little baby turds ever since. They seem to love them (Tim and Zak).

It’s now progressed to the odd t-shirt design, other ideas, and with Tim and Zak calling me the out-of-house artist, which I guess makes me a part of the SC team (which is something I’m proud of). I like what they do a lot. For me the shame is I’m some 4,000 miles away from all the great bikes featured in the magazine. I really hope the people who buy the magazine like the art too. One of my recent ideas for those guys was the 49% SHOW 51% CLASS idea which they beautifully turned into tees and caps. I’m currently working on an original piece of art which hopefully will be received well by the scene in America. Someone will end up the owner of an original piece, which hopefully will mean a lot to them.

I also want to spread the word to the UK and Europe too. The scene here in the UK is small for the real old school bikes from the ’60s and ’70s, but we have some amazing bike builders here too. People who I admire: Benny at Boneshaker Choppers does some amazing builds, as does Andy at Pacoma Cycles, and the mighty Toshi at Bell 45.

That’s awesome, man! Will we be seeing a cover somewhere down the line?

Yeah, I done a nice front and back cover which I’m hoping will be used sometime soon, and I have ideas for an even better one, but my big problem is time. I hold down a regular job and do all my art in my spare time. I certainly keep busy, and just completed designs for Heavy, Sinner Supply, and am about to do a killer collaboration with Jesse from Rising Vision in L.A. More Reaper Madness…

Heavy Clothing recently put out your epic Manson tee. What’s it like working with Zak on Heavy stuff? Does he give you any indication of what he’s looking for, or are you given free reign with the design?

Zak is nothing but trouble. I tell ya that guy is so dark he scares me – way too much darkness. He’s trouble with a capitol T. Ok I’m lying, he’s very much like Tim at Show Class: COOL AS FOOK. Very easy to work with, happy to be hit up with ideas, and happy to tell you what he does not does not like. Straight talking mofo. That’s the way I like it. I’m pretty happy with the Heavy Charlie design I did. Zak’s also the other part to Show Class. Apparently those guys are sending me a Panhead for Christmas! I cannot thank them enough for liking what I do.

What are you riding these days? Are there any bikes over the years that you wish you never sold?

I ride Ding A Ding Dang My dang Along Ling Long. She’s my baby. A ’98 Evo Sportster chopper, shrouded shocks, ’70s Sportster front-end, 21″ front 18″ rear, which soon will have an original hamburger-style front brake and a vintage flamed Sportster tank (with great thanks from Dean at DiCE). She’s my first bike so I have never sold a bike. I’d love to have a Knucklehead hardtail, or Panhead, but for now that’s a pipe dream. I went for an Evo chopper as I wanted to have fun riding without too much hassle. I’m not gonna lie, I’m no hot shot in fixing these thing, but I’m learning a hell of a lot fast. I hope in a few years to go for a Knuck or a Panhead, but for now all I can say is that first ride when I got my bike home was worth all the pain in getting it!

Are there any new artists out there that you’re really digging, or inspire you to work harder?

Show Class always features some great artists. I like Tallboys work a lot! Toby Tequila is another kat who does some amazing work on the back of cuts. I just traded up an original of mine for a cut of a Reaper he did for me. Donny Gillies work is great too. Jesse at Rising Vision does some monster posters too.

What are you working on next? Got any new prints or projects we should have our eyes peeled for?

Show Class has a heap of art to roll with. There’s a great Heavy inspired poster. I’m working with Rising Vision in L.A. on a new t-shirt and poster design – a great collaboration with Jesse. Just finished two designs for prints and t-shirts for the mighty Angelo at Sinner Supply in Belgium. “Reaper Spelled Backwards is DEATH” t-shirt design he has total exclusivity on. That’s my baby and its a killer t-shirt. I’m also planning to do a few more affordable prints as well. I like to make my work top quality but also affordable to everyone, from the guy who has a very healthy bank balance, to the kid on the street who has to work his butt off for anything. I did 13 prints of “Reaper Madness”, signed and numbered, for a mere £35 each (about $45-$50 dollars). If you want an original, well that’s cheap too. People should hit me up.

I ask this closing question to everybody, because you never know what you’re going to get, and the answer is often filled with insight: If you could travel through time, where would you go?

This one is going to have two answers ha ha. I’d go forward a week so I could find out the winning lottery numbers so I could win!! That way I pay my bills off and get the bikes of my dreams! Or… take me back to L.A 1991 to Long beach so I can buy the Robert Williams “Zombie Mystery” painting I passed up on for $1500!!! Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers now owns!

Thanks a ton, Mike, for this opportunity to interview you for Doom Cycle. It’s been a blast, and I’m always looking forward to seeing what you’re up to. Cheers!

