It's amazing what you find when you're looking for something else. This is the original artwork and proof sheet for the first poster I produced for Michael Clark @michaelclarkco back in 1986. Yes, those are my hands photocopied for the background.
—
Gerard, I know you'll be especially delighted to see this still exists. @thevoodoopoodle
Searching through the archives, looking for something else entirely, in my yet to be organised storage unit, I found this artwork for the very first piece of stationery for my then recently formed business ASSORTED iMaGes. It dates back to mid 1979, I believe, and features the capitalisation of my initials in 'iMaGes' which Ai now no longer uses since it doesn't accurately reflect the partnership I formed with Kasper de Graaf under that name a few years later.
Richard Boon, @booniepops founder of New Hormones records, and former manager of Buzzcocks, first coined the name, which I happily adopted, as a summation of the many variations of name utilising words beginning with 'A' that appeared as my design credits on numerous record sleeves for a few years.
The first iteration was 'Arbitrary Images' which was the design credit on my first record sleeve design, for Buzzcocks' single 'Orgasm Addict' in 1977.
Sublime: Manchester Music & Design 1976-1992.
Exhibition Catalogue, Manchester Cornerhouse, 5th September - 18th October 1992.
Just after I left college in York I took a trip to Manchester to hang out in the City and visit all the music and clothes shops…Afflecks Palace, Piccadilly Records, Eastern Bloc etc
Whilst walking around the city I stumbled on an exhibition called Sublime. That moment changed my life.
Not only was I immersed in the work of my heroes - @farrowlondon@farr0wm , Saville, Kelly, @beingmalcolmgarrett , Johnson Panas…I walked into one room and clocked a physical structure (the rest of the work was in frames on the walls) it was the handmade artwork for 8vo’s ‘The Guitar & Other Machines’ - layers of plate glass with different graphic elements stuck to individual sheets of glass…hand drawn Helvetica…rules…photographic cut-outs…it made a lasting impression on me.
The Mac has just arrived and I knew my future was offline.
#swissgrit #noai #manchestermusic #musicdesign #graphicdesigncentral
Yesterday I gave a talk on graphic design and future careers in the creative industries to several classes studying 'creative' subjects at The Derby High School in Bury.
Great to speak with a full room of about 150 learners. The school has a great approach to including creativity in the curriculum, especially at this time when so many subjects are under pressure. I was given a tour of the workshops, including 3D modelling, art, drama and music. Really impressive facilities, way better than was available to me when I was at school.
Many thanks to Mrs Henrys and the rest of the excellent staff.
@thederbyhighschool@speakers4schools@futuresforall.uk
Just picked up my copy of Barry Adamson's latest release, which has been waiting for me to collect from my favourite northern vinyl store, Wax&Beans in Bury. And it's a gem. Barry, this is a really successful evocation of those all night screenings of beach movies, or 3D 50s horror movies, that I went to when the cinema was still in a basement on Scala Street – just around the corner from the first Assorted Images studio on Tottenham Court Road. Another gem of a disc Mr Adamson! Now I must seek out the film itself.
––
@adamsonbarry@waxandbeans@scalaldn
Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
Troxy, London
10 April 2026
Seven mysterious, voiceless Canadian men and a woman (hope my gender assignment is ok) play noisily and emphatically in the dark, building crescendos from drones, and finally ending on reverberating feedback after everyone has left the stage.
The sound of the suburbs: John Grindrod interviewed by Karen McLeod, relating how stories from his latest book 'Tales of the Suburbs' came together. Lovely evening at Bookseller Crow in Crystal Palace yesterday. Really looking forwarding to reading now.
So good to see the best bookshop in South London holding up so well after the death of co-owner Jonathan Main last year. Huge shout out to Justine for keeping it together resiliently.
@booksellercrow@johngrindrod@therealkarenmcleod #keepreadingbooks
