Upcoming and exclusive Mike Mignola art

Big news for Mike Mignola / Hellboy fans: there’s finally a release date for the next installment of the red devil – Dec 5th – with a book that we’ve been waiting for for years. It’s the return of Mike writing AND drawing his finest creation (aside from The Amazing Screw On Head, but more of that another time). Hellboy In Hell starts a new chapter in the mythos with Red cast down into hell after the events in the recent The Fury storyline.

Other new Mignola art: he’s been doing alternate covers for various B.P.R.D.-related covers all year under the ‘Year Of Monsters’ title, below are some both from the last few months and forthcoming issues. And finally, on the Super-Team Family ‘fictional team-ups’ blog that I posted about yesterday I found a couple of Mignola mash-ups which work nicely.

Posted in Art, Comics. | 1 Comment |

2000ad week #2: “I’m going in, cover me!”

What? I never got that issue! Probably because it never existed, it’s the creation of Ross over at the Super-Team Family blogspot. He creates a series of ‘what if?’-style covers to comic team-ups that never existed – “but should have!” Here’s his interpretation of Old Stoney Face vs Bruce Banner‘s alter ego, using an old Brian Bolland image for Dredd by the look of things.

Speaking of covers this month sees the release of ‘The Art of Judge Dredd‘, (not to be confused with The Art of ‘Judge Dredd’ The Movie book that collects the concept art for the Stallone film of old). The new book collects comic covers old and new featuring the lawman and comes in two editions, one only sold through the 2000ad online shop with an alternate (nicer) cover. Besides the images there will be comments from creators and celebrities and ‘Inside Story’ info boxes giving the background to some of Dredd’s most iconic covers.


But if we’re talking 2000ad covers then there’s only one site on the web to go to: Pete Wells‘ incredible 20000ad Covers Uncovered blog. Week after week he posts images from the artists who create the covers including layouts, alternate versions, work in progress and artists’ comments – a unique resource.

Posted in Comics. | 2 Comments |

Munich Olympics ’72 brochure excerpts

To the news that George Obsbourne just got booed by a stadium of 80,000 at the Paralympics medal giving ceremony, I bring you more beautiful design from the games’ past.
The gorgeous look for the Olympic Games held in Munich in 1972 was designed by Otl Aicher and his team. This is widely credited as a superb reaction to such a wide-ranging brief with everything working together in harmony to create a perfect look and feel.

munich-oly-12munich-oly-13munich-oly-2munich-oly-4munich-oly-5munich-oly-6munich-oly-8munich-oly-1munich-oly-11

Posted in Design, Event. | No Comments | Tags: , ,

2000ad week #1: Prog 174 cover production art

It’s a pretty big week for the UK comic 2000ad – this Friday the film Dredd 3D officially hits cinemas in the UK, based on the anthology’s lead character, Judge Dredd. The day after that the 35 year old publication hits no. 1800 with a whole host of new stories beginning for readers who want to jump on board. Not only that but the sister mag, the Judge Dredd-related Megazine bumps up its page size and includes concept images from the film as well as an exclusive prequel comic to the movie drawn by none other than… regular readers of this blog will know the answer… Henry Flint. :)

Being that I’ve read the comic since I was 8 years old and have stuck with it every week, through the printers strikes, the mergers, the format changes and the lean years when a lot of the original creators went to the States to seek fame and fortune (and better deals), this is a very big deal. I’ll be celebrating this nicely timed piece of synchronicity this week with a series of related posts leading up to the big weekend of Thrill Power.

First up I’m digging in the archives for some vintage artwork from the first golden period of the comic. Some of you may remember me posting the original artwork for Kevin O’Neill‘s ‘Tube Warrior’ last year, which is one of my most prized pieces of original comic art. That was the black and white line art but it appeared on the comic’s cover in full colour.

Enter Steve Cook, from the already legendary Secret Oranges blogspot, which amazingly celebrates it’s 1000th post this week. His collection of original production art is vast and we were going through a pile of images at his studio when the colour version of the same piece appeared at the top of the pile. Knowing that I had the original, and probably seeing me trying not to completely freak out in front of him, he graciously presented it to me for my birthday, for which I am eternally grateful. Note the header for the ‘Galactic Olympics’ booklet which was a fictitious games with things like ‘laser slalom’ as I remember.

2000ad Prog 174 cover production art, 1980.

Illustration: Kevin O’Neill – ‘Tube Warrior’ Colours: Tom Frame

(300 x 230 mm, black line art acetate overlay, paint on paper).