Interview With Ryan Quickfall

May 9, 2014 by Tim Granda

If you jumped into the Atlantic ocean and walked along the bottom, eventually you’d make it to the shores of good ol’ England: home to artist Ryan Quickfall. If you then had the opportunity to climb inside Ryan’s head to look through his eyes, everything in view would suddenly age, and all the colors would shift out of alignment. Big chunky halftones devour the shadows.

You quickly notice that the buildings in town have developed long creases across them, and they appear as if they were torn from the pages of an old magazine. Suddenly, you realize that your childhood home has been torn down to make way for a motorcycle dirt track; as were your friend’s homes, your school, and all the places that you use to hang out at! In fact, the whole damn world seems to have transformed into a series of monstrous flat tracks! One course intersects with the next, only to be broken up by the appearance of GP circuits that are ruled by rabid packs of fuel-soaked racers. The air is thick with immense clouds of dust and exhaust fumes, while the painful howls of screaming motors and shrieking fans fill your blood soaked ears. It’s a friggin’ mad house! A maaaaaaad house… hey! Dude! You nearly ran me the fuck over!

Damn, I started spacing out again. The reason we’re here is for that interview… the one with the awesome Ryan Quickfall. Let’s get to it!

Hey Ryan! Let me dive right in and ask you about your appreciation for mid-twentieth century illustrations. Particularly, your love for the advertisements of that period, and the printing process itself. Can you remember what it was that attracted you to this period of art?

I really love the naivety of a lot of the adverts from that period. I don’t mean that in any offensive way at all, it just makes me laugh that a freckled kid with a big cheeky grin is going to convince me to buy the latest Remington. The content of the ads is great generally, and the characters and illustrations that are used are awesome. It’s a period before the digital process, so each piece was hand done, genuinely by hand! And that’s pretty rare now. I couldn’t design, plan, layout and execute an illustrated ad from scratch by hand today. I’d use a computer almost definitely. When you look closely at the print quality, and blow it up you see minor imperfections and a roundness to the type from the print process. I love this, I love all the imperfections, I love the overlaid and mis-registered colours. The digital design and print process has virtually eradicated any imperfections like you see from old ads. It’s great to see a hand made, yet mass produced piece of work. Ads from that period just had character. I think its funny that something that was just a piece of design and advertising, can now be seen as art. Studios like Morning Breath Inc take old ads and use them in their work today.

If one were to use a magnifying glass to look at an old magazine photo, or a panel from a comic book, you would see that the image is made up of hundreds of tiny dots. The next thing that you’d notice is the texture of the paper, and that the colors tended to be slightly out of registration. Your work often celebrates this process, and for me, that’s one of the things that makes your art so exciting! By bringing us that close to the page, it’s as if you grabbed us by the throat and tossed us right into the middle of the action. When did you start taking this approach with your art?

Well, firstly I know I’m not the only person building this nod to old processes into my work. There’s a lot of other people who like to overlay and intentionally build in mis-registration of colours. Which I think is probably an influence from comic books. I know it is for me. Everyone loved comics surely, and I think that the illustration and printing techniques from these old mags has filtered through to a lot of peoples work. I think for me it has gradually become more apparent in my work to the stage that I consciously try and build it in. From my digital illustration to screenprints. I love mis-registration, it pays homage in some way to an era of doing things with less accurate technology. I like that you mention bringing the viewer closer to the page. I hate it when you see a painting and from 6 feet away it looks absolutely perfectly executed, then when you step up close it looks like a paint by numbers. So I think its absolutely awesome that my work is being looked at in such close detail. That’s exactly what I want. Especially from my screenprinted pieces.

While we’re digging into your past, can you tell me where you grew up, and, if you can remember, what were the factors that led you towards an interest in art?

I grew up just west of Newcastle Upon Tyne, close to the city but also far enough out to be slightly in the sticks. So we could fly around the fields on dirt bikes without offending too many people! You know, I’ve been asked this a load of times and honestly I just don’t think there was actually a point I decided I was into art. I just was, and have drawn all of my life from as long as I can remember. Its even been the same with pursuing a career by putting pen to paper, there wasn’t really a conscious decision to do it. I just feel like I wouldn’t be suited to much else. I guess I just keep doing it because, I meet so many awesome people, get to work on some mega projects and I’ve plugged away for such a long time to earn a living from it that I’ve broken through that wall. And there’s no going back!

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up? Was there anyone in particular that pushed you towards taking art more seriously?

