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 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!

Richard Minino (Horsebites) Interview – Video Tease!

December 27, 2013 by Tim Granda

Check out this video tease for the upcoming interview with artist Richard Minio (aka Horsebites)! You’ve no doubt seen his work for Show Class Magazine, Born Free, and VNM: the brand he runs with his bro Yardley. The interview goes live on New Years Day, so mark the date in your new calendar and get 2014 started right!