Posters, each 60" x 40" designed by Barney Bubbles for the October 1977 Stiff Records UK tour Live Stiffs. Photography: Chris Gabrin.

Exhibits in Chris Gabrin's exhibition at Dimbola Lodge, Isle Of Wight.

Chris Gabrin’s exhibition From Hear To Photography includes a doozy for Barney Bubbles fans – for the first time since their creation more than three decades ago, Bubbles’ huge Live Stiffs poster designs are displayed together.

Each measuring 60″ x 40″, the posters are among the best examples of Bubbles’ vivid application of colour. Their Warholian fizz captures the energy of Britain’s new wave scene at its height.

Photo: Chris Gabrin.

Photo: Chris Gabrin.

The exhibition at Dimbola Lodge on the Isle Of Wight presents Gabrin’s 70s music work. In this period his photography was used in many Bubbles’ designs.

“About a third of the 70 or so exhibits are based around work I did with Barney,” says Gabrin, who points out that the show was the brainchild of Brian Hinton, curator at Dimbola Lodge (once the home of 19th century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron).

“I first saw her work when I was at college in the late 60s,” adds Gabrin. “The museum and galleries are a charitable trust run by part-timers and volunteers. It’s a national photographic institution which deserves as much support as possible.”

Photo: Chris Gabrin.

Gabrin shot the poster portraits of Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Nick Lowe, Larry Wallis and Wreckless Eric during a photo-session for the Stiff Records’ autumn 1977 Live Stiffs UK tour.

This shoot produced a range of imagery which found its way into promotion, advertising and, in the case of the live album which followed, a couple of record covers.

Music press ad, 1977.

Music press ad, 1978.

Front cover, 12in sleeve, Stiffs Live Stiffs, various artists, Stiff Records, 1978.

Reissue, Music For Pleasure, 1980.

From Hear To Photography is on until October 2 at Dimbola Museum & Galleries,  Terrace Lane
, Freshwater Bay, Isle Of Wight.

Full details here.

]]> http://www.barneybubbles.com/blog/archives/5271/feed 1 http://www.barneybubbles.com/blog/archives/5232 http://www.barneybubbles.com/blog/archives/5232#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:38:30 +0000 Paul Gorman http://www.barneybubbles.com/blog/?p=5232

Poster, 60in x 40in, Live Stiffs tour, 1977.

This Larry Wallis poster design – one of five of the stars of the 1977 Live Stiffs tour – is among 20 or so examples of Barney Bubbles’ work included in Rude & Reckless, the punk and post-punk graphics exhibition opening tomorrow (July 21) at NYC’s Steven Kasher Gallery.

The show samples the collection of New York resident Andrew Krivine, who started accumulating records, posters, flyers and ephemera during family visits to the UK in the late 70s.

The teenage collector was given a fast-track to London’s music scene via his fashion entrepreneur cousin John Krivine, one of the founders of musician-haunted King’s Road boutiques Acme Attractions and Boy.

“Over the summers of 1977 and 1978  I became obsessed with punk, and was particularly drawn to Stiff Records and its extraordinary promotional materials,” says Krivine.  ”I visited the Stiff store several times and hoovered up whatever materials weren’t nailed down, in the process becoming a big fan of Barney’s work.”

The Bubbles designs in Rude & Reckless include two more of  the Live Stiffs posters as well as items relating to Elvis Costello, The Damned, Nick Lowe, The Rumour and Ian Dury & The Blockheads.

Rude & Reckless: Punk/Post-Punk Graphics 1976-1982 also features work by Michael Beal, Peter Christopherson, Nick Egan, Malcolm Garrett, Jamie Reid, Parched Art, Peter Saville, Linder Sterling and X3 Studios.

Full details and a selection of exhibits here.

Also opening tomorrow at the same gallery is Musicians, a show including portraits of many punk and post-punk artists by photographer Laura Levine.

Poster, 900mm x 750mm, 1978.

Barney Bubbles produced this striking poster for a performance of Vivian Stanshall’s one-off show An Evening At Rawlinson End at the London’s Collegiate Theatre (these days the Bloomsbury Theatre) in October 1978.

The grid overlaid an image of Stanshall aboard his favourite vehicle – the bicycle – in character as the “still unusual” Hubert Rawlinson.

Typically the multi-talented Stanshall created the artwork for his projects; in this case Bubbles’ assistant Diana Fawcett remembers handling the lettering for this poster to Bubbles design at their Shoreditch studio (which traded as Ditchwater Designs).

Neck + Neck sketches, sheet 1, side a, 1983.

Neck + Neck sketches, sheet 1, reverse, 1983.

Neck + Neck sketches, sheet 2, side a, 1983.

Neck + Neck sketches, sheet 2, reverse, 1983. Sketches from Glen Colson's collection.

