Interview with Matt Wilkins – Show Class Mag

December 1, 2015 by Tim Granda

If ya haven’t heard, Doom Cycle has teamed up with the awesome folks at Show Class Magazine to interview their cover artist for each issue. It’s somethin’ I’m really stoked about, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of you who’ve been hangin’ around this joint. I’ve been a a big fan of the mag for years now, so having this opportunity to work with Tim and the gang has been a blast.

Hey, and welcome to all those who just couldn’t get enough of artist Matt Wilkins from issue 27! Space is tight in a physical magazine, so the artist interviews there are often presented in a condensed form. Here on Doom Cycle, we don’t face those same restrictions. So if you’re interested in hearin’ more, ya found the right place. Did I mention the big fuckin’ pictures too? Gotcha covered!

So here’s my interview with the awesome Matt Wilkins!

Hey Matt! So at what point in your life did you develop an interest in art?

For as long as I can remember I’ve had some sort of interest in art. It was always the subject at school I was into the most, probably down to having quite a creative family and mostly the influence of my grandfather. He was a really talented pen and ink artist with an amazing eye for detail and I remember sitting and sketching with him at a young age.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?

I’m only 19 so I feel like I’m still growing up in terms of finding out more about the art world, however I’ve been skateboarding for a while. Deck graphics always caught my eye and played at big role in wanting to do more art myself. Especially the legendary Santa Cruz artist Jim Phillips.

Are there any artists workin’ today that blow your mind?

There’s so many artists that blow my mind on a daily basis with most of them being on instagram, hard to name a few but I’d have to say I’m really diggin the work of Gorgeous George, Harley&J, Maarten Donders, Rob Gnista, Alex Matus, Simon Berndt, Alan Forbes, David Paul Seymour, Sami Graystone, Jesse Schaller, Branca Studio and Donny Gillies.

A lot of your work has been for rad bands like The Picture Books, Slow Season, and Kadavar. How did you get involved in the music scene?

It pretty much started with posting up some sketches on Instagram, then I did some gig posters for a band that are close friends of mine. One thing led to another and I’m now doing art for bands across the world. It’s really crazy to me as I am a huge fan of rock music, so being asked to do art for bands that I’ve genuinely been a big fan of is such a privilege.

So who are some of the bands that you’re diggin’ these days, and who would ya love to do some work for?

There are a load of new bands that I’m into these days, such as Sweat Lodge, Ruby The Hatchet, The Shrine, All Them Witches, Kadavar, Fuzz, Sacri Monti, Mondo Drag, Electric Citizen, The Heavy Eyes, Le Betre, Horisont, Siena Root and again that list could go on and on, I’ve always got records spinning.

Some bands I’d love to work for apart from Black Sabbath, of course, because that won’t happen… has got to be Graveyard, Pentagram, Earthless, Radio Moscow, Windhand, The Black Angels, Witch, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Sleep, Blood Ceremony, Orchid and Dead Meadow.

In addition to doing so much work for bands, you’ve also done quite a lot of stuff for the chopper scene. Folks like Heavy Clothing, Triple Six Crew Death Co., Lucky Mutha Cycles, and myself have all hit ya up for designs. When did your interest in choppers begin?

I’ve loved the American classic car and motorcycle culture for ages, especially those built in the ’70s, so its really cool to do art for brands in that scene. But living in London they’re rare to see, although I’ve been going to classic car shows since I was really young with my dad.

Are there any cool bikes or muscle cars out there that you’d love to take home with ya?

Well, in an ideal world, I’d have a few vehicles parked on the driveway, first off with an old Chevy van fully decked out with a 70’s style interior and custom airbrushed paint job. Also I’d gladly take a ’77-’78 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird home with me. Then how about that insane chopper that JP Rodman built for this years Born Free, that thing rules!

I was stoked to see you finally put up a web site featuring your work. What kinds of stuff do you

have planned for your shop?

Thanks. I never imagined that I’d get to the point where I’d make my own website for my artwork. In the future I plan to sell screen printed gig posters that I’ve produced, as well as design some original artwork to put out some limited edition shirt designs and patches. Even considering building a screen printing set up in my workshop to print the shirts and posters myself.

