S'EXPRESS - HEY MUSIC LOVER

1989 Rhythm King Records.

Early computer enhanced photograph. Created by capturing group members reflection on "mirror-foil” with video camera then playing footage onto tv.

The TV screen is then distorted by a magnet, a photo taken , then enhanced using early hybrid computer system @IMAGINE in Ganton St SOHO,

who where famous for work on PINK FLOYD’S sleeves.

Method: Very very early computer graphics - ‘scanned’ by a video camera with separate R/G/B lens.

Finished result scanned from  a 35mm slide hence the low resolution.

STEREO MC's - CONNECTED
Released 1992.

I was asked by Blue Source Design to meet the lead singer Rob Birch to get his brief for their upcoming sleeve..

As he appeared out of a dark corridor he said…”I wanna be in a jungle” turned and disappeared…

That was my brief…!

In 2000 Q magazine placed Connected at number 52 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.

Reached No:1 across the world….

Method: Photo collage.

RENEGADE SOUNDWAVE - KRAY TWINS
Rhythm King 1986

Gary Asquith had an unpublished photo of Reggie Kray having a funfight with his grandad in the family kitchen.

He was an extended family member…. Rumour has it the Krays were not pleased.

Method: Airbrush , ink and watercolour.

RENEGADE SOUNDWAVE - COCAINE SEX

Rhythm King 1987

I photographed the boys at their recording studio under a single light bulb…

After printing I completely re-airbrushed their faces incorporating many visual references.

Method: Airbrush , ink and watercolour.

RENEGADE SOUNDWAVE - BITING MY NAILS
Rhythm King 1988

Carl Bonnie and Danny Danny Briottet asked me to use a Balinese Devil mask on the front cover…

The base speakers were a constant feature…This was the last sleeve I created for the group…

Method: Hand rendered , Airbrush and Rotring ink pen….

JIBARO ELECTRA - BALEARIC BEATS
Released by FFRR in Sept '88.

Compiled by Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong and Trevor Fung. Design taken from the 'Spectrum' flyer.

This was ‘pre-computer’ so the different colours where achieved by swapping colour negatives to achieve the green-red-blue designs

Method: Hand rendered , Airbrush and Rotring ink pen.

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JIBARO ELECTRA - BALEARIC BEATS
Released by FFRR in Sept '88.

Compiled by Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong and Trevor Fung. Design taken from the 'Spectrum' flyer.

Method: Acrylic airbrush - colour variants are achieved by 'swapping' the colour films with each other.

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE - MAKE MY DAY

Released in '92 by ARS Productions.

Illustration based on WW2 Bomber Art.

Method: Hand rendered , Airbrush and Rotring ink pen.

BOMB THE BASS - SAY A LITTLE PRAYER
Released by Rhythm King in ’88.

As a name, Bomb the Bass came from Simenon's approach to collaging and mixing sounds whilst DJing in the mid to late 1980s.

He loved collage and very early computer graphics. I came up with using Albrecht Durer’s “Praying Hands” woodcut…

The background is a Sony Walkman internals.

Method: Very early computer graphics - 'scanner' was a video camera with separate RGB lens.  Finished result on a 35mm slide hence the low resolution.

BOMB THE BASS - INTO THE DRAGON
Released by Rhythm King in ’88

Tim had a Japanese background and was a keen collector of very early 'Manga’ comics.

I’d never seen this artform so after collecting reference this was the end design.

Method: Hand rendered , Airbrush and Rotring ink pen with handmade film transfers.

FLOWERED UP - A LIFE WITH BRIAN
Released by FFRR/LONDON RECORDS 1991

I was intro’d to the band before they where signed by Paul Oakenfold. When signed they asked me to create there sleeve featuring this photo.

Method: Hand rendered , Airbrush, Rotring ink pen and photo montage.