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Posted in Art, Comics, Originals. | 1 Comment |

Record bag designs from around the world

Wah Wah 1&2 – Barcelona’s best* new and used store for weird, psychedelic, electronic and everything else besides (*well it was the last time I was there).

I’m always on the lookout for interesting designs of all kinds and on my travels over the years I’ve kept a small collection of the more interesting record store bags I’ve found.

Rotate This – One from the many, many fine stores in Toronto, I love this, simple one colour on a brown paper bag.
Hi Fi – A Chicago staple, clean and simple (and they remembered the address)
Hot Wax – An oldie from Tokyo, the shop is down in a basement, the store that’s there now might not be called Hot Wax any more though.

Borderline Records – From Brighton, UK – the edge to edge illustration is pretty nice.

Fantastica – Great 60’s inspired design on silver plastic (you can’t really see that in the scan) This was a little shop in a back street on the first floor in Shibuya, Tokyo. It had the greatest collection of weird and wonderful records I found in that city in the 90’s. They even had an original copy of Afrika Bambaataa’s Death Mix 12″ but after picking out a ton of stuff with less than half an hour left before we had to go to the airport I discovered they didn’t take credit cards!

Aquarius – Nice Blue Note-esque design for San Francisco’s premier store for the weird and wonderful

Vinyl Planet – Another of the 50+ record shops rumoured to be open in Shibuya alone. This design is screen printed white onto a transparent bag (note Edan record inside).

Echo – Return of the Bag – They know what i’m talking about, unfortunately this design is let down by the fact that they didn’t put the shop address on it so I don’t know where to go back to get more records.

Posted in Design, Records. | 10 Comments |

Record bag designs from around the world

Wah Wah 1&2 – Barcelona’s best* new and used store for weird, psychedelic, electronic and everything else besides (*well it was the last time I was there).

I’m always on the lookout for interesting designs of all kinds and on my travels over the years I’ve kept a small collection of the more interesting record store bags I’ve found.

Rotate This – One from the many, many fine stores in Toronto, I love this, simple one colour on a brown paper bag.
Hi Fi – A Chicago staple, clean and simple (and they remembered the address)
Hot Wax – An oldie from Tokyo, the shop is down in a basement, the store that’s there now might not be called Hot Wax any more though.

Borderline Records – From Brighton, UK – the edge to edge illustration is pretty nice.

Fantastica – Great 60’s inspired design on silver plastic (you can’t really see that in the scan) This was a little shop in a back street on the first floor in Shibuya, Tokyo. It had the greatest collection of weird and wonderful records I found in that city in the 90’s. They even had an original copy of Afrika Bambaataa’s Death Mix 12″ but after picking out a ton of stuff with less than half an hour left before we had to go to the airport I discovered they didn’t take credit cards!

Aquarius – Nice Blue Note-esque design for San Francisco’s premier store for the weird and wonderful

Vinyl Planet – Another of the 50+ record shops rumoured to be open in Shibuya alone. This design is screen printed white onto a transparent bag (note Edan record inside).

Echo – Return of the Bag – They know what i’m talking about, unfortunately this design is let down by the fact that they didn’t put the shop address on it so I don’t know where to go back to get more records.

Posted in Design, Records. | No Comments |

Mexico ’68 Olympic brochure excerpts

Seeing as we are still in the grip of ‘Olympic fever’ I thought I’d post some excerpts from the brochures that accompanied the ’68 games in Mexico. There were at least 2 volumes and they included everything from historical background, art and architecture of the region, design styles and transport layouts.

The design team responsible for the look of the games was headed up by Lance Wyman alongside Eduardo Terrazas for urban design Beatrice Trueblood for Olympic publications, Manuel Villazon for the student design team and Peter Murdoch for special projects. I also have some from the Munich games which are widely considered the pinnacle of Olympic design.

Well Mexico.

Posted in Design, Event. | No Comments |

Lego love

Lego is a very big deal in our house with my boys making new things all the time and new figures or sets high on the birthday and Xmas list. I found this Enter The Dragon pastiche on the web and photographed the Star Wars poster on the tube back in March.

Posted in Design, Toys. | 2 Comments |

‘Paul’s Boutique’ remade by Cheeba, Moneyshot & Food

3 years in the making, 3 DJs working with over 150 tracks to recreate one of the seminal sampling albums of all time, at last Cheeba, Moneyshot and I can reveal ‘Caught In The Middle Of A 3-Way Mix’. Our tribute to the classic Beastie Boys album ‘Paul’s Boutique’ remixed and re-imagined from all the original samples plus a cappellas, period interviews and the Beasties’ own audio commentary from the reissued release.

