New Gear in the Shop!

June 27, 2016 by Tim Granda

Damn! Check out the killer new tees that just hit the shop (and a trucker too)! This time out, the exclusive designs are from artists Richard Minino, Davey Gant, Gorgeous George, and Simon Berndt.

All of our shirts use a discharge base to keep the prints nice and thin so ya won’t sweat while rippin’ up the hot summer streets. They’re 100% cotton black Alstyle tees, and they feature an all-new custom printed DC shirt tag so you’re neck won’t get the itch.

Grab one here at the shop while supplies last!

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!

Show All
Matt Wilkins

The Planet of DOOM

September 21, 2015 by Tim Granda

“Seeking vengeance aboard a witch-born chopper, Halvar must journey across a psychedelic landscape on a quest to defeat the deadly beast Mordvel.”

If ya haven’t heard, artist David Paul Seymour and I are neck deep in making a sick animated movie! It’s called The Planet of DOOM, and it features some of the coolest artists in the chopper, fantasy, and sci-fi scenes, teamed up with some of the raddest bands around today. Check out the insane list of folks below!

Announced artists:
Skinner, Nicholas Coleman, Tony Papesh, Jason Cruz, Brian Profillio, Chris Burney, Simon Berndt, Zachary ‘EZ’ Nelson, Alexis Ziritt, Vance Kelly, David Paul Seymour, Maarten Donders, Scott Trerrotola, Jesse Schaller, Gorgeous George, and Adam Burke.

Announced bands:
Spirit Caravan, Orchid, Summoner, Mother Crone, The Well, Order of the Owl, Goya, Mothership, Wo Fat, Destroyer of Light, Mos Generator, Monolord, Conan, Ironweed, Scorpion Child, Slow Season, and NAAM.

Keep your eyes peeled for more big The Planet of DOOM announcements in the upcoming weeks!

DOOM teaser 1 from Doom Cycle on Vimeo.

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!

Show All
Jason Cruz

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.