Designed To Rock | Gavin Mulloy

You may or may not recognize our latest subject of "Designed To Rock." But, if you pay attention to the local music scene you will definitely recognize the name: Gavin Mulloy, he of multiple "Poster of The Week" winning selections.

We had the opportunity to pick his brainy-brain a little bit. Make sure to check out his work linked throughout the interview.

Bona Fide Darling: How did you get started doing gig posters? Who was the first band you worked with?

Gavin Mulloy: My friends were in bands that were playing regularly and they kept having gigs. I kept seeing posters for other bands and just started doing one.

The first REAL gig poster I did was for the Cocky Americans at the Cavern. I don't feel comfortable with some of my decisions regarding the fonts now but think it came out OK. The inspiration came from a Richard Gere quote that the Guitarist in Cocky Americans had as his quote on Myspace at the time. Yes, you read that correctly, Richard Gere as muse.

BFD: What drew you to being a designer?

GM: I became a designer because my roomie at the time (early 2000's) started a website. We reviewed CD's and interviewed bands and eventually put out a monthly eZine. It was fun but at the start it looked like we made it in MS Word. We started getting interviews with people like David Cross and Flava Flav, so the site needed to look professional. So basically being ashamed of how it looked pushed me to design. Which is weird if you've seen my wardrobe.

BFD: What is typically your approach to designing a poster for a band; their sound, lyrics or just a vibe you get?

GM: I try and start from scratch each time. I sometime blare a song over and over and make that the inspiration....but I also use what I know of the people in the band to influence my design. Sometimes I just start in a style I haven't explored and adapt it around the band.

BFD: Do you ever get tired of winning the Observer's "Poster of The Week?"

GM: Yes. It's exhausting. People I don't know coming up to me in the streets. The new home security system I had installed.

No, it's great and has done nothing but bring me more business that I can handle. Plus it's always god to win something, right?

BFD: Who has been the hardest band to work with on a design?

GM: Bands have been a piece of cake. Never had a problem....except rush orders. Only had to start from scratch once.

Individual promoters can be another story. Especially when they art direct. Stick to the...whatever it is you do.

BFD: How much, if any, input do you give the band?

GM: I always ask a band for ideas when we first make contact. I'm making something for them. That always needs to be remembered. If I asked a band to write a song for me, paid them, then I'd expect their input. Most of the time after 2 posters I have an idea what they want. For bigger shows, I welcome bands ideas.

BFD: What is your design process like?

GM: Whiskey, Old yearbooks, Tears, Repeat. Then, I usually try and gestate a theme or look away from the computer. Unfortunately, I draw like Verbal Kint, so sketching is rudimentary at best and most ideas just live in my head. I really love fonts and have probably spent half my life looking for the perfect one for the design.

BFD: What other designers are you inspired by?

GM: Everyone. I mean everyone that posts on Gigposters.com. Others: Signalnoise, Abduzeedo's Daily Inspiration Post, fffound.com, some new stuff from Modern Anthem, Todd Slater, Sagemeister (more outlook than asthetic), FarmBarn, Wierhouse, Jordan Gray....more that I'm blanking on now...The best thing about the internet is the inspiration is endless. I occasionally get lost in a complete strangers Flickr or deviantArt gallery for hours.

BFD: Do you have a particular style or period of design that you are drawn to?

GM: I don't favor one style over another. Depends on the band. Really got drawn into the country poster look (which shocked the hell outta me). Just some cool Texas vibe.

BFD: What has been your favorite poster you've created so far?

GM: By far. Took me far too long to get this old image looking like I wanted it, but I like it.

BFD: How did you get hooked up with The Local Yokel Show?

GM: (plug) lokelyokelshow.com you mean? I knew Simon, Chad & Pete from the Libertine. It's really my 2nd home.
Simon figured the only way to get me out of his bars was to distract me with a podcast. My friends from Somebody's Darling went on the show and when they left, I just kinda stayed and Chad asked me keep coming on, and it just kinda worked. It's been a blast. I've gotten free concerts from Ishi, Sorta, Paul Slavens, Ryan Thomas Becker (the only man with 3 1st names I've ever trusted), The O's...and the Haiti fundraiser at the Libertine was a blast. Too bad Chad Wycleffed all the proceeds on some girl from Cedar Hill.