Add to this a custom illustration from Paul’s Boutique super-fan and all-round great guy Jim Mahfood, taking time out from recent art duties on Tank Girl, and you have an alternate version of the album. The mix was over half way finished when we heard the tragic news of Adam Yauch‘s passing this May so this is also our nod to his memory, RIP MCA.

Big respect to Cheeba and Moneyshot for all their hard work and for the latter for inspiring the project with his classic mix of their ‘Check Your Head’ three years ago. Obviously massive respect goes out to The Beasties, The Dust Brothers, Mario C. and all involved in the making of the original album.

The mix debuted on Solid Steel via Strongroom Alive and above is the whole show with commentary and additional mix action from Coldcut and PC and the one below without chat and a download option.


Also here’s the full tracklist:

Caught In The Middle of A 3-Way Mix – a tribute to The Beastie Boys‘ ‘Paul’s Boutique’ album

DJ Cheeba section:

To All The Girls:
Mike D – Pauls Boutique Audio Commentary (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
Idris Mohammed – Loran’s Dance – Kudu
Beastie Boys – Triple Trouble (a cappella) – Capitol Records
Beastie Boys – Paul Revere – (DIY a cappella)
Fatboy Slim – The Weekend Starts Here – Skint Records
Beastie Boys – 3 MCs and 1 DJ (a cappella) – Capitol Records
LL Cool J – Rock The Bells – Def Jam  Recordings
Beastie Boys – Ch Ch Ch Check It Out (a cappella) – Capitol Records
Beastie Boys – Shake Your Rump (a cappella) – Capitol Records
David Berman – Pauls Boutique Release Party (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip

Shake Your Rump:
Alphonze Mouzon – Funky Snakefoot – Blue Note
Beastie Boys – Shake Your Rump (a cappella) – Capitol Records
Rose Royce – 6 O’Clock DJ (Let’s Rock) – MCA Records
Rose Royce – Born To Love You – MCA Records
John King – The History of The Dust Brothers (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
Mike D – Pauls Boutique Release Party (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
Diana Ross & The Supremes – No Matter What Sign You Are – Tamla Motown
The Sugar Hill Gang – 8th Wonder – Sugar Hill Records
Rose Royce – Daddy Rich – MCA Records
Alan Moorhouse – Soul Skimmer – KPM Music
Afrika Bambaataa & James Brown – Unity Part 2 (a cappella) – Polydor
Funky 4+1 – That’s The Joint – Sugar Hill Records
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Could You Be Loved – Island Records
Rose Royce – Yo Yo – MCA Records
Mike D – Pauls Boutique Release Party (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
Black Oak Arkansas – Hot and Nasty – ATCO Records
Paul Humphrey – Super Mellow – Inner City Records
Harvey Scales – Dancing Room Only – Casablanca Records
Ronnie Laws – Tell me Something Good – Blue Note

Johnny Ryall:
Kurtis Blow – AJ Skratch – Mercury
Paul McCartney – Momma Miss America – Apple Records
Beastie Boys – Johnny Ryall (a cappella) – Capitol Records
Jean Knight – Mr Big Stuff – Stax
Chris Stein – Military Breakbeat – 360 Records
Pink Floyd – One Of These Days – Harvest
Donny Hathaway – Magnificent Sanctuary Band – ATCO Records
MCA – Pauls Boutique Audio Commentary (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
David Bromberg – Sharon – Columbia
LL Cool J – Discusses the Beastie Boys (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
Mike D – Pauls Boutique Release Party (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip

Egg Man:
Lightnin’ Rod – Sport – United Artists Records
WYFF News – Which Came First…? (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
Beastie Boys – Egg Man – (DIY a cappella)
Curtis Mayfield – Superfly – Buddah Records
Tower of Power – Drop It In The Slot – Warner Bros. Records
Elvis Costello – Pump it Up – Radar Records
John Williams – The Theme From Jaws – MCA Records
Public Enemy – You’re Gonna Get Yours – Def Jam Recordings
Bernard Herrmann – Suite For Strings – Sony Classical
Mike D & MCA – Pauls Boutique Audio Commentary (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
Sly and The Family Stone – Dance To The Music – Epic
The Commodores – I’m Ready – Tamla Motown
Public Enemy – Bring The Noise – Def Jam Recordings