A few years later Bubbles roughed out ideas for a curious album proposal concocted by Stanshall’s collaborator Glen Colson.

Stanshall provided the title Neck & Neck & Never Caught for Colson’s plan to devote a side each of a spoken-word LP to the distinctive voices of cricket commentator John Arlott and horse-racing broadcaster Peter O’Sullevan.

Sadly, this never reached fruition. It was intended as a follow-up to another Colson-guided spoken-word release, John Arlott Talks Cricket, which came out in December 1982 with a cover by Ralph Steadman and was promoted with another Bubbles poster.

Poster for John Arlott Talks Cricket, Charisma, 1983.

Detail, Neck + Neck sketches, 1983.

Front cover, Mango Crazy, Roger Chapman, RCA/Instant, 1983

Like all good commercial artists, Bubbles was never one to let a good idea go to waste. The multiple profile graphic sketched for Neck & Neck was developed for his wavering horizontal hold front cover for Roger Chapman’s fourth solo album, Mango Crazy, released in 1983.

Next up in Vinyl 180’s reissue campaign is a gatefold version of The Psychedelic Furs’ 1982 album Forever Now.

Like the 2002 reissue, this will utilise Barney Bubbles’ front and back cover designs for the UK release rather than the CBS art department’s lash-up job for the album’s first American manifestation.

This was imposed by the US record company’s marketing team to harmonise the sleeve with the look of the group’s previous albums (as investigated here).

There were also issues of legibility relating to Bubbles challenging use of colour and his “star” font; in the UK a star-shaped sticker conveying the title was slapped on front covers.

Band members, 12" inner, Forever Now, The Psychedelic Furs, CBS UK, 1982. Photography: Graeme Attwood.

Credits, 12" inner, Forever Now, The Psychedelic Furs.

UK label copy, 1982.

UK 24" x 24" poster, laminated paper, 1982.

Sticker, 4" width, 1982.

Artwork for inner gatefold of the forthcoming reissue. Courtesy Vinyl 180.

Vinyl 180’s version is released in August with Bubbles’ monochrome inner bag, a new label featuring the front cover artwork (the original had his circular title credit) and a gatefold remix of some of the original elements of the first UK issue (which included a poster of the front cover artwork).

For more details of Vinyl 180’s reissues, go here.

Thanks to Steve Young for providing the Vinyl 180 artwork.

Kosmo Vinyl has sent this photograph taken of himself with Barney Bubbles (centre) and an unidentified person (right)* in the west London offices of Stiff Records in 1977.

“I have no idea what we are looking at,” says Vinyl, the former plugger/publicist/ideas man for Dury and The Clash who later became a record producer.

“The way I’m holding whatever it is,  I’d say it’s a book or a magazine. I love the way it captures Barney’s enthusiasm and amazement.”

Vinyl has also provided some fascinating tales and insights into the creative partnership conducted between Bubbles and the late Ian Dury.

Having MC-ed dates on the autumn 1977 Lives Stiffs tour, Vinyl worked closely with Dury, who became Stiff’s priority act after the departure of co-founder Jake Riviera with Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

“I first met Barney at 32 Alexander Street (Stiff’s Paddington headquarters),” says Vinyl. “He was downstairs with his own little space in the back, by an old sink, very basic.

“At that time Stiff was half a dozen people, if that, and I was keen to pitch in. If records arrived and needed unloading, it was all hands on deck, from the top to the bottom (which was probably me).

“Anyway Barney and I just hit it off, we were fellow enthusiasts. I had no idea about artwork or design; I don’t think I had ever thought about how a record cover came about.

“Barney would be down there being very positive, working away in front of me and chatting, completely unfazed by anything else going on. If I ever had a spare few minutes I’d go and see what Barney was up to – he was always there and always working.”

" Ian Blockhead". Poster fold, 30cm x 21cm.

"Charley Blockhead".

"Norman Blockhead".

"Micky Blockhead".

Poster. 59cm x 64cm.

Vinyl also played an important part in a photo-session of Dury with members of his newly formed band The Blockheads. Shot by Chris Gabrin, the results were used in a series of Bubbles’ designs, including an  eight-part fold-out tour poster and promotional and advertising material.

Aged 20 with a sharp New Wave/retro look himself, Vinyl helped the musicians, who had been part of mid-70s good vibes outfit Loving Awareness, make the transition to the streetwise appearances demanded by the post-punk period.

Dury, of course, handled his own look, as did his singular colleague from Kilburn & The High Roads, saxophonist Davey Payne. Songwriter/keyboard-player Chaz Jankel was absent.

“I helped out with Norman (Watt-Roy, bass), Charley (Charles, drummer), Johnny (Turnbull, guitar) and Mickey (Gallagher, keyboards), although I didn’t think of it as styling at the time,” says Vinyl.

