1. What is it that you do career-wise?
I work in the music business as a mixed media artist for bands and record labels. Mixed Media meaning that I do several things for them including artwork and videos.
2. Can you explain how you found your career?
I found my career purely by chance, I happened to be at Art School in the late 1970's when the Punk Rock explosion happened. This included bands like the Clash and the Sex Pistols, I happened to be one of the few designer/artists at the time that was part of this, so I started a relationship with the Clash, while still at College. I have to confess I really was thrown in at the deep end as I really didn't know what I was doing, but luckily that was all part of this new movement, nobody did.
3. What has been your favorite project?
My favourite project was working with Malcolm Mc Laren, he made a record called 'Duck Rock' (of which my cover is in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection) it was one of the early 'World Music' records, mixing sounds from Soweto in South Africa to Hillbilly Music in America. It was also one of the first albums to introduce 'Hip Hop' to the World with a song called 'Buffalo Gals' I used all the influence of the New York Graffiti artists such as, Keith Haring and Dondi White, for the cover, including their work, which was still unseen at that time.
4. What was your first major project?
First project was designing a limited edition T Shirt for a group called the Ramones for their song 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker'
5. Where was your first job out of college or high school?
The Ramones T Shirt was my first job and it was while I was still at college as was the Clash single 'White Man In Hammersmith Palais' and an album by a grouped called Dexy's Midnight Runners called 'Searching For The Young Soul Rebels' The first job out of college was for a band called Bow Wow Wow for their album 'See Jungle! See Jungle!' (which is in the National Gallery in London)
5. Did you know what you wanted to be when you were in high school?
Honestly, I had no idea. Back then having a career in Art or Music was very rare so it wasn't considered an option, Punk changed all of that.
6. Do you have any career advice for high school students?
My advice is to not let anything or anyone sway you from your passion, people will try to tell you it's unrealistic or the chances are scarce, and that is true, but if you truly believe in what you want you will go with your heart and never give in.
7. What is your creative inspiration?
Good question, I was very influenced by classic art, pop art and a movement that came from the Paris Art Students in 1968 called 'Situationist International' These were the first to use graffiti slogans painted on the walls, as art, in Paris. If you look at the work of the artist Banksy today, he owes a lot of his imagery to them.
8. What did you do career-wise in high school?
As I said, I was already working with bands who later became among the most influential in the World, although I didn't get paid much and that in itself is important, in the beginning you need to offer your services free in order to open a door. In terms of a job to support myself, I washed dishes in a Hotel stacked shelves in a Liquor Store. Those menial jobs only inspired me all the more to try and make more out of the artistic breaks I was getting
9. When did you feel like you made it?
Another good question, to be honest knowing whether you made it or not is something I let other people decide, I never consider I have made it as there are many other things I still would like to fulfil, but I suppose if I was pushed into an answer it would be answering questions like this to young students.
10. What are your favorite places to discover new music?
When I was at Art School I knew that Art School's were the best places to discover new and revolutionary sounds. I still think it's the 'street' where you get to hear the best of whats new, word of mouth.