High Plains Drifter:
Interview with The Eagles introduction (Dialogue) – YouTube Rip
The Eagles – Those Shoes – Asylum Records
The Fatback Band – Put Your Love (In My Tender Care) – Polydor

DJ Moneyshot Outro

DJ Moneyshot section:
DJ Moneyshot – “Can’t Stand DJ Cheeba Intro” – mp3

Sounds Of Science:
The Beatles – The End – Apple Records
Beastie Boys – Sounds of Science (DIY a cappella) – Capitol Records
James Brown – Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved – Polydor
Paul’s Boutique – Audio Commentary – Capitol Records
Beastie Boys – Sounds of Science – Capitol Records
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) – Capitol Records
BDP – My Philosophy – Jive
The Beatles – When I’m 64 – Capitol Records
Issac Hayes – Walk From Regio’s – Polydor

3 Minute Rule:
Paul’s Boutique – Audio Commentary – Capitol Records
Beastie Boys – 3 Minute Rule – Capitol Records
Fancy – Feel Good – Big Tree Records
Sly & The Family Stone – Brave And Strong – Epic
Beastie Boys – 3 Minute Rule (DIY a cappella) – Capitol Records
Sly & The Family Stone – Poet – Epic
Loggins & Messina – Your Mama Don’t Dance – CBS

Hey Ladies:
Kool & The Gang – Jungle Boogie – De-Lite Records
Disco Dave & The Force Of the Five MC’s – High Powered Rap – Mixmaster Mike and Disco Dave Records
Afrika Bambaataa – Jazzy Sensation – Tommy Boy Music
Jeanette Lady Day – Come Let Me Love You – Prelude Records
Beastie Boys – Hey Ladies (a cappella) – Capitol Records
Cameo – Shake Your Pants – Chocolate City
The Bar-Kays – Holy Ghost – Stax
Kurtis Blow – Party Time – Mercury
Zapp – Dancefloor – Warner Bros. Records
James Brown – Funky President – Polydor
The P-Funk Allstars – Pumpin’ It Up – Epic
The Commodores – Machine Gun – Motown
The Sweet – Ballroom Blitz – Capitol Records

5 Piece Chicken Dinner:
Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell – Shuckin’ The Corn – Warner Bros. Records
DJ Moneyshot – Rinse Out Jungle ish – mp3

Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun:
Tougher Than Leather dialogue sample – New Line Cinema
Ocean – Put Your Hand In The Hand – Kama Sutra
Paul’s Boutique – Audio Commentary – Capitol Records (dialogue)
Beastie Boys – Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun (a cappella) – Capitol Records
Pink Floyd – Time – Harvest
Mountain – Mississippi Queen – Stateside
Incredible Bongo Band – Last Bongo In Belgium – Pride
Beastie Boys – Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun – Capitol Records
YouTube Audio – MTV 1998 Beastie Boys Biography – MTV (dialogue)

DJ Food section:
Car Thief:
Funk Factory – Rien Ne Va Plus (ATCO Records)
Boogie Down Productions – The Bridge Is Over (Instr.) (B-Boy Records)
Trouble Funk – Drop The Bomb (Jamtu Records)
Beastie Boys – Car Thief (a cappella) (Capitol)
The Jackson 5 – I’ll Bet You (Motown)
Max Yasgur – Speech at Woodstock (dialogue)
Donovan – Hurdy Gurdy Man (Pye Records)
Led Zeppelin – Moby Dick (Atlantic)

What Comes Around:
Gene Harris – Put On Train (Blue Note)
Alice Cooper – It’s Hot Tonight (Warner Bros. Records)

Shadrach:
Sly & The Family Stone – Loose Booty (Epic)
Funky 4+1 – That’s The Joint (Sugar Hill Records)
Rose Royce – Do Your Dance (Whitfield Records)
The Riddler – Batman TV soundtrack (dialogue)
The Sugar Hill Gang – Sugar Gill Groove (Sugar Hill Records)
Trouble Funk – Say What? (D.E.T.T. Records)
Ballin’ Jack – Never Let ‘Em Say (Columbia)
The Fatback Band – King Tim III (Personality Jock) (Spring Records)
James Brown – Funky Drummer (King Records/Polydor)

Ask For Janice:
Paul’s Boutique radio ad (cassette) (dialogue)