BFD: Is there a band you really, really, REALLY want to work with?

GM: National - TV on the Radio

Local - RTB2

Like both bands and wanna play with the letters on each. Plus, they're very visual with they're music/lyrics.

Designed To Rock

Dirk Fowler is one of the most sought after designers in the world of gig poster design. He's designed the sweet watch tins your Fossil watches come in, he's designed posters for Lucero, Modest Mouse, Loretta Lynn and Wilco... all while shaping young minds as Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Texas Tech and running a design company, F2 Design, with his wife.

Bona Fide Darling: To start off with... who are your favorite bands, what do you listen to most?

Dirk Fowler: Always start with the hardest question, right? I’m pretty old school really. I listen to a lot of Ramones, The Clash, stuff like that. I really like very old country and bluegrass too, Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, Stanley Bros., etc. Don’t get me wrong though, I listen to tons of new stuff too. Today, I am listening to a band called Delta Spirit.

BFD: You started off as a musician, then went into advertising, then to teach at Texas Tech... kind of an odd route to where you are now. What do you think you learned along the way that you use in gig poster design?

DF: Well, though I played a little music in my time, I would never really consider myself a “musician”. I think my years in advertising have made me appreciate making design like concert posters a lot more. It was very stressful, I worked tons and I wasn’t always excited about the projects I had to work on. I’m also much more mellow about things now. Spending a few years in advertising will help you see what is really important in life. Teaching has been great. I enjoy being around the students great deal. It is very satisfying to see them graduate and become successful designers and know you played at least a little role in that.

BFD: Has anyone ever told you that you resemble Mike Mills from REM? I didn't just bring up something bad did I?

DF: I suppose there are worse people you could have compared me to, but no, you are the first to tell me that.

BFD: How did you get your start in gig poster design?

DF: Like most, I started doing flyers for local bands and venues. I made a trip to Nashville in the late 90s to visit Hatch Show Print. After that, I was hooked on letterpress and within a few months, I had a press and started making prints.

BFD: You use a letterpress for you work, how similar is it to working with screen printing?

DF: Really, the only similarity is that you are printing by hand and not through digital means. In screen printing, you push ink through a mesh and onto the paper. Letterpress is printing from a raised surface. The ink is applied to the raised plate and the paper is pressed against it, transferring the image.

BFD: What is your design process like? Do you sketch, then clean it up on a computer an press it out?

DF: Yes, that is basically what I do. I usually make sketches that are scanned and then redrawn/cleaned up on the computer. I print out paper templates that I use to hand cut the printing plates. I am not anti-computer, I use it all the time, I just don’t get much enjoyment form sitting in front of it. I use it mostly like it were a drawing table. I use it to assemble and rearrange.

BFD: Who was the first big name band you worked with?

DF: Well, I had done a few bigger names like Modest Mouse and The Decemberists (before they were known) through the venue, but the first really big band to hire me directly was probably Wilco. I’ve done quite a bit for them over the years.

BFD: How long did it take before they started coming to you?

DF: I was pretty lucky. Not long really, only a couple of years.

BFD: Are you surprised by the rise in gig poster popularity? What do you attribute it to?

DF: I’m really amazed at how big it has gotten. It seems like everyone is doing it now. I think it is just that music people really like having a visual to connect with their favorite band or to commemorate a great show they went to. It also seems that over the past few years, their is a section of people who really appreciate things that are made by hand. Look at the popularity of screen printing in general now and websites like Etsy, etc.

BFD: Fonts are really important in a design, maybe as much as the graphic. How do you decide on what font to use?

DF: I used to be really snobby about type, but being a letterpress printer has gotten me over that quite a bit. I really depend on just a few fonts and it happens to be what cases I own in metal and wood. I decide now based more on what size I need than what the type looks like or what it is named. That being said, I do quite a bit of hand lettering mostly based on wacky old display type. I have never really been able to explain how to pick the right type for anything, it just seems to work out for me most of the time. I will say that for me, it is usually a matter of choosing or creating something that compliments rather than competes with the image.

BFD: Do you have a favorite piece that you have done? What about one you wish you would have done differently?

DF: I suppose my Loretta Lynn print is still my favorite. In some ways, it sort of set a standard for what people expect my posters to look like, which is sometimes difficult. Not sure I can single out one I wish would have done differently. Probably some of my earlier posters, but I really try not to look back and regret, instead just move on to the next one. They are all building blocks. One day I will make a really good poster.