When I was younger, I really loved Ed Roth and all the 50 – 60s Kustom Kulture artwork. All crazy boggle eyed characters speeding along popping wheelies. I think seeing that sort of stuff as a kid makes you realize that making money from being creative, doesn’t have to be stiff and serious. I hate to call myself strictly a designer, because quite frankly there are far too many who never lift a pencil in their careers. And I think as a kid that’s not what I wanted, or even want now. You know, its weird because I don’t think there ever was a particular person who stands out that pushed me towards an art career. Obviously my family encouraged me to draw and I’d spend hours a day doing it, but prior to moving to college to study I cant think of anyone. It was just taken for granted that I would make money and a living out of being creative in some way. I also don’t think I ever said, I want to be an artist. I just took the courses, spent the time studying and, mainly plugged away until I gradually got more work. I have spent far more time earning jack shit, than I have being paid for work as a full-time job. But I’m not sure I take it quite seriously enough even now. I mean I give my clients 110% when I’m involved on a project. But at the end of the day, I draw and paint and create for a living. Which is absolutely awesome but I’m not saving lives! So you know, appreciate it but don’t take it too seriously, or you’ll lose the love for it.

Your work often focuses on motorcycles, particularly dirt trackers. How did your interest in bikes get started, and what are you riding these days?

Nobody really introduced me to bikes, I don’t think. As far as I remember it started with bicycles. Then as I grew up I got into BMX, and with the right people, it can easily take over your life! We were always scoping out new trails spots, digging them, maintaining them and then riding them ( which always seems to be the lesser spent time ) until inevitably they get trashed and you’re forced to move on elsewhere then repeat the process. Somewhere along the line I got a bit fed up of the same process happening and it coincided with getting my motorcycle licence. It just seemed like a natural progression and in fact I see more and more old friends who are stepping into Motorcycles from a time spent riding BMX. So I bought my uncles VRF400, spent a year on it. It got backed over by a truck and I bought a 99 model Yamaha R6 which I kept until late 2012. I loved that bike, it taught me a lot and went through a few nasty spills with me. But it never missed a beat! Anyway, I’m currently between bikes. (I don’t think anyone gives up motorcycles, they’re merely between bikes). I really have no idea what to do, I’m in no rush to make up my mind. Its tempting to just ride off road, especially with some of the driving I’ve seen in this country and the crashes I’ve been involved in on the road. Id really love to have a go at flat track, with the DTRA. It’s a pretty accessible sport and a really good crowd. We’ll see.

You do a lot of killer work for the magazine Sideburn. How did that relationship come about?

I’m really glad you mentioned Sideburn, I owe so bloody much to Gary and Ben. All of my work in the last couple years has spawned from a chance meeting with Gary Inman on Instagram. They commissioned me to do some illustrations for Sideburn articles, which led to tees and posters and now an ongoing relationship with the magazine and everyone else involved in it. I think Sideburn is such an exciting publication, in an exciting time right now, that the people involved in it are just as exciting!

Of all the pieces that you’ve created for them, are there any that you’re really proud of?

The Triumph riding bandito was fun to do. He’s a dude! The gore riders flat track poster for the DTRA, which was commissioned by Sideburn. That’s probably my most popular piece of work, people seem to love it. Its got it all, speed, dripping type and undead motorcycle riders. But… I really love the Mert Lawwill illustration I did for issue 13. As ever it was a very open brief, and that will always allow for best results. I love the sky and electricity flying off Mert. The colours are really bold and It was just a cracking piece to work on. I did what I wanted really, and it got a great response. So much so that its available as a print in limited numbers.

Aside from Sideburn, what are some of the more interesting commissions you’ve worked on?

This year I have been lucky enough to work with El Solitario MC. I’m sure most people know about these guys, but really they are such a good bunch to work with. Always open to ideas and pretty much get you on board for your style and don’t try to manipulate it. I hope they continue to grow and push their unique builds on this year. I have recently finished putting together some exciting designs for Roland Sands design 2014 fall collection of apparel. That’s pretty awesome, and again I was free to interpret their brief in my own style. That’s the best when that happens. Anyway, keep an eye out for that because I think its going to be a hellish range of gear. Surely the most exciting and completely different commission this year has been a local bar. Called DatBar a world where a motorcycle riding Sid Vicious flees from giant 50ft women and 50s comic zombies. Custom painted leather jackets hang the walls overlooked by a 1960’s 50cc Moto Morini. Its pretty much what you’d see if you could cut my brain open and delve inside! It was an absolutely 100% open brief, start to finish. This will always produce the best work, and like all of my clients, they pretty much always let me run wild with their projects. And for that I owe a huge amount, so thanks to all of my clients who are happy for me to go wild without questioning it!

Are there any artists out there today that you’re really digging?