THE ADVENT - SHADED ELEMENTZ
Released by INTERNAL RECORDS 1996

Bizarrely Cisco Ferreira and Colin McBean’s studio where a mere 30 metres down the corridor at CANALOT Production studious where I was based.

The idea for the Robot Head was agreed and a model produced as nearly every sleeve then was now being computer rendered.

It was my opposition to this and great fun to create.

Method: Built using fibreglass and a display case from a taxidermist.

BOY'S OWN - HOUSE SLEEVE
London Records.1990

This was the Boys Own promo sleeve as briefed by terry Farley and simon Eccles.

There was 3 designs….HEAR no evil, SEE no evil, SPEAK no evil.

Blind embossed and printed onto reversed board.

Method: Hand rendered. Rotring ink pen and PMT flat camera artwork.

Modigraphic typeset lettering.

BOCA JUNIORS - RAISE
Released through BOP/FFRR in 1990.

Based on the infamous American flag raising on Iwo Jima during the 2WW.

I chose just 2 colours and a striking stripe b’ground. Street posters looked awesome next to the over complicated designs of the time.

Method: Hand rendered ,Rotring ink pen.

COWBOY

HOUSE SLEEVE

Designed for Charlie Chester of Flying Records fame. 1992.

Method: Printed on reverse board. Centre label is a Rotring pen illustration.

ARKARNA - PROMO SINGLE
Released through FUME/WEA Records 1995.

Ollie Jacobs was a local producer at Rollover Studios (for which i’d designed their logo) and Ollie asked me to design their bands identity

This was to reflect their mix of rock/house, and dub.

Method: Hand rendered ,Rotring ink pen . Early computer illustrator programme

KID GALAHAD - GOLD DUST NOISE
Released by Ignition Records 2002.

Inspiration came from my own 1964 American Motocross helmet.

Method: Built using glass head & helmet/fairy lights. Very early digital photography

BASSOMATIC - EASE ON BY
Released on William Orbits own label

Guerilla Records in 1990.

I was a great fan of Williams work and I was asked to design the cover and guerrilla logo (below) for his own label. I took a very slow exposure of piano wires moving in front of a blue lit b'ground…

Overlaying 3 exposures, this was the result.

Method: Photo montage and Flat camera ready a/work.

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SILVAH BULLET - JEWELZ AND DIAMONDZ
Released by Artthrob in 1998.

Photo was taken by the amazing Mick O'Farrell at Revolver Creative

Typography was printed out the roughed with scalpel and Sellotape.

Method: Hand rendered , Early digital photo. Early computer illustrator programme

SKUNK - SOME BAD WEED V.2
Released by Skunk Records 1994

Label owner Simon asked for a Rodger Rabbit feel to the sleeve. Very funny when the child to the right kept running off with the inflatables. Strange looks as we photographed the empty deck chairs.

Method: Flat a/w with early MAC rendering. Photo by Charles Pycraft. 1994

ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

SHERYL GARRAT

Written by Editor of 'The Face’ magazine as definitive account of the birth of Club Culture.

I was honoured with a big mention in the introduction and the narrative itself.

Method: Flat a/w with early MAC rendering. Photo by Charles Pycraft. 1994

Mauris sit amet tortor.20

XPLICIT VINYL

12" HOUSE SLEEVE

House sleeve for an offshoot of Flying Records.

Method: Flat a/w with early MAC rendering. Hand drawn illustration.

THE ALOOF - NEVER GET OUT THE BOAT
Released by Flaw Recordings in 1994.

Band leader and good freind Dean Thatcher asked for a ‘crazed world’ on the cover. Deans caricature is on the far right.

Method: Hand rendered ,Rotring ink pen . Early mac computer illustrator programme

FLYING VINYL

HOUSE SLEEVE

1991. Pen & ink illustration to produce camera a/w.

Designed for Charlie Chester of Flying Records fame.

Method: Printed on reverse board. Centre label is a Rotring pen illustration.

2 colour Printed on reverse board. Modigraphic type.