B-Boy Bouillabaisse –
59 Christie Street:
Burundi Black – Burundi Black (Barclay)
Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced? (Polydor)
Run DMC – Here We Go (Live At The Funhouse) (Profile)
Cerrone – Rocket In The Pocket (Live) (CBS)
Malcolm McLaren & The World Famous Supreme Team – Buffalo Gals (Charisma)
Boogie Down Productions – My Philosophy (Jive) Fab 5 Freddy – Change Le Beat (Celluloid)
Stop That Train:
Southside Movement – Save The World (20th Century Records)
Beastie Boys – Stop That Train (a cappella) (Capitol)
Scotty – Draw Your Brakes (Trojan Records)
A Year And A Day:
Tower Of Power – Ebony Jam (Warner Bros. Records)
The Isley Brothers – That Lady (Epic)
Led Zeppelin – When The Levee Breaks (on 45 rpm) (Atlantic)
Disco Dave & the Force of the Five MC’s – High Powered Rap (Mixmaster Mike and Disco Dave Records)
Hello Brooklyn:
Led Zeppelin – When The Levee Breaks (on 33rpm) (Atlantic)
Beastie Boys – Hello Brooklyn (demo version)
Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues (CBS/Columbia)
Dropping Names:
The Meters – Hey Pocky A Way (Reprise Records)
Stephen King’s It / Andy Griffiths show – He thrusts his fists… (dialogue)
The Sweet – Into the Night (RCA Victor)
The Crusaders – The Well’s Gone Dry (Blue Thumb / ABC Records)
Bob Marley interview with the BBC (dialogue)
Lay It On Me:
Kool & The Gang – Let The Music Take Your Mind (De-lite)
Jim James – No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn lyrics (dialogue)
Mike On The Mic:
Love Bug Starski – Starski, Live At The Disco Fever (Fever Records)
A.W.O.L.:
Chic – Good Times (Atlantic)
Beastie Boys – A.W.O.L. (Capitol)
Trouble Funk – Good To Go (4th & Broadway)
Idris Muhammed – Loran’s Dance (Kudu)
Rise – MCA tribute (dialogue)
Beastie Boys – Sureshot (a cappella) (Capitol/Grand Royal)
Rakim – Dedication (mp3) (dialogue)

 

Posted in DJ Food, Mixes/Solid Steel, Solid Steel. | 58 Comments |

Dredd 3D “Legendary” – US TV Spot

US TV spot for Dredd 3D, titled ‘Legendary‘. Not long to wait now but in case you’ve not been paying attention: Filmed in 3D, the film returns the celebrated character to the dark, visceral incarnation from John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra‘s revered comic strip. In this adaptation, Judge Dredd teams up with a rookie (Cassandra Anderson) who possesses psychic abilities. Together they fight to wrest control of Mega City One’s dystopic streets from a brutal prostitute-turned-drug kingpin named Ma-Ma.
Starring Karl Urban (Star Trek) and Olivia Thirlby (Juno) and Lena Headley (Game of Thrones)
Written by 28 Days Later‘s Alex Garland
Released by Lionsgate Films in the UK on Sept 7th and the US on Sept 21st
More info here

Also there will be a prequel comic available next week (physical or online, I’m not sure yet) with artwork by none other than Henry Flint, which makes me very happy as he will be getting even more exposure.

Posted in Comics, Film. | 2 Comments |

On the menu…

So many Food-related things to look forward to this Autumn / Winter:

‘Caught In The Middle of a 3-Way Mix‘ – a tribute to the Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul’s Boutique’ album in mix form by DJ’s Cheeba, Moneyshot and Food with artwork by Jim Mahfood tomorrow night on Solid Steel via Strongroom Alive.

Debut of my remix of Kilah’s ‘Krzesany’ at the Sacrum Profanum festival, Poland on Sept 15th

A night of DJ Shadow mixes on XFM to support the ‘Reconstructed‘ comp with two by yours truly on Sept 21st

‘The Search Engine’ quadruple vinyl gatefold repress edition and return to the SAT in Montreal this Sept/Oct

A John Rydgren compilation on Omni Recording Corporation curated by David Thrussell with audio and images supplied from my archive.

‘The Search Engine’ fulldome performance at the Leicester Space Centre, UK on November 16th

Posted in DJ Food, Event, Film, Gigs, Mixes/Solid Steel, Solid Steel. | 3 Comments |

One On Twoism vol.5

My god this is beautiful. Whilst we all wait for Boards of Canada to release another record there’s plenty to keep you going on this compilation. Made by members of the Twoism.org forum it’s vol.5 in an ongoing series of tracks inspired by the Scottish duo and the standard is very high. How I’ve missed these I don’t know but all 5 are available to hear and you can buy physical CD copies too. Look and Listen here.

Posted in Music. | 1 Comment |