Yes, lots. Far too many to mention. I seem to find daily another artist or designer who is out there doing their thing through Instagram. It really is a great platform to promote your work. Anyway… I really appreciate they artists out there doing there thing, in their own way and they have plugged away to make a career out of it. Ornamental Conifer (Nico), constantly impresses me with his painting. I love the mixing of age old advertising techniques and art. There are many others out there doing this, and I have to hand it to the signwriters out there for keeping such a technical and skilled art form alive. But Ornamental Conifer’s work is so unique. The colours and solid, chunky type and patterns are off the scale. I bloody love it. And not a bit of pinstriping in sight! Morning Breath Inc are another bunch who really can’t do much wrong in my eyes. Their use of old style advertising type and characters, layered up to make something fresh from old imagery is brilliant. They really have an appreciation for old advertising ephemera and more importantly, the subtle details in text quality and distress. Its this knowledge that they bring to their work and make something old-time really up to date and fresh. Stevie Gee, he’s a guy doing what he wants. I love how simple some of his illustrations are, coupled with some of the insanely “out there” content, it’s just awesome. Yeah, it’s the content of the imagery that really sets Stevie’s work apart for me. Eye poppin’ bike ridin’ surf board straddling radness.

So what are you working on next? Do you have an upcoming prints, products, or shows we should be watching out for?

I am working on some exciting projects actually, more large scale works. Working larger scale is something I’m really pushing towards now. Its hard to move your work to such a large scale and still keep its style. I have a bunch of upcoming prints actually, and a pile on top of a pile more ideas in my head I want to put out to print. Some motorcycle related, other not. Show wise, I haven’t planned anything quite yet. But it is something I am going to do. Whether solo or collectively, I just think portraying the art side of my work rather than commercial illustrative side will open up new avenues for me to pursue. Keep an eye on my website and Instagram and I will update regularly on the on goings.

If you could travel through time, where would you go?

Straight to the American civil war. I should probably say something about a significant era of a movement in art history or a great period in motorcycle history. Something that would have influenced my work today, but bugger that. I think the American Civil war is just a completely amazing period in history. Crazy contraptions, huge advancements in technology and really it’s JUST out of living memory. The photographs from the time are simply amazing. I cant really put my finger on why I love it so much, especially when really, it didn’t have a direct affect on my own History being here in Blighty. Then I’d take a trip to July 1940, England to watch the Battle of Britain take place in the skies overhead. It must have been such an unusual situation for the farmers and workers in the fields to watch the battle fought out above them. I always wonder, when I see footage of farm workers in the fields and the hurricanes, Spitfires and Messerschmidts fighting it out overhead. Where did all of the ammunition go, because I bet not much actually made it on target. Surely it was raining fire on those fields!! It must have been terrifying to know that the last stand was being fought out by a few young men right above you. Scary to say the least. So, I forgot to mention I’m a complete plane nut too. Well there we go, we left art and bikes behind a bit there. I’m off to scour the internet for my next bike.

Thanks a ton, Ryan, for setting aside some time to speak with me here on Doom Cycle! It’s been an awesome experience, and we all look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with next. Hope we can do this again some time, and keep your eyes on the skies for those damn Messerschmidts (ha!).

Interview With Tall Boy

February 14, 2014 by Tim Granda

As an artist, having the ability to capture the pure vibe of those who you’re influenced by is a rare feat, and not ripping them off in the process is even rarer. It takes a special gift to create stuff that feels like it’s from another point in time without being derivative. Like walking through a door in 1969 and ending up here in the present day. You’d be the real fucking deal.

Tall Boy is one of those dudes. He’s riding the shock waves that erupted from the underground comix scene in late sixties San Francisco, and he’s bringing us work that’s both unique and relevant. He’s building upon the past, not repeating it. And DAMN what a killer job he’s been doing.

Whether you’re familiar with his work or not, you’re going to have a blast making your way down this page. This piece is jam packed with classics; both new and old. And if you don’t have a big smile on your face by the end then there’s something seriously fucking wrong with you. I ain’t lyin’.

Hey man! From what I’ve seen on Instagram, you’ve been hanging out with the artist Burney a lot. Does that mean you’re living in Texas now?

Hey dude! Yes sir I am currently living in Austin, TX. Me and my girlfriend Krusty moved here last summer after a year living in San Diego. I’ve been hanging with Burney on the regular. He’s gotta be one of the most talented people I’ve ever known. And the man likes his Jameson.

Speaking of Burney, you two just collaborated on a killer piece called “Texas Gore” that was hanging at Bird’s Barber Shop in Austin this past January. How did that collaboration come about, and who drew which side first?