BFD: How do you deal with a client that wants a change to a piece that you think would be detrimental to the design?

DF: Like I said earlier, I think I have mellowed out quite a bit over the years. One thing I try to do now is actually listen to the client and not just brush off what they have to say. I think a lot of the time designers tend to think we are the only ones with good ideas. Most of the time the suggestions can be worked with. Sometimes a challenge from the client can actually make your work better. I’ve had situations where a suggestion was made that I just knew was wrong, and then I tried it and I’ll be damned if it wasn’t a good idea after all. I would probably do it and try to explain to them why it doesn’t work. If it is a case where we just are not able to see eye to eye, I might suggest another designer they can work with. This hasn’t happened too many times in my career, but I think it is important for both parties to be happy. Life is too short to hate what you are doing. There will always be another project and another client.

BFD: Do you have any horror stories about horrible "nameless" clients?

DF: How much time do I have? No, actually I have had mostly good experiences. Most of the things I thought were horrible at the time, looking back were pretty much nothing. One of my favorite times was years ago I had worked all night on some comps for an ad campaign. I sent it to the client and later that afternoon she faxed it back to our office. Her only feedback was the word YUK! (yes, spelled that way), written in sharpie across the ads. Do I miss advertising? No.

I haven’t had the best luck designing CD covers either. On at least two different occasions, I have designed an entire jewel case package and had it ready to go to the printer, only to be told “We’ve changed our mind. Our drummer is a pretty good drawer and we are going to let him do the art.” What are you going to do?

BFD: Any words of wisdom you can give to aspiring graphic designers?

DF: You just have to work really hard. It could take years to get to a point where you are getting the kind of work you really want. You simply have to hang in there. Wading through the muck will build up huge muscles in your legs and eventually you can use those huge leg muscles to jump over everyone. Oh, and also wear comfortable shoes.

BFD: Finally, do you have an opinion on what happened with Mike Leach? What do you think the Red Raiders chances are of being good next year?

DF: I’m not a huge football fan, but it was definitely big news here in Lubbock. My opinion is that anytime someone thinks they are too big and powerful to have to play by any rules, bad things usually happen. This is what happened on both sides of the fence as far as I can tell. I suspect that with a high profile guy like Tuberville, they will be OK. The more people there are at the stadium, the easier it is for me to eat at a restaurant on game day.

Designed To Rock

Hello, boys and girls. Today we get to peek inside the mind of graphic designer Steve St. Pierre. I first took notice of Steve when designed all the great posters you use to see for the gigs sponsored by My Old Kentucky Blog.

Bona Fide Darling: What inspires you for a gig poster design? Band, music or venue?

Steve St. Pierre: It's usually the music that puts me in the mindset. Once I'm assigned a project, I won't sit down right away and hash it out, even if I think I've got an idea that hits the nail on the head. I'll put the music on and go about some other business - but it design-related or cleaning out my refrigerator. I'll keep the poster in the back of my mind, then eventually hunker down and sketch out some ideas, still with the music playing.

BFD: What tools do you use to create your designs?

SSP: Always starts with a pen and paper. Just lightly sketching out some ideas. Then, depending on the style of poster I've got, I'll either open Photoshop and Illustrator and go to town. No tablet for me - I'm all mouse, baby. For now, at least.

BFD: What skills do you think a good graphic designer should have?

SSP: An eye for the small things. It's those that count. You can have the big idea, but I find it's usually a bunch of really small great ideas that make up the big one, you know? This is also a curse, because you'll never be able to look at the world the same way again. You'll notice every nook and cranny and their shapes and how things fit together. It's kind of nice, actually.

BFD: You were, at one time, doing gig posters for My Old Kentucky Blog... how did that come about?

SSP: Dodge, the head honcho for MOKB, put (essentially) an open casting call looking for designers. I was a fan of his blog, so I wrote him and he asked for some work. The first piece I did was for the Rosebuds, and then another for Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. He dug the work, so he kept sending projects my way - which was pretty great because that work got me some jobs with some pretty decent clients (like the Monolith Music Festival). Dodge is a good dude.

BFD: You are web designer by trade, how do you think those skills translate into graphic design?

