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Gary Asquith had an unpublished photo of Reggie Kray having a funfight with his grandad in the family kitchen.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

INTRAVENOUS

THUMPING GOOD BEATS I.V.

12” Range bag for Chris Checkley.

Computer A/W and scanned illustration

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.