Burney set up the art show at Bird’s and invited me to share the space. He mentioned doing a collaborative piece specifically for that show, and we tossed some ideas back and forth. I went over to his place with some crappy complicated idea and we eventually found ourselves just drawing what we love and what comes easiest to us: the human head being mutilated, haha. We both did sketches of our sides (Burney’s sketch could have been a final. The dude rips!) I’m pretty sure I went home and he did his side of the final first. I went and picked it up a day or so later and was just like, “Oh fuck, I gotta share a page with this???” Ha. I spent the better part of a day on my half and just had fun with it. I think me and Burney were both really psyched on how it came out. I’m super proud of that one. Glad you like it!

Your style encapsulates so many of the great artists that came up from the underground comix scene in the late sixties; dudes like Robert Crumb, Rick Griffin, Victor Moscos, S. Clay Wilson, and Gilbert Shelton. What is it about that period of time that you find so appealing, and who would you say were your influences?

It’s a great compliment to be compared to that stuff because I look at those guys as gods. I guess what’s so appealing about that stuff is the complete lack of censorship due to most of it being self-published, the ridiculous sense of humor, and the insane quality and technicality. I love how much detail Crumb or S. Clay Wilson would cram into a drawing of a girl giving a blowjob or a bar full of pirates raping and fighting each other. It’s probably similar to why we listen to a band like Iron Maiden. It can be completely over the top but it’s done with 100% passion and serious talent. That’s why the people who get it are fucking insane fanatics haha. My favorite artists from that era of underground comix are Crumb, S. Clay Wilson, Spain Rodriguez, Greg Irons, and this one guy Jim Osborne. I guess he drank himself to death but there’s this one short comic called “Kid Kill” that he did that may be my all-time favorite. His stuff is heavy!

Growing up, you must have seen your fair share of B-movies and listened to a lot of heavy bands. What were you into back in the day when they called you Short Boy, and what steered you towards an interest in art?

My next-door neighbor growing up had a home theater in his living room and had our family over for movies a lot. I will never forget when he showed It’s Alive! I haven’t seen it since I was very little but I believe it’s about a demon baby who comes out of his mom’s snatch and just starts killing everyone starting with the doctors in the delivery room. From what I remember, he travels through the sewers killing people haha! I think they are re-making (aka ruining) that movie some time soon. I saw From Dusk til Dawn at a pretty young age thanks to my older cousins. They used to let me watch Pulp Fiction and stuff like that before my mom would have liked me to see a heroin overdose. Musically I didn’t know shit until my brother started getting real into punk and skateboarding. Skateboarding teaches you a lot about music. Just by watching skate videos, you get exposed to all kinds of shit. We used to worship Toy Machine‘s “Welcome to Hell” which exposed me to bands like Black Sabbath, Misfits, and Iron Maiden. That’s probably when I realized what kind of music I actually liked. That’s also how I got into art. I thought it was so rad that Ed Templeton owned a skateboard company and did all the graphics. It seemed like the perfect life.

Along with Krusty, you’re one of the co-creators of Night Watch, a fantastic low-brow art ‘zine. The artists that you’ve brought together with each issue is stellar, and it too has this cool Zap and Rip Off vibe going for it. What were some of the more challenging obstacles you had to overcome to get the ‘zine out there?

Thanks man! Me and Krusty have wanted to put out zines for so long. Personally, I’d have an idea and get way too caught up in the specifics and just never get it done, or even started for that matter haha. We just decided to start this thing and be real hard on ourselves about the deadlines. We’re putting out 4 issues a year, not stressing about specifics. We have a shit load of amazing artists willing to contribute radness, so we just keep it real open and relaxed. We’re just honored to have such talented rippers on board to be part of our project. With artists like this, each issue is guaranteed to be worth a trip to the shitter. So to answer your question, actually getting the zine done can be one of the hardest obstacles. That and finding a good print shop can be hard when you move to a new city. We got sick of hanging out at Staples paying 10 cents a copy. Fuck that noise!

With Night Watch #5 right around the corner, does the process of putting each issue together get any easier?

Night Watch is always going to be a work in progress. We’re always trying to make it better. We’re starting to have a fixed number of artists contribute to each issue to make the process more smooth. I think it’s gonna be like 25 artists per issue or something. We always want to have a few new contributors while keeping the dudes like Mike Tommyrot and Gut Rot who’ve been with us since the beginning, and Swamp Wizards are always invited to the party. It really fun and rewarding to see how many people dig it. I can’t believe it’s already been a year. We’ve got some rad stuff in the works for the 1-year anniversary.

So what does the future hold for Night Watch? Can you give us a glimpse into what we might be seeing?

Yeah! Right now we’re getting ready to turn 1. We’re gonna release a bunch of stuff. Then we’re getting right into Issue #5 “The Puke Issue” It’s gonna be all about barf and we’ve got some disgustingly awesome limited packaging planned.