So whatcha workin’ on next? Any cool projects we should keep our eyes peeled for?

I’ve got more shirts and gig posters to design for bands, including Mothership, so that should be pretty rad. Also a skateboard deck for Frantic Skateboards out of Belgium. So things to look out for would probably be some of the album covers I’ve worked on recently, some I can’t announce, but one is for the heavy rock band Them Evils, which has already been released. All the albums will be getting pressed on vinyl, so that’s a treat for a collector like myself. As well as a guitar fuzz pedal that I collaborated with Red Sun FX on, really exited about that, they’re all handmade and limited edition.

Now for the question I ask everybody: If you could travel through time, where would you go?

I’m sure I won’t be the first to say this but, it would have to be California in the late ’60s-’70s, so I can experience what inspires me the most about that era. The music scene, skating backyard pools and the car/chopper culture. I’ve been told that I was born in the wrong era many times.

Thanks a bunch for your time, Matt, and congrats on landing this issue’s cover of Show Class Magazine! So awesome!

It’s such an honor to have my artwork on the cover of the best chopper mag out. Thanks a lot to all the guys at Show Class and thanks for the interview, Tim!

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Matt Wilkins

Interview with Sam Turner – Show Class Mag

August 25, 2015 by Tim Granda

Hey, and welcome to all those who just couldn’t get enough of artist Samuel Lee Turner from issue 26! Space is tight in a physical magazine, so the artist interviews there are often presented in a condensed form. Here on Doom Cycle, we don’t face those same restrictions. So if you’re interested in hearin’ more, ya found the right place. Did I mention the big fuckin’ pictures too? Gotcha covered!

So here’s my interview with the uber-talented Samuel Lee Turner!

Hey Samuel! So where do you call home these days, and how long have you been livin’ there?

Denver, Colorado. Been living here since ’95. I am originally from El Paso, Texas.

Your work often delves into fantasy and the occult. From wizards and mages, to warriors and beasts… plus all those super-hot sword-wielding chicks! Who were some of your influences early on?

There’s a number of influences: Frank Frazetta obviously, Moebius, Bernie Wrightson, and many others.

I’ve seen you mention Italian artist Milo Manara quite a few times on Instagram. What brought his work to your attention?

Milo Manara was brought to my attention through the Heavy Metal illustrated magazines. My oldest brother had a bunch of those things! He always let me look through his stash of adult comics and such when I was a kid. I was like in the 7th grade or something.

You’re a big fan of metal, so having the opportunity to create art for bands like Black Breath, Khemmis, and In the Company of Serpents must be rad as hell! How did you get into workin’ with bands?

I always seemed to draw for friends who were in bands here and there. A lot of local stuff. I would say one of the first bigger known bands was 3 Inches of Blood. I did a tour poster for them after meeting and hanging out, partying here in Denver, then was asked to do their album cover for Fire Up the Blades along with some random merchandise and shirts. From that you tend to get some recognition from other bands or individuals in a band asking you about doing something for them. I did some stuff for Zeke before – it’s great to get to create or work on ideas for bands you’re really into. Some others are Speedwolf, Early Man, Holy Grail, Power Trip, and Iron Reagan, to name a few

What albums are ya really diggin’ at the moment? Anything we should be checkin’ out?

The new Khemmis is really good; I know you mentioned it already. I seem to have been listening to a lot of old favorites lately. I’m all over the place: Judas Priest, Brats (pre-Mercyful Fate) ZZ Top… a lot of fun drawing music. Waiting for a lot of new stuff that’s coming out from some favorites.

While we’re talkin’ ’bout bringin’ passions together, as a dude who rides, you must be stoked to have landed covers for both Show Class and DiCE in the same year. Any cool stories about how those came together?

Getting to draw for Show Class is great. I dig the mag and liked seeing what they were about at some of the earlier Born Free shows. I am good friends with Dave Barker of SpeedMetal Cycles, and I’ve done some of his branding and merch. Pretty much anything he asks for I’ll do. I would go to shows with Dave when he would build a show bike, and help him on the road trips to party and take in the whole experience. I went to a couple of Born Free shows, met some people, and got to check out all the great bikes. Born Free 2 is where I met Matt Davis from DiCE magazine. We talked about doing a cover but years passed, and when we saw each other at the Mama Tried show in Milwaukee this past year we realized I never got a cover for him. So after talking, decided to do issue 61 which was going to have Dave’s Diamond Rio build he did for his good friend Reuben McChancey. It was a fun piece but a short quick deadline.