“It was more a case of, ‘Let’s lose that dodgy jacket and stack heel boots’. It was a two-way street; they pointed out things that I or someone else was wearing and would say, ‘I like that’. They recognised that sartorially they were out of touch, but were keen to catch up.”

With a few bob from Dury’s management Blackhill Enterprises, Vinyl bought some clothes and found other garments, including a double-breasted suit designed for Ian Dury by Malcolm McLaren in 1974 at the Kilburn’s then-manager Tommy Roberts‘ behest. This “SEX Original” suit was worn by Watt-Roy, though not for this shoot.

Reverse poster fold. Ian Dury.

Dury with Turnbull + Watt-Roy.

Charles, Dury, Turnbull, Payne, Gallagher + Watt-Roy.

Watt-Roy + Charles.

Poster reverse.

“Once Mickey got a pair of creepers and a haircut he was away,” says Vinyl. “In view of the album title, it was Dr Martens all round.”

The front of Bubbles’ fold-out tour poster replaced the group’s faces with the business end of Ronson electric shavers.

On the flip, Bubbles exposed the production process which surrounded pop promotion by featuring Gabrin’s contact sheets adorned with crop marks, selections and decorations.

The same portrait shots from the poster were also used in tour adverts in which the heads were replaced with the then-new Blockhead logo, while ads for New Boots & Panties!! used frames captioned with Dury’s alternate title suggestions (including “Don’t Fart Before Your Arse Is Ready” and “Be Savoury”).

As essayed in Reasons To Be Cheerful, Bubbles and Dury’s working relationship flourished as a result of their shared understanding of art and design.

“As far as I am aware, Barney had a complete free rein/reign over the artwork for Ian and The Blockheads,” says Vinyl.

“Whatever he delivered, Ian loved. There was mutual respect and appreciation. Ian spent seven years at art school and then did some teaching, so I think he knew as well as anyone, perhaps more so, how talented Bubbles was.

“To me, they saw themselves as equals and were very aware of the craft and hard work each put into their art.”

Tour advert, New Musical Express, May 6, 1978.

Ads from the shoot were featured in Process: The Working Practices Of Barney Bubbles at Chelsea Space, Sept/Oct 2010.

As also detailed in Reasons and here, Bubbles’ creation of the Blockhead logo emerged during his initial conversation with Dury.

“We wanted a logo that could be printed on t-shirts,” says Vinyl. “I clearly remember Barney told Ian he thought he had it before their telephone conversation was over. That was a maximum of five minutes from being asked, probably less.  Ian put down the phone and said, ‘He’s done it’.”

Vinyl says that Bubbles was jazzed that t-shirts bearing the logo were printed for the children of the band members and their management: “Barney loved the idea of kids wearing his design. I think it gave him some encouragement and perhaps the opportunity to do some very playful stuff.”

Few of Bubbles’ designs are more playful than the Tommy The Talking Toolbox ident for the band’s 1979 album Do It Yourself.

“Tommy was one of Ian’s absolute favourites,” declares Vinyl. “He couldn’t believe it when he first saw it. ‘Delighted’ would be an understatement.

“There weren’t many people Ian Dury trusted 100%. He’d been about a bit, but he trusted Barney completely.”

* CAN YOU IDENTIFY THIS PERSON? WE’VE ASKED AROUND AND NOBODY HAS COME UP WITH A NAME. IS IT IN FACT YOU? IF IT IS, GIVE US A SHOUT.

I was delighted to receive this boxed Blockhead watch recently.

Of course the typogram on the watch face – which emerges at twelve-fifteen and three o’clock – was designed by Barney Bubbles at the behest of the late Ian Dury, who said in Will Birch’s No Sleep Till Canvey Island:

“I phoned him and said, ‘I want a logo. It’s got to be black and white and square’. Then I heard somebody in his office say, ‘Wow’ and he said, ‘I’ve done it’.”

Bubbles’ reworking of the 30s Left Book Club logo was initially used on the label and advertising for Dury’s April 1978 single What Waste.

The logo appeared in adverts and the full range of merchandise, while the watch became a much sought-after promotional item.

Manufactured by Timex, it was presented in a blue plastic silver-embossed box complete with card envelope, purple nylon lining and a guarantee.

These days the logo is owned by The Blockheads, who are making it available on badges, t-shirts and as part of the Blockhead “life membership” pack.

Read an extract from Paul Laity’s introduction to the 2001 reissue of the Left Book Club Anthology here.

Thanks to Mushi Jenner for sending me the watch.

Barney Bubbles Inside out from Lisa Whitaker on Vimeo.

This 100-second career resume has been created by Lisa Whitaker, who is currently studying graphics at Leeds College of Art.

