I'll Take You Under My Wing

How many different ways are there to say, "I love this frigging band." I say it a lot, but I totally mean it every single time I say it. Depeche Mode are so cool. Urgh. They're urgh-cool. And I love this frigging band. As I said before, their early synthpop material was my gateway and I love it a lot. But every era is brilliant and so extremely danceable. Even, I apprehensively admit, the grungy stuff. And when I say danceable, I mean that Dave Gahan might be my most favorite dancing frontman ever. Because what IS that, even???

I'm really proud of this one. This piece is a triumph for me because it's the first time I've really executed a work in this linework-preserving style with total conviction. I pulled my color palette from the cover of Black Celebration, which features yet another of my knockout favorites, "Question of Time."

Here are some preparatory sketches of Dave and Martin Gore:

How remarkable is this band for having not one, but TWO outrageously beautiful vocals?! When I first saw what they looked like, I remember being really amused that such a big voice came out of cute little Dave. And then there's that amazing sort of effortless vibrato that both Dave and Martin do. I'd certainly put the both of them up there on the list of mind-bending singers with Kate Bush. That's voice-coach-level complicated. And lemme tell ya, between the impossible singing and the arm-dancing, you will never see anything with more idiotic abandon than me singing along with a Depeche Mode song. Also, upcoming album!!!! Anway. Bless these black-clad heroes. (P.S. Hear ye, hear ye: Fletch is my hair idol. Bless also his ginger locks.)

"It's just a question of time.
It should be better.
It's just a question of time.
It should be better with you."

And make sure that he's hungry...

Whereas I find about 99.9% of eighties pop music irresistible in some way or another, I'm far less generous toward the sixties and seventies because of folky singer-songwriter types. Not dislike, necessarily. Mostly boredom. But I make automatic exceptions for weirdos. And who's weirder than old Neil? Well, okay plenty of others. But I'm especially keen on his particular brand of weirdness. Like his questionable singing voice-- like George Harrison, only shriller. And his experimental early eighties albums over which his record company sued him (because they weren't Neil Young enough). And-- though I've still not yet seen it and it's apparently a huge disaster-- his film Human Highway, which features one of my favorite DEVO songs/videos ("Worried Man").

So anyway here's another very quick, very loose drawing. This time of Neil Young, who can do whatever the hell he wants!

The Landscape is Changing

A quick, very loosely referenced Depeche Mode. I know Depeche have moved on to bigger, better, more sultry, more intense things since; but I have a special affection for their third album, Construction Time Again. I was infatuated with "Everything Counts" when I first heard it, and it remains one of my absolute DM favorites to this day. Along with other supremely tasty tracks like "Shake the Disease." Anything in which the band are knocking on sheets of metal and banging pipes together, really.

"'Cause I don't care if you're going nowhere.
Just take good care of the world."

To You It May Be Death Defying

I've wanted to do a Neil Finn piece since day one. It took me something like eight years to finally get around to it, but here he is! I've got a hefty list somewhere of similar ideas saved for later. Things I felt too daunted to approach then. Now I know of course that you just have to do it or you'll never do it.

My introduction to Split Enz was an attraction to their unique blend of proggy strangeness and pop accessibility. The poppiness got a huge boost when baby Neil Finn got on board, and the Finn brothers together are like candy for the ears. The band's exciting visual aesthetic, courtesy of spoon-playing hero Noel Crombie, has been permanently ingrained into my brain's palette.

As for Neil Finn, well, what can I say? One of my absolute favorite vocalists ever. There's just something about a soulful belter. See also: Glenn Tilbrook, Cyndi Lauper, etc. But as if the killer voice weren't enough, there's also his songwriting. Devastatingly emotive but not sickly sweet, with an edge and a rawness.

Some of my other favorite bands imploded or fizzled out. Split Enz had the wisdom to call it a day on their terms, which is the best you can ask for. "I Walk Away" is a beautiful song that you can mold to just about any adversity in your own life and have it fit just perfectly. Neil did the tune with Crowded House after the Enz closed out with it. Both versions are brilliant, but the driving, syncopated, hiccuping Split Enz version (with Noel's fingerprints all over the promo video) especially slays me. It's such a lovely way to say so long.

"Reveal whatever you desire.
To you it may death defying.
Your life a slave to ambition.
Tension your permanent condition.
So much you've always wanted.
Too much giving you a sore head.
Finally marching to a different tune."

Requisite-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t

Just a quick study of the World's Nicest Man, Michael Palin. Still my favourite Python after all these years. (Alongside Gilliam, of course.) Am I a heretic if I say his travel shows are on the same level as Python??? Anyway he certainly blows Rick Steves out of the water. Yep, I said it.

Shut It!

Some more Top of the Pops studies. A watercolor variation on the old liner technique. My favorite way to work, currently.

Dance Stance

Are "Friends" Electric?

I Just Can't Be Happy Today

My winter nights are so much cold-uhhhh.

After the frustration of my last piece, I decided to back up and do some studies.

I get jaded. All of my favorite visual artists stick with more or less the same aesthetic throughout their entire careers. And their work is always fresh and amazing. How do they do it? I leaned a bit too heavily on my liner marker/ colored pencil technique for a couple years and had to step away from it for a solid year. This isn't the right paper for it, but here is its apprehensive return. So, how the heck DO you keep it fresh?! As Martin Fry would croon beneath his immaculate flop of golden hair, "I don't know the answer to that question! If I knew I would tell you..." Hmm.

Shake the Disease

Sound of the Crowd

Thrown Away