I have friend through Instagram, Zach Kolodziejski, who I did some art for his Zine PUTT. He’s a great dude and turned me onto doing the cover for Show Class with a drawing I did that they liked but hadn’t been used for anything yet. So I was more than pleased to get it finished and sent to them.

So when did ya get into motorcycles, and what’re ya ridin’ these days?

I got into the motorcycle thing through SpeedMetal but to be honest I have nothing to ride at the moment. I have had a ’72 ironhead that has been waiting to get finished over at Dave’s shop, but we’re both so busy that we haven’t got it done. He’s really busy all the time and all the while has been doing the rust removal/fabrication of my ’73 Chevy G-10 short box van. When the van’s done we can get back to my ironhead. I am a bike messenger in downtown Denver so I ride my bicycle a lot! Haha! I’m alright with it, but I am planning on getting a Harley to make a street tracker out of just so I have something for the time being . I have been super busy doing art so I now have some money saved up that I can use to pick something up.

Your work for SpeedMetal Cycles has been awesome. How did that relationship come about?

I actually met Dave of SpeedMetal because of mutual friends, but more so because of my blue Chevy van. He and some other guys saw it parked in front of a show and were talking about it, I walked up saying it was kinda alright and then laughing and telling them it was mine. We seemed to hang out a lot after that. I started figuring out what I wanted to do with the ironhead. The frame is an old Jammer and we realized it was a bit off/bent in the rear so we gotta get that situated then keep going. It’s cool to get to do stuff in his shop and help on little things with show bikes, a friends build, doing some art, paint, engraving… whatever I can get into or try my hand at.

You must’ve been thrilled when the Buell-based Ronin bike you created the paint for placed second at Pike’s Peak. How did you get involved in that project?

The Ronin bike involvement came through a childhood friend of Dave Barker’s: Dusty Terry. I met him when he lived at the old shop with Dave, fucking Wyoming boys haha . So when he started work with Ronin Motorworks he talked to me about being one of several artists doing an “art bike” that was to be one of a select few bikes made to have a custom paint scheme illustrated by different artists. Once I was on board I got to do some more concepts, one being the race bike paint scheme for the Pike’s Peak race bike. And then getting to do some vintage racer color schemes and designs. It’s been really fun to do something on a totally different unique motorcycle, and once again for a great bunch of guys!

Lately, your name’s been comin’ up a lot when I speak to other artists about folks they’re diggin’. Are there any artists out there who’s stuff knocks ya out?

Glad to hear I have some other artists digging my stuff. Guys like Burney, Burrito Breath, Jason Cruz, Alex Matus, and Sarah Sadler, are a few off the top of my head that fit into the motorcycle scene.
Others are Marald, Vania Zouravliov, Jef Kopp, Putrid, Nathan Cabrera, and Aaron Horkey, just to name a few.

Do you have any cool projects in the wings ya wanna tell us about, or some stuff we should keep our eyes peeled for?

Going to be getting my Ronin art bike painted up in the coming weeks. Doing some shirt designs for a band who did the soundtrack for a movie coming out in August called Turbo Kid. Some merch and posters for the NACCCS here in Denver (bike courier race), and more fun killer shit for TRVE Brewing here in Denver. It’s a metal brewery that I do all the branding for and is always a blast to do. Hopefully some good shit keeps coming my way!

I’ve made it a habit or wrapping up an interview with this question (ya never know what you’re gonna get): If you could travel through time, where would you go?

If I could travel through time? I’m already headed into the future, so I would have to say back to anytime before 1974 to see my mom who I lost when I was five. Too few memories of her, would love to go back and have more.

Thanks a ton for your time, Sam! Can’t wait to see all the rad stuff you’ll be up to in the future!

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Turner

Doom Cycle on Motornation.tv

February 5, 2015 by Tim Granda

Really stoked to announce the debut of the Doom Cycle channel this past February 1st on Motornation Network‘s Motornation.tv! Motornation.tv is a lot like Netflix, but the content is focused on bikes, hotrods, and kustom kulture.