Further down the line I’d like to compile all the “Vomit Comix” installments into a killer comic book.

Damn, I want that comic! When you’re not busy with the ‘zine, you always seem to be creating a rad piece of art for somebody. What were some of the more interesting commissions you’ve worked on?

Sizzle Pie always steps it up a notch. The owner Mikey is completely on the same page as us weirdos. He’s always looking to push a project further and blur the line between pizza and art. I did a drunk sasquatch drawing for their bar White Owl Social Club and they made a full size cardboard cut out with a face hole for people to take photos. That’s the shit I wanna be involved in! I always love working with Sizzle Pie, and I love doing skateboard graphics just because it was my goal for so long to be a “skateboard graphic artist”. So it was really cool to have my art on Creature, Spitfire, and Thunder products. It’s funner to work with smaller companies and skate shops too because you can do more of your own thing instead of what an art director wants. It was always awesome to make graphics for Coliseum Skate Shop, Orchard Skate Shop, and Tasty Skateboards, some Massachusetts skater-owned companies.

You’ve been known to draw a chopper or two. Have you ever been into bikes?

I owned a 1975 Honda CB 200 when I was in my early 20’s back in Boston. Never had a “real” bike, but that thing was really fun to ride around town! One of my scummier friends pretty much stole it and fucked it up when I was out of town. Haha long story short, after that I was done putting money into it and I traded it to a dude with no identity for a 1963 Mercury Comet. Another New England rust-casualty money-eater. After all that stuff I eventually got a van and me and Krusty have been moving around for the past couple years. When we figure out where we’ll settle down and save some money, I’ll definitely own another bike! I’m actually up in Portland, OR right now for The 1 Motorcycle Show. I designed a poster for the event and Thor, the man in charge, flew me up! It’s been snowing non stop for days. The city is a mess but there are a ton of awesome custom bikes, helmets and art and a shit ton of people still turned out. We’re having a blast!

So who are some of the artists you’re really digging these days? Anybody we should be checking out?

Well you already know about the Swamp Wizards and all the artists you feature on Doom Cycle. Everyone in Night Watch kills it but I’d say Mike Tommyrot is king of the underground. He just finished an amazing t-shirt graphic for Night Watch‘s 1-year anniversary. He’s got a manic way of adding a million little lines of detail to his art. It gives it a Roth Studio’s vibe but more dirty and gross. Also, the artist Gut Rot kills it. He’s another Night Watch contributor who’s been making awesome stuff for our zine since the beginning. A talented brush and inker and he knows how to keep the subject matter scummy and funny. James Quigley aka Gunsho has been making insane illustrations and poster art for a long time on the East Coast. Check him out for some mind blowing detail in the realm of trash and guts. Josh McAlear is a tattooer and illustrator and metal head from Boston. He slays everyday. Tits, monsters, horror, death. All these artists are in Night Watch haha. I guess that’s how you know me and Krusty are really into someone’s art. We beg them to do a page in our zine!

What are you working on next? Any upcoming shows, prints, or mischief we should be keeping our eyes peeled for??

Next, I’m working on a t-shirt design for a clothing brand out of Argentina called CRIME. The amazingly talented Yaiagift built an insane line-up of incredible but diverse artists that I’m proud to be a part of for their Spring/Summer line, I believe. There is a mask maker in Chicago that me and a few Swamp Wizards will be working with to make rubber Halloween masks. I am super pumped for that project. His work is great. It’s called Crimson Mask Studios. I’m always working on new Night Watch shit too. I’m working on releasing a colored print of my “Wine ‘Em Dine ‘Em 69 ‘Em” graphic I did for Night Watch #4. Also releasing a 2nd edition of my “Welcome to Hell” 12 x 12 print. Staying super busy!

I ask this of everybody, so I’ve gotta know: if you could travel through time, where would you go?

I’d go to San Francisco during the underground comix revolution and buy one of each of the 1st editions of all those awesome comics. Maybe try to kiss a few butts to get a Tallboy comic strip published. Then I’d make sure to see all my favorite bands live in their prime. Sabbath, Maiden, Priest, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead and some Metallica with Cliff!

It’s been a blast speaking with you, man! I really appreciate you setting some time aside to speak with me here on Doom Cycle. It’s always a thrill to see what you’ll come up with next, and each new issue of Night Watch is a real fucking treat. Hey, and congrats to both you and Krusty on Night Watch‘s first anniversary!

Thank you so much, Tim! You are the coolest!

