My shaper (and now good friend) Steve Croft has come up with this 4 fin bonzer shape – combining elements from some of my favourite board designs, I want one! Steve is working on some really interesting shapes right now; it’s always encouraging when your shaper happens to be a good surfer, and believe me, [...]
I want this record. Sure, I have it on a compilation, but there’s nothing quite like the original. Trouble is, you can get yourself a pretty decent guitar or surfboard for the price you’d be expecting to pay for the original, and there’s something not quite right about that. Someday…
Happy New Year – here’s to some good times for 2011. Had our first ever white Christmas at home, with a borrowed snowboard, sledges, snowmen, then a solid week of swell and the right winds, it was a good’n alright. Here’s the niece and nephew with the first of the snowman family.
So this is what I came up with for the album and single artwork (well, the album at any rate; the single is a nod to the old Brunswick 45 labels) – a basic concept with the overlapping colours representing the mix of influences the music itself is comprised of. Sort of an analogy there [...]
Creative writing collective and good friends, Telltales have just put together The Parabola Project – a collection of short stories showcasing the talent of Cornwall’s writing scene in a beautiful, evocative and collectable publication. I have an illustration accompanying one of the pieces. Stuck for a Christmas present? Get yours here
There is a launch party tonight between 6-8pm at The Poly in Falmouth for the Stranger Collective Christmas cards in aid of ShelterBox. There will be mulled cider, mince pies, live music and some stand up comedy afterwards. All are welcome. I contributed the above illustration which features as one of the designs; other artists [...]
I’m pleased to announce I have signed with independent record label, Freestyle Records. Who would’ve thunk it. The debut Frootful LP will be released early next year, and there will a 7-inch single out prior to its release. Watch this space for more details. In the meantime, you can listen to soundclips from the album [...]
Halloween / belated birthday sketch for my nephew, Jan. Not very scary I know, but he’s only just turned 3.
Latin Strut, from the forthcoming Frootful LP featured last saturday on the Craig Charles show on BBC6. Listen again on the iPlayer here – around 1:37. Nice plug at 1:54. Thank you Craig & Simon..!
Had James Bowden down recently, shooting for the Spring/Summer howies catalogue. He risked his life on the road outside our gaff to get this polaroid. Check out more of his photography here. The dark diamond tail in the middle is for sale by the way – any takers..?
The debut Frootful album received it’s first radio play as the opening track on the Jelly Jazz show last wednesday. Listen again here. Please tune into the Craig Charles show on BBC6 this saturday, as another track from the album has been playlisted and may well receive airplay then. A label has been secured for [...]
I recently produced this type treatment for a poster promoting The Poly arts centre in Falmouth, where there will be an open day this Saturday 2nd October. I have a couple of pieces in the exhibition, so please pop in if you’re about.
Just picked up this new ride, 9’8″ x 23″ x 3 1/8″, shaped by Steve Croft of Empire Surfboards. The thing goes great, and I’m looking forward to working closely with Steve on some new shapes as one of the family of team riders. The target is a mod reference, supposedly reflecting my musical tastes, [...]
Check out this ol’ quiver – shaped, photographed and surfed by Shawn Stussy during the very winter I was born. I know it’ll get Al’s juices going next time he checks in here. His blog on vintage boards and the history of surfing in the UK is gaining popularity, and will soon feature in The [...]
Some kind words by Michael Fordham, guest editor of the new howies catalogue. Fellow surf team bods, Elsie P and Jack also get a page, plus the sadly departed (from howies, that is) Paul. Thanks Mike!
In addition to the soundclips on my website music page, I now have a Facebook music page, where I have posted a few full length preview tracks from the forthcoming album. Go take a listen (if you do the Facebook thing, that is).
The album is finally done. I have posted a few soundclips of the project on my website music page. Watch this space for a release date. There is also a mix (artwork pictured above) of sides from my personal collection for you to download for free. An album goes to the first person to correctly [...]
Just got the postcards I did for The Vine back from print. The Vine will be celebrating its second birthday this weekend by sponsoring a Kneehigh Theatre performance of The Red Shoes at the new Asylum. Other recent projects include illustrations for the BBC and Vodafone – more details when I’m allowed to show you [...]
Check out this old Fender Rhodes electric piano (Mark I) I borrowed off a friend to put some finishing touches on the Frootful album. The LP will be called Colours, and I’m expecting a few final mixes through from producer, Lack of Afro over the next couple of weeks. Watch this space…
The House of Fairy Tales at The Port Eliot festival. On stage but out of view are The Ice Cold Idiots, a band of 13 year olds plugging a rendition of Teenage Kicks to an appreciative audience.
The illustrations I did for The Vine are now live on the website here. The collages are made up of vintage soul label seven inch sleeves (don’t worry, I spared my treasured ones), and make up section headers along the theme of the Marketing with Soul branding. Been working on a couple of other exciting [...]
I sure would like to get my hands on a copy of this. Love Rick Griffin’s work – especially his early comics for Surfer magazine.
Not my favourite Grant Green record, I just like the fact the photo is the intersection of Grant and Green streets in San Francisco. I took the very same photo when I went there a couple of years ago, except the signs don’t look as good as they used to.
A few shots from Russ, given the lomo treatment – one of which appears in both Huck & Surfer’s Path magazines this month, as a Loose-Fit ad. Poor attempt to remain underground with my back to the camera..! And slightly less impressive than the shot of John dropping in at triple overhead Porthleven in the [...]
Remember that cycling trip I was meant to join down the west coast of France? Towing trailers laden with surfboards, tents and necessities? Well, I never made it, but this is the result from the 3 creatives that did. A newspaper format zine documenting the trip, featuring some mighty fine photography, writing and illustration. Let’s [...]
Steve Croft was kind enough to lend me a couple of boards to take up north a few weeks ago (the 2 either side of the blue egg, pictured above), & I’ll be having 1 or 2 shaped by him over the next few months. A talented and experienced shaper, he’s producing some really exciting [...]
Back to work, and what better way than to be working on a project for fellow soul music lover, Lotte, who runs boutique marketing & PR agency, The Vine. The collage above was a leaving present for when she left Stranger magazine – given a new twist for her Marketing with SOUL campaign.