The dudes behind it are Meditation 4 Madmen, the same folks who put together all those badass Born Free Show videos so ya know it’s gonna rock! It’s also available without any region restrictions so no matter what country you’re in you can get it. You can read more about it on the mighty Chop Cult, and while you’re there make sure to create an account if you aren’t already signed up (Doom Cycle‘s been a member for years).

Here’s a rad teaser to give ya a taste of what you’re gonna find. Super stoked at the opportunity to share the airwaves with all these fine folks!

Interview with Jason Cruz

January 7, 2015 by Tim Granda

Alright, I’m just going to come right out and say it: Jason Cruz is one of the best artists working in the scene today. Hell, if it’s still confessional time, I’d go so far to say he’s one of the greatest artists the scene has ever known. Yea, pretty bold statements (and what does my opinion matter, right?), but if his work doesn’t sway you by the end of this interview then… hell, I don’t know. Try and convince me I’m wrong.

“Fuck… ME!” How many times have I heard something said to that effect after someone checks out Cruz‘s work? Fuck if I know. If my brain could retain that much information I’d be far away from this snow, sitting on a beach somewhere counting all my money. There’s a bunch of reasons why his work gets such a reaction. For one, it’s the staggering level of craftsmanship on display. Cruz is shoulder to shoulder with the artists he idolized. Another reason is his ability to capture a truthful moments that so many of us can relate to. Moments that bring us back to a certain time and place (far-off distant planets included). But the big reason for me is… well, I guess it all boils down to this: when I look at his work, I’m yanked outta my chair and dropped right into the picture. His work is full of stories:

It’s a beautiful day, but this dude’s bike is fucked. Thing’s are really starting to get uncomfortable, ’cause as he struggles to get her going (without that damn tool he left on the bench), his girl’s really getting pissed off. She hasn’t even opened her mouth yet but, scratch that, here it comes: “Every fucking time… I thought you said you already fixed this thing… ” Blah blah blah. Man, I wish there was something I could do to diffuse this situation, but I can’t ’cause they’re only god-damned drawings! Cursed to live out my scenario forever. Good luck, buddy.

Whoa, is that the time? Geez, this interview is about to get started! I haven’t even mentioned yet about how Cruz can jump back and forth between styles without losing a beat, or how he gracefully tips his hat to the old masters with his badass collages. Wait, WAIT! What about that time I found myself standing on this alien world, gazing down at this smokin’ hot chick all stretched out on the grass? Dude, she totally wanted me, but I couldn’t choose between her or that sexy chopper sitting just a few feet away! Hold on… gimme a second! How ’bout that insane painting with the axe-wielding reaper flying his trike through the air? Whoooaaa! I was so fucking ripped when I first saw that! Swore to anyone who’d listen how Frazetta faked his death and was back and better than ever! Oh yea, and what about…

You were exposed to bikes and hot rods at an early age, with Easyriders Magazine in particular making a huge impression. Can you recall any moments from back then that helped steer you towards a life-long pursuit in kustom kulture?

My Uncle used to have Easyriders on the toilet tank at my grandmothers house when I was between 5-10 years old. I’d flip through the pages of bikes and naked chicks and focus on the cartoony style of the Dave Mann illustrations. Around the same time, my dad was taking me to the World of Wheels car shows at McCormick Place where they sold Robert Williams posters. Both artists had a very colorful and illustrative style of story telling in everything they did, and as a kid, that appealed to me. I also had an older cousin who for some reason had the “Wild Angels” album and I used to always pull it out when I went to visit him and just stared at it while listening to Jan and Dean records and racing our Hot Wheels cars. It trips me out when I think of how little things like that really tapped into my psyche at such an early age. Ironically, I didn’t draw a car or bike until the age of about thirty five. Go figure.

Who were some of the artists back then that blew your mind?