SSP: I actually studied advertising in school and started out doing small print projects for family and friends (usually how most people get going). Only recently was I scooped up by a web design firm as their lead designer. But as much as people say the two mediums are completely different, I don't like to treat them as such. I'm all about simplicity and grids and such. I love type, I love colour, I love shapes - and all those things appear on both sides of the spectrum.

BFD: What bands or artist do you most want work with?

SSP: In all honesty, as much as I would love to do pieces for my favourite artists and bands (like Bon Iver), I'm more excited about working with my pals in the local scene here in Ottawa like the Love Machine and Amos the Transparent and Paramedics. There's so much great talent and if I'm able to create designs and packaging and posters and such for them that'll help get them noticed, I'm all for it. It may not pay as well, but that's what the day job is for, right?

BFD: Are your designs based on something you've previously sketched out or are they based on the project?

SSP: Sometimes I'll have some ideas that I lock away for the perfect project. But I usually feel more accomplished if I think of an idea after the project lands on my desk. I don't know why that is - maybe it sort of feels like I'm cheating the other way? I don't know. Maybe I'm just an idiot.

BFD: Do you have designers that inspire you?

SSP: First and foremost, I'm a huge Charley Harper fan. It may not reflect in my work, but let me tell you - that man's work is something else. As for contemporaries, I love the guys at Doublenaut, Invisible Creature, Frank Chimero, Aaron Draplin, Aesthetic Apparatus, and Jason Munn. I've sent all of these guys emails along the line and all of them have been kind enough to shoot back words of encouragement. I really hope I get the chance to do the same.

Designed To Rock

In today's second installment of "Designed To Rock," we talk with Round Rock, TX gig poster designer, Todd Slater. Todd has designed for a variety of different artists ranging from Green Day to Elvis Costello. You can check out his portfolio of work here.

Bona Fide Darling: How long have you been designing?

Todd Slater: Well, I graduated in 2003 from Stephen F. Austin and worked in a t-shirt shop for a couple of years before going freelance. I've been designing professionally for seven years now.

BFD: What was the first design you did for a major band? How did you get that gig?

TS: It was for Pretty Girls Make Graves and it was a show at the Trocadero in Philadelphia. I knew from gigposters.com that the Troc commissioned tons of silkscreened posters and I was able to finally track down their promoter after numerous phone calls and emails.

BFD: What is your preferred medium to work in?

TS: All hand-pulled silkscreen if possible.

BFD: Why do you think there has been such a boom in screen print rock poster sales over the last several years?

TS: Several major books have come out on the subject: Art of Rock & Art of Modern Rock which have helped. I think that bands selling their music digitally has put less emphasis on album art and that posters can fill that void for some.

BFD: Is there a band you would really want to work with?

TS: Man, so many. Bob Dylan is really high on my list. Tom Waits and Beck too. I'd also really like to do a Fiery Furnaces print and a Daniel Johnston print. There's tons really. Ween was a big reason I got into poster art and I've been fortunate to get to work with them on many projects.

BFD: Are your concepts driven from the band, their songs or neither.

TS: It's evolving actually. When I first began everything was driven by a single song or a theme on the band's album. I think I focused on this because I wanted to make sure people "got it". I sort of feared people (or the bands) staring at my prints with blank expressions on their faces. In the past couple of years I've focused on that less and just concentrated on vibe and feeling and mood and atmosphere when working on a print. I think it can be better to make the imagery difficult sometimes.

BFD: Do you prefer to hand design or computer design your projects?

TS: It's an even mix I'd say since everything starts as a sketch. I use programs like illustrator and photoshop to refine and polish those sketches. A wacom is a really handy tool for drawing I must say and I wonder if I'll move to that full time at some point.


BFD: Is there an artist you wouldn't want to work with?

TS: Haha...well, yes. There are bands I don't listen to that I've done work for but I can't give you a list. Eventually, I'll detail every bad experience I've had in a retrospective or book but now is not the time to go scorched earth. It will happen though and I will spare no details.

BFD: What drew you to graphic design?

TS: Failure to develop as a painter? I'm kidding (sort of). I think my work has an equal balance of design and illustration. I'm interested in both equally and making prints has been the right balance for me. There's also some sort of boldness and immediacy in graphic design that I'm attracted too.