The DVD – housed in an “inside-out” sleeve and accompanied by a poster – came out of a course brief for a collection of 100 design objects in which she compiled album sleeves, including Bubbles’ design for Imperial Bedroom by Elvis Costello And The Attractions.

“I am fascinated by this talented man and his links to other creative people,” says Whitaker. “My moving image piece Barney Bubbles Inside Out pulls together the research and is aimed at graphic designers, record collectors and music lovers as a way of spreading the word about inspirational figure.”

Whitaker’s backgrounder on the project is here.

The enhanced, revised and updated new edition of Reasons To Be Cheerful is published in the UK this week.

With a remixed cover, the fully illustrated 224-page second edition of the acclaimed biography features many new elements.

There are nearly 60 fresh images in the new book: letters, postcards and photographs as well as sketches, designs and finished artwork for record sleeves, posters, stickers, drumheads, etc.

Paul Gorman has written a new author’s note and afterword summing up the impact of the first edition, and the commentary now includes a chat with foremost US designer Art Chantry about the relevance of Barney Bubbles’ artistic legacy to contemporary design. The new edition is published in the US in spring 2011.

A host of new contributors have been interviewed, from Wreckless Eric to “Record John” Cowell – Bubbles’ one-time room-mate and the half brother of Simon Cowell.

All chapters have been updated with freshly researched information, including never-previously published facts and quotes about Bubbles’ time at art school and his first full-time job at leading British commercial art studio Michael Tucker + Associates.

As an EXCLUSIVE, we are offering signed copies of the new book only from this blog, priced £18.99 plus £5 p&p UK.

Mail for info on postage to continental Europe and rest of world.

To buy your copy click on the button below or visit HERE for details.

Courtesy of Chelsea Space director Donald Smith, here are some more photos underlining what fun was had at last week’s private view for Process. These and others will soon appear on the Chelsea Space site.

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Video commissioner Cynthia Lole, Caz Facey, writer Nick Vivian and Jake Riviera view the exhibits.

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Donald Smith with writer Chris Salewicz and Jerry Dammers.

Designer Olaf Parker with writer/curator Paul Gorman.

Musician Leo Williams with Paprika and Leo Junior.

Painter and former Kilburn & The High Roads member Humphrey Ocean with the 1977 Psstt! ad featuring himself and Ian Dury.

Jake Riviera, music publisher Peter Barnes, Mick Jones and Nick Vivian.

Kate Moross and her VJing team.

Clothier Lloyd Johnson whispers to arts event organiser Michael Barnett while musician Bruce Marcus chats to the V&A’s Catherine Flood.

Mick Jones and Jerry Dammers.

Nick Lowe talks Barney.

Chelsea College’s Nobby Graham and Lloyd Johnson.

Writer/filmmaker Paul Tickell looks on as artist Bruce Maclean strikes a Blockhead pose.

Musician/writer Dave Barbarossa and his wife Alison view the music press ads.

Process: The working practices of Barney Bubbles uses the three areas of Chelsea Space to guide visitors through the methods by which this master designer realised his audacious creations.

And there’s a continuous soundtrack of the music for which he designed, from Cressida to Costello, from Hawkwind to The Damned, from Iggy Pop & James Williamson to Red Dirt.

In the entrance to Chelsea Space is selected ephemera – adverts, badges, music press ads, stickers – as well as books, magazines and other finished artwork and designs, including the rug made in the image of a panel on the cover of Brewing Up With Billy Bragg.

There is also a showreel of 10 of the videos directed by Bubbles (including two never publicly displayed before: Incendiary Device and Darling, Let’s Have Another Baby for Johnny Moped).

A face-off is conducted between Elvis Costello (in 1977’s Warholian 60″ x 40″ Live Stiffs poster) and Chuck Berry (in the form of the wall-mounted sculpture created by Bubbles for music publisher Peter Barnes) at each end of the ramp.

On the ramp wall are posters, sleeves and other exhibits denoting approaches, recurrent themes and areas such as art direction, colour usage, application of symbols, photographic treatment, geometric arrangement, etc.

In the main room there is no finished artwork, excepting a copy of Damned Damned Damned with it’s deliberate printing error, and an NME Book Of Modern Music to demonstrate from whence Bubbles was taking his design leads at the time of production.

Sketches and proposals, along with personal effects, influences, paintings and sketchbooks rest on plinths and trestles colour-schemed to a typically exuberant Bubbles palette.

The walls are lined with pen and ink artwork, PMTs (Photo Mechanical Transfers), proofs, proposals, paste-ups, photography, etc. There’s a guide to the technical aspects of producing artwork in the pre-digital age, as well as a professional CV.

If you get the chance, do drop by; we’re around a lot of the time so can be on hand to talk you through the show and answer any questions.

Video and music track listings for the show are available here.

All photos Donald Smith.