Well, I just talked about the first two. Around 8th grade, I started getting into graffiti and my inspirations changed to the early graff. writers like Seen, Lee, Scheme, etc. I was into that scene up until my early twenties but never really felt like I fit in because I wasn’t Johnny Hip Hop. I managed to get into M.S.K. and used to paint with Fate, Dame and Bus right before hanging up my spray cans (which I still kinda regret). I remember doing a Coop devil head in an alley in Compton just after his first show at La Luz De Jesus Gallery around ’92. I made it clear that it was a tribute to him and thanked him for the inspiration on the wall. I still have a pic of it somewhere. Coop‘s work at that time really hit me hard and I can’t emphasize enough how enamored I was with his stuff back then because he was doing everything I was hoping to develop with my own work. He had a tremendous impact on me back then because he was really the only artist out there creating the exact imagery I had in my head and doing it with a skill level that I still can’t touch 25 years later. He came to say “Hi’ to me at this past Born Free show and I pretty much shit my pants. Nowadays, there are so many talented dudes doing cycle art, it’s hard to name them all. EZ, Adam Nickle and Gorgeous George are truly amazing dudes and keep me on my toes.

The art you create often includes elements of fantasy and science fiction. Did you grow up digging dudes like Frazetta and Vallejo, or read stuff like Heavy Metal Magazine? Underground comix?

Definitely, I used to go to 7-11 and read the old Conan The Barbarian comics and Heavy Metal, but the one that I really gravitated towards was Cartoons Magazine. They had an artist by the name of Shawn Kerri who was super young and insanely talented. Another artist that I still can’t hold a candle to 25 years later. She also did a bunch of eighties punk album and band art and created the Circle Jerks slam dance character. She mysteriously stopped working and there are endless rumors to her being dead or a crippled junky etc. Sad story.

Your work in both ink and airbrush is so badass. Man, I just love all of it! Do you have a favorite medium to work in, or do you like to keep things interesting by jumping back and forth?

Oh, wow, thanks man. It’s not so much that I’m trying to keep it interesting but more that I get an idea and go in that style or direction. I’m fortunate that I’ve worked for a ton of different companies with different needs and styles. It’s forced me to be diverse in my work and as a freelancer, it’s become a commodity. If you were to ask me to do a big body of work in one style, I’d probably get bored after the third piece and lose interest. As far as a preference, I’d have to say painting with any wet medium truly makes me the happiest. I honestly don’t paint very often due to the fact that I love napping and playing Xbox while drinking whiskey more than just about anything else. I look at guy’s like Burrito Breath, Dirty Donny and other prolific artists and admire their drive and work ethic. I’m a lazy artist man! On one side I hate that about myself. On the other hand, it’s just who I am and I can’t really aspire to be someone I’m not. Whatever, I have a good time.

The cover you created for issue 25 of DiCE Magazine is one of my favorites, and the series of builder posters you put together for them is epic! How did those projects come about, and would you consider that work to be the stuff that got you noticed?

Thanks again! Matt and Dean were very instrumental in my introduction into the scene. I met them at a van show in Pasadena and we hit it off right away. They really have the most influential magazine of the past ten plus years. I wanted to be a magazine centerfold artist since I was a kid, unfortunately, magazines are a dying breed and it doesn’t have the same impact it did fifteen years ago. . After our first hang out, I created the “Vantasy” piece and proposed to them the idea of me doing centerfolds on a regular basis. They were into it and I gave them a list of the six dudes I wanted to illustrate first. My intent was to create a series of posters that historically documented the current scene and gave props to the guy’s who really were the forefathers of the vintage cycle scene revival. In that list was Chopper Dave, Shinya Kimura, Scott Craig, Jason Jesse, Max Schaff, and Cole Foster. They decided to switch out a few of those dudes so it wasn’t all about the California builders. I was a little bummed because as far as I was concerned, in 2006 or so, they were the most influential dudes out there regardless of their location. I had never worked in Illustrator before but wanted a very clean look to my images so I built that series completely in illustrator and hand drew the figures and then colored them in Photoshop. It was a super long process that was very technical and I just didn’t enjoy creating work in that style. It was an exploration into developing my personal style and vector art of that caliber was unique at the time. Funny thing is, I had those prints for sale at Born Free a couple years ago and didn’t sell one.

You’ve gone on to create such iconic pieces for Loser Machine, Heavy Clothing, Love Cycles, Factory Metal Works, Old Gold Garage… hell, even stuff for Harley Davidson, Hot Wheels, and Jesse James! Were there any projects that turned out to be really challenging, or just a whole lot of fun?