BFD: My brother and I have a debate as to what make a good rock poster. He feels that they have to be screen printed and not any type of photograph. Where do you fall in this debate for the ages... and poster nerds.

TS: This is a pretty common feeling, your brother is not alone. Screen-printing is a must I agree, but photography has it's place in rock posters. I use stock photos quite a bit in what I do. Poster art is evolving and while I agree that most of the greatest posters are illustrated I can't rule out photography.

BFD: Any tips for aspiring designers out there?

TS: Trust your instincts and make a poster that is as important to you as the music you're creating it for.

Designed To Rock

Today we're starting a new feature here on BFD that will be recurring somewhat regularly. As much passion as I have for music, I have the same amount of passion for graphic design of all kinds... advertising art, web design, stencil design and especially rock n' roll poster design. Our hope is to have Q&A's with some of our favorite designers around North Texas and the nation.

In the beginning when I first became interested in graphic design I was drawn to the work of Ames Bros, since then my taste has changed a little. Currently my favorite designer around is Jason Munn who designs for his own design company, The Small Stakes. I first saw his work in a design book I have, I Googled him and found his web site and from there... that was it. There are a lot of talented designers around the country and in the DFWd area, but, Jason is my favorite one around right now.

So, I'm absolutely thrilled to present a little Q&A he took part in this week... enjoy.

Bona Fide Darling: How long have you been designing and why did you get into graphic design?

Jason Munn: I've been designing pretty consistently for about the past 8 or so years. I worked in a couple different studios for awhile before going out on my own about 6 years ago. I got into design through growing up skateboarding and listening to punk and independent music. Skateboard graphics, magazines and album covers were really my introduction to art and design and after going to school for a couple of years as a fine art major I was steered in graphic design by a teacher of mine and things began to click a little.

BFD: What is your approach to each poster design? Do you feel like the band, venue or band's subject matter hold any importance to your designs?

JM: The band holds the greatest importance to me, but sometimes locations of shows and so on can play a role. I approach each design essentially the same way, research and listen to the band and do a lot of sketches and see what I can pick up on.

BFD: You use a lot of nature in your pieces--bugs as instruments and what not. Do you get a lot of inspiration from nature?

JM: I don't think I do, but I must in some way. I'm just trying to come up with something appropriate for the band and I know natural objects are used quite a bit in my work, so there is usually something in the music or identity of the band that will lead me this way.

BFD: Your Josh Ritter poster, where Idaho is a piano is one of my favorites of yours. Do you have a favorite you've done? Is there one you wish you could redo?

JM: Thanks, that was one of the rare posters where the artist or band had a request and Josh's was to have something to do with Idaho on the poster and I came up with the piano. I've got a few favorites, the couple I've done for The Books and for Deerhunter have always been some favorites. There are plenty I wish I could redo, or sweep under the rug.

BFD: How did you get your start working with bands and creating show posters?

JM: Most of my early posters were for a venue in Berkeley, CA called The Ramp. It was located in the basement of a church and the shows were quite small, and really amazing. Some friends of mine booked the shows there and they asked me to make all the posters. There was typically 1 - 2 shows a month, so the shows were pretty special and unique. Deerhoof, Why?, Damien Jurado, and Animal Collective were some of the shows to play at the The Ramp. Unfortunately, the venue only lasted a year, but I've continued to work with some of the bands that played there.

BFD: Is there a band you would like to work with that you haven't had a chance to work with yet?

JM: I actually don't think about this too much, but TV On The Radio is one band I haven't had a chance to do anything for that I would really be happy to create a design for.

BFD: You have a very particular style, your designs have a very clean and minimalist feel. Do you think that style works best for the bands you've worked with?

JM: I'm just trying to come up with ideas that work for the band, whether it is clean or minimal is not exactly the goal, but my ideas can be pretty subtle sometimes and adding more aspects to a design can make it feel confusing and the idea can be lost quickly, so I typically try to keep to what is needed to convey the idea or mood.

BFD: Do you approach your designs differently for publications than you do for music?

JM: Not really, my approach is pretty much the same. Sometimes other client work can have more guidelines in general, which is sometimes welcome.

BFD: Would you rather design for a band or venue? Which one would be better?

JM: Most I've my work is through the band, but I occasionally do work through venues, but the bands typically approve the designs either way, so its becoming one in the same.