Interview With Richard Minino (Horsebites)

January 1, 2014 by Tim Granda

“ZERO FUCKS GIVEN.” That’s not just a rad VNM slogan when applied to Richard Minino (aka: Horsebites), it’s the way he moves through life. From bashing his way through punk bands as a kid, to being the co-founder of two awesome companies, Richard’s heart has always been tied up in truth. He’s not out there busting his ass to impress, or to take your cash. For Richard it’s all about crossing the line which previously defined him.

To keep pushing. To discover. To not give two fucks about success if it means losing your voice along the way.

Each line on the page throbs with life. Together they perform like the motor of an old bike that’s full of quirks, nuance, and distinctiveness. The edge of each nut and bolt rounded ever so slightly after many years of life. His work shares a similar worn and weathered quality, which he achieves through an amazing balance of restrained detail and character of line. If you’re the type of person who usually just takes something in as a whole, I really encourage you to spend some extra time looking over Richard’s work. Just pick any piece in this interview, zero in on a random spot, and start working out from there. Check out his approach to line weight, texture, and his use of light and shadow. There’s personality spilling out all over the damn place.

But before we go any further, let’s knock the snow off our boots, toss those coats in the corner, and pack some coolers full of beer. We’re gonna kick this new year off right by heading south to sunny Florida, and meet with the man himself, Richard “Horsebites” Minino!

Hey Richard! First off, it’s my understanding that you grew up in Orlando, Florida? What was it like living every kids dream by residing that close to Walt Disney World?

It was actually really awesome living under the shadow of the mouse. I didn’t realize until later how inspiring it was for me to go there often and be obsessed with Disney classics like Pinocchio and Snow White. I would draw the evil witch all the time. I loved how much time and attention to detail those movies were and just going to the park and seeing hand painted garbage cans blew my mind. It was a major influence.

When most folks hear the name Walt Disney, they think of the corporation, and not the man who bares it’s name. I’ve heard Walt had a big impact on you, as he’s had with me too. Did the impression he made come from an artistic perspective, or was it his work ethic?

It’s actually both. He’s not that great of an illustrator, but he pushed himself really hard and made shit happen. From what I’ve read there’s a bunch of mixed emotions from old employees and illustrators that really made his movies great. They either say he was a total racist asshole and didn’t care about anybody, or he was a saint and always looked out for his crew. Either way the dude hustled, and now he’s a popsicle in hopes of coming back in the future to build some more shit in my backyard. His characters are iconic and will forever inspire me to draw more and hustle.

Who were some of the other artists you were into while growing up?

I was a freak about Jon Pound (Garbage Pail Kids), Pushead, and probably most importantly Jim Phillips, who drew a ton of the the Santa Cruz decks. That dude made me go crazy in elementary school. I didn’t know who he was at the time, but there was no doubt his art made the biggest impact on me. I almost couldn’t wrap my head around how awesome the screaming hand was. I’m still highly influenced by him, and would love to meet him one day or even own an original piece of art. Then I can die.

Most people in the scene know you from your work with VNM, a brand that you’re a co-owner of. Can you tell me about it’s inception and how you got it off the ground?

Well it actually all started because we (design group The Black Axe) did a bunch of designs for other clothing brands, and one of the brands was starting up a distributing company and asked if we wanted to start one up with their help. It was actually our plan to do one eventually anyways but maybe a couple years down the road. Yardley and I both do VNM, he is mostly the brains behind it with most of the slogans and graphic work and I mostly do the illustrations, helmets, and some other stuff. So Yardley and I thought this was a really good opportunity and took them up on their offer – obviously it started out really slow since nobody knew who we were yet, so the distributing company sort of lost interest and we were on our own. It was actually great because even though they helped us get our first few shirts printed, we had a lot of issues and not good quality control, so that stopped really close to the beginning and we just started playing by our own rules and it felt great. We didn’t care who we offended and wanted to just make junk we wanted to wear. Like minded people started getting it and realizing we weren’t’ putting stuff out to make a bunch of money or impress everyone, and I think it struck a chord with them. We’re still having a blast and pushing boundaries with it.

You mentioned the design group The Black Axe, which in addition to VNM, you’re also a co-owner of. Your client list is seriously impressive, but I’ve got to know (’cause I’ve been a fan-boy since age 9): what was it like working with KISS? Did you get to meet any of the guys, or try on their boots?

