A few years ago, my old mate Paddy suggested that I check out what entrepreneur and visionary, Dan Davies, had been doing to restore the reputation of my home town of New Brighton on Merseyside, a place I’d escaped from twice and was in no hurry to return. However, I contacted Dan and together we hatched a plan to commemorate myself and BRUTE! co-creator, Malcolm Bennett, with a giant mural in the area’s Victoria Quarter whose streets are already exploding with vibrant paintings. Below are some photos of my time there. Special thanks to Andy Brezaux, Rory Wilmer, Paddy Haig and Dan Davies and to those hundreds of well-wishers and fans who showed up on the final day.

A couple of years ago, I was asked by Nowhere Nation to produce a number of illustrations to compliment the music in their latest album, Omicron and now the album has finally been released.
Check out the animated vector art and album here.

I was hoping to be able to catch the band at least once this year but it was not to be, unfortunately. However, I was behind them all the way.

There’s a back story to the image I created for KMFDM’s latest album, Hell Yeah!
Back in 1994, I’d just moved into a new house in West London, renting a studio nearby as a workshop. No sooner had I acquired the keys when I got a call from KMFDM supremo, Sascha Konietsko, who informed me that he had to have the artwork for the band’s new album, asap. I barely had time to assemble my desk before starting the process of creating the image.
Unleashing the hack within me, I copied my face and hand reflected in a shaving mirror, adding the buildings behind almost as an afterthought. Despite the amount of fine detailing, I finished the picture well within my deadline.

Rather than mail it ahead of time, I decided to dwell a while on what I’d drawn, subsequently realising how powerful yet negative the image was. So, using another layer, I drew a cable within reach of the falling man’s hand, offering him a way out (if he chose to take it).

Over the years, it has become one of the images I’ve become most known for. I’ve been approached by people and told that the illustration made them stop and contemplate their lives  before attempting suicide. Somehow, I’d accidentally created a piece of art that spoke to people in a way I’d never consciously considered during its creation.

Fast forward to 2016 and the news that KMFDM, once again, required a new BRUTE! cover.  As I’d just launched the Tweak app, my time had been spent spent absorbing related articles and videos while how our lives are being shaped by smart phone technology was a recurring topic.  During a phone call to Sascha, the idea of updating the Glory cover to address the  concept occurred to me and, over the next few days, I embellished the initial idea into a story of sorts.

I think it’s one of my best.

Inspired by my earlier illustration, The Prophet, this gorgeous orator will inspire and subjugate any room she hangs in.

Available on the blog shop in either framed canvas or photo stock paper.