All of them are challenging for one reason or another but the ones that are the most fun are the ones I more or less create for myself and pitch to the company. Pieces like “Lay Don’t Slay”, “Hell Rider” (reaper on the trike), “Home Grown”, for Loser Machine as well as the Wrench Magazine centerfolds were the most rewarding. The DiCE cover is such a personal favorite of mine due to the impact it had on my life and the fact that it was really the first time you saw a space scene with a bike and a chick since maybe Dave did it back in the day. Nowadays, it’s pretty much the standard for cycle illustrations and that puts a lot of pressure on me to do something that’s outside the box. We all pull from the same reference box now and with every cool image ever created over the past 50 years posted a hundred times on the internet, it’s forcing us all as artists to dig deeper and be more true to ourselves as far as inspiration. Overall it’s a great thing because I think all of us (including myself), were getting lazy about creating truly unique art based off of our own creativity.

Do you have any advice for a young artist who’s looking to get their name out there?

Yep, quit trying to get your name out there. Focus on finding yourself instead.

You’re also a founding member of the Vandoleros Van Club, which, from what I understand, grew out of the guys in southern California who frequented the Long Beach Cycle Swap. How’s the club doing these days, and do you all have some cool stuff lined up for the new year?

It’s been five years now since we started the club and the club is stronger than ever. It’s gone from being anyone interested in vans and bikes, to a family of close knit brothers who love each other dearly. The vans are secondary to our friendship and that has honestly made us a legit club vs. a club that focuses on the vehicle over relationships. We have no leadership or hiearchy. Everyone in the club is a unique individual capable of being a president or leader in their own regard. I’m really proud of the fact that our club is full of individual thinkers and craftsman. We are probably the only club in history that really has been a hybrid of the biker culture and the hot rod scene. We don’t really fit in with either crowd but are welcomed in both. It took awhile for car guy’s to get into vans, it really grew this time from the cycle scene instead of the surfer/hotrod scene. Now the traditional hot rod guys are buying vans and the seventies aren’t looked at as the ugly stepchild of hot rod history. That’s really what we set out to achieve and it’s come to fruition. Nowadays, we aren’t concerned with trying to get people interested in vanning. We have nothing to prove anymore so we just enjoy ourselves.

So what are you wheeling and riding these days? Are there any new projects you’re wrenching on?

My daily driver is a shitty ’96 Honda Civic that looks like it’s melting from the back due to an accident and a shitty tint job. My van is a ’74 Ford Econoline with all the hard to find seventies goodies. My bike was built by L.A. Speedshop for another dude and is in the process of being completely redone. I ran out of money after Born Free and it’s kind of been in limbo since July, but I’m back on track with it now and hope to have it done for BF7. It’s a ’79 Ironhead.

What are you drawing next? Any upcoming projects you wanna share?

Well, I took a full-time gig at Hot Wheels this September doing packaging so my personal art is kinda taking a back seat right now due to my full-time job and spending time with my family. I have a four year old daughter so it’s tough to come home and work more. I’m still doing stuff for my clients like Loser Machine, Harley and Factory Metal Works as well as random stuff that pops up each month. I’m really anxious to do more painting for myself as that really seams to be the stuff that propels me creatively. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything I’d like to do but I can’t complain. I’d love to just have some time to sit and build some vintage van and chopper models (which I collect), and indulge in the finer things in life like doing nothing.

I always close out an interview with this question: If you could travel through time, where would you go?

I’m extremely nostalgic and miss my past, so part of me really want’s to go back in time and spend it with the many friends and family I’ve lost throughout the years. The other part of me wants to transcend space and time and live eternally exploring the outer reaches of the universe with a consciousness of my past, present and future. What fun would it be if I couldn’t be mind blown while flying through the sun of a distant galaxy or being able to look in on my great grand kids lives. Sounds over thought and like I’m reaching for something cool to say but it’s the truth.

I’m right there with ya! Thanks again for setting some time aside for this interview. It’s been a blast and a real treat having you on here, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing stuff you don’t know you’re even going to draw yet! Take care, man!

Thanks so much for caring about my work, you truly asked me questions I hadn’t asked myself. I’m very humbled!

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Jason Cruz

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!