Ha! Yeah The Black Axe was basically formed because we knew we had a pocket of talent and decided to pool it together to make a design machine. Eventually we got to do bigger and bigger jobs. When I finally got approached to do a KISS design I was floored. Here’s the crappy part though: those big bands don’t really care who is doing their stuff. They have a team of people wrangling in designers to put out the best design, so unless it’s a band I really want to work for, I usually turn it down. They’re like their own corporation and will make anything for a quick sale. The cool thing about it is I finally got to show my parents something I did that they knew was on a big scale and they were stoked. I mean who doesn’t know who KISS is?!? I wish so bad I had some contact with them but unfortunately I’m just a small gear in their machine. The weirdest part about working for KISS was that one time I decided to do just Gene’s face huge on a shirt (which they loved), they said “Ok, if you’re going to do Gene’s face, then you have to do Paul’s face in the exact same size for another shirt.” I asked why and they said because they have a contract between them that if their likeness is going to be on merch, than one can’t be bigger than the other, and one can’t be favored over the other. That’s when I knew I wasn’t just designing but I was dealing with some insane egos.

There are a lot of talented artists out there trying to get something started for themselves. Do you have any advice for them on how to get their brand going?

Yes, I have great advice for them. If you’re looking to make money please stop and go back to delivering pizzas ’cause it’s most likely not going to happen, unless you really bust your ass and have great ideas. You can be great at drawing but if you’re drawing shit with no ideas behind it, than it’s probably not gonna work. There’s so much competition out there but only the few real ones stick out. The only reason I sort of have a negative outlook on it is because people have some serious unrealistic expectations. They just see the outer surface of a clothing brand making cool shit and they want to be successful without putting in the work, and they’ll rip off other peoples ideas and their style. So all that being said, if you really want to start up something than be real about it. It’s all about being off the wall and original at the same time. We can sort of pull it off because it’s just fun for us. We don’t make any real money from it and just keep pushing ’cause it keeps us sane.

By the way, those Biltwell helmets you’ve painted are sick! Wouldn’t it be awesome if I pulled you from a burning car wreck and in return you painted me up one of those lids? Haha! Seriously though, when did your passion with bikes begin? Were they something you grew up around, or did your interest kick in later in life?

Thanks! Those are a blast to do. If I happen to get stuck in a burning car I’ll page you… I actually fell in love with bikes when my neighbor got a 50cc pit bike and we would rip around the neighborhood. I used to think going 30mph was the fastest you could possibly go on a motorcycle. My dad would never get me a bike though, I think mainly because he would tell me his good buddy was killed in a motorcycle wreck in Chile when he was younger. It honestly did scare me because when your dad tells you something at a young age you just take it as gospel, and as something that will definitely happen. So about 6 years ago I said fuck it and got a perfectly stock ’71 CB350 and I loved it. Ever since then I was hooked. Since then I’ve owned a few bikes but now my prize possession is a 1950 Triumph chopper. It makes my head spin working on it but it’s great and good to learn new shit that makes you uncomfortable.

Your wrap-around cover for Show Class Magazine’s sixteenth issue is without a doubt one of my favorite covers to date. How did your collaboration with them come about?

I was super honored when they asked me to do that for them. They actually asked me a while ago, and I didn’t really slack, but I was totally stuck on ideas because I felt like it was my chance to do something really rad. So months go by and Tim from SC reminded me again that they’re still interested in having me do something and I said fuck it! I’m just gonna do some gnarly shit and not over think it. So that’s what came out and I couldn’t be happier. I’m glad I waited and cleared my head instead of trying to force out something. I’d love to keep working for them because it’s a real treat when you respect the people you do jobs for. Makes it so worthwhile and it doesn’t feel like actual work.

Are there any new artists out there that you really dig, or inspire you to work harder?

I see a ton of new artists everyday that inspire me, but some dudes that get me stoked are Florian Bertmer, Johnny Crap, Phil Guy, Tallboy, Burney, and probably some others that I’m forgetting right now. When I see their work I just sit back and enjoy it while telling myself I need to catch up and not get left in the dust.

So whatcha got coming up? Any new prints, products, or shows we should be looking out for?

As far as VNM goes we have a lot of stuff coming that I’ve got a boner for. We just released skate decks but they sold out so quick we could barely hold them. We’re gonna put out a few more of those along with new rings, hats, beanies, hoodies, shirts, pins, and some other stuff that is too dumb to mention. I would like to put out some art prints through VNM too now that we’re a little bit more established. Oh, and one more thing: we have a crazy SJC custom snare drum shaped like a beer can that we’re giving away in the beginning of the new year.

Since it’s often very insightful, I end every interview with this question: If you could travel through time, where would you go?

That’s a good question. I would probably go back to 1955 with a Sports Almanac in hopes of gambling my way up to fame and fortune so I can eventually own a Casino/Hotel and just be a dick to everyone.

Haha! Richard, it’s been a real pleasure, man! You’ve been one helluva a killer dude from the first moment I reached out to you for this interview, and I really appreciate you taking the time to speak with me here on Doom Cycle. Your work ethic and enthusiasm is inspiring, and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the site in 2014 than with this piece right here. Have a great New Year, Richard, and please give my best to Yardley!