My extremely dated eighties illustration appeared in W or maybe DNR magazine, I dunno, I was out every night at the time until the sun came up. I am however certain that the bottom illustration appeared in DNR as I still have the faded issue.
I do not have a wistful longing for my misspent youth but was recently sent reeling back in time by La Roux, a UK duo made up of singer Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid. They are heavily influenced by 1980s British synthpop, that's club music to you and me. I wore the same hairstyle featured in this video at Les Bains Douches in Paris as a young man, it is also the same hairdo worn by the dentist in the classic claymation Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
It is sweltering here in NYC and I am sick of the air conditioning so I have opted to open the windows and play Bulletproof, loud. I have not annoyed the neighbors in years. Thank you La Roux.
36 comments:
well said buddy! im missing summer so to hear how HOT it is there makes me really MISS SUMMER LOVING :)
X
wow.....;-)
oh the 80s. How I miss them. It was really quite acceptable behaviour then to stay out all night in clubs. I miss those days. Great clip, have not seen it before although heard the song.
I love the illustration you remind me of Morgan from
Ah ha, that was one of my favourite all time music videos .. yes La Roux is cool.
Not having neighbours I have forgotten the pleasure of entertaining them with my music, instead its my cock crowing that reaches the village :) xx
I know La Roux. And I know the music of the 80s. Great song.
When I need some loud music to clear my brain, I always take some Alice Cooper...you know him? I painted him, maybe I'll post it this week...
And I do have a longing for my misspent youth *LOL* because between the age of 10 and 19 I was extremely shy. I almost didn't speak. And had absolutely NO self-confidence. So...misspent time. I did my school..okay. I read all of Dostojewskij...fine. And I painted a lot..great. But nothing else.
It became better when I came to uni. And started working. It's much better now but I still need to be more self-confident and talkative :-))).
I've always had the same haircut as I have now. I hate hairspray and I don't like hairdressers.
Love La Roux and your photos.
I'd like to have lived in the 80s, I have always like them. :)
XX
Just photographed Alice. I'll post him today, I think.
Yeah. I'm happy to have lived in the 80s. It was...strange clothing and hairstyles but...nice...and fun. I wore bright yellow leggings with a pink tee...And white-blue Nike's.
Yes, now all of this takes me back and like you was out every night in a new outfit whipped up that afternoon.
I think the first illustration is by Antonio who did all the drawings for the Missoni ads. I tore them all out of magazines and they are floating around somewhere.
I can't understand how I can entertain you and how you can be bored in NYC...
In summer I can't write, I'm spending the summer at the beach, there I haven't internet.
P.D: I love your form of writing.
XO
Hey David Toms, thanks for the comment. You have a very good eye but the illustrations are mine. I interned and eventually became an assistant to Antonio Lopez back in the day so naturally my early work reflects that. For you to mistake my work for his is a compliment.
Click on Antonio Lopez in my categories box to read the full story.
How cool that you interned under the great Antonio! And how equally wonderful that you have since developed into your own brilliant style.
Now, about the hair. It was around this time that I was doing make up in a trendy hair salon in the Georgetown section of Washington DC. Working in a salon, combined with the fact that I had (and have) a ton of thick, course hair; needless to say, my hair was not my own. Many was the day I would be at work and look over to notice a couple of hairdressers looking at me and whispering to each other. This would be followed by one of them giving me the crooked finger thing (international symbol for "come here"), and a new creation would be born. Your top illustration brought to mind the best (?) of these. It was some kind of a modified mullet (or "achey-brakey lesbian hairdo" as I've always called it) that had graduated spikes on top, short and slicked on the sides, but with a perfectly executed french braid down the back. An attention getter as I twirled on the dancefloor that night to be sure.
Couldn't be happier about your blog, thanks.
Thank you
:-)))))))).
What a coincidence.
Finding a friend after a long time is wonderful.
I go to Berlin tomorrow to visit my best friend from the early 90s. The first time I've seen a disco from the inside was with him.
I met him in Berlin two years ago, after so many years, and tomorrow will be the second time.
:-)))
fierce! luv it!
Your post takes me back--not to the 80's, but to New York. I lived there for 5 years--gone now. Don't miss the neighbors and their loud Bulletproof, but I do miss the sweltering hot days in summer when we'd head out to Long Beach. I miss the Atlantic ocean. I had no idea the Pacific would be so different...
David, I thought I could see a strong similarity, and it seems that Antonio's talent has certainly rubbed off on to you. Read your post and wow, what an absolutely fascinating time you must have had. I love your illustrations and it is nice to see how your style has developed. I occassionally touch on illustration on my blog as well, and now you are the inspiration on a post on Vertes. Stay tuned
Ah David, this post brings back lots of memories, mainly staying out all night, whilst sporting truly outrageous hairstyles!
Have not been around much, having computer nightmares, also can't reply to your e mail as our server seems to be incompatible with AOL.
Keep cool, I suggest a very big Southern style ceiling mounted fan.
XXX
I love that hair look. Amazing!
yes i remember these kind of illustrations doing it big in the 80's...use to love them. still do.
What happened to the 80s?!
Well, I have an award for you here!
http://ilove2paint.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-award-o.html
Your work is really good. I love your shadows on the last one. It's looks amazing.
Mads
I'm trying to like La Roux...the bulletproof refrain drives me bonkers. But, she has amazing style. Love the last image.
I love these illustrations!!!
xx
Johanna, Sweden
ART, http://johannaurban.blogspot.com/
Loved looking around here and your illustrations are really bold, but look effortless. they flow!
thanks for coming by my PS blog and leaving a comment. the are all created using brushes and filters with Photoshop. I am new at this and am I painter first.
Since I love color I am finding PS incredible!
the beauty of your blacks and whites are so rich!!
Oh, thank you for that wonderful look back! How I miss the 80's! My hair was soooooo big!!! Sigh!
Just wanted to stop by and thank you for visiting and following my blog. I really, really appreciate it! I'm following you back, cheers!!
Gotta love those 80s. Fabulous artwork!
Great illustrations. Love the hair. I've seen that video at least twice and I'm still trying to figure it out. I guess my 51 years has dulled my senses when it comes to this type of music. I've gone back a little further in my longing for nostalgia to the 70's soul music! Ha Ha!
Have a great one!
639...shit. Maybe I *talk* too much for Wordless Wednesdays....haha!
Great to see you! Time on the porch was divine-looking forward to next time. :)
Kelly
XO
Hi David- Thanks for popping over- love your blog - right back atcha- I am dying to know your creepy doll story! Cranked up the volume on video- got everyone up and running! Thanks!
If you do not want to broadcast your creepy doll story E me:
Lindahoof@comcast.net
Good heavens! the cool Linda Sue got here just before me.
I can scarcely respond to the hair illustrations except to admire them.
God, it is disgustingly hot here.
Loved your ABC story.......you should have sued, I think.
As per plants, I have adopted a miniscule square of baked earth round a tree outside the SVA theater on 23rd st where I guerilla garden.
They have been having Latino film festival and someone stepped on my potato vine.....
But squirrels ate my neighbor's clean to nothing (vine that is...)
Thank you for you kind comments on my blog.
the illustrations are great as usual
the first one is my fave
im very much in-love with anything from the 80's
kisses A.
It took me many hours of thinking what to say about your comment. Because a thank you isn't enough.
I'm very happy that you like what I'm doing because for me you are a great artist, so...it feels somehow like...when my art professor at the university told me for the first time that it was good what I did.
One day he invited me and some other students to his house to watch him working. That was the day when he became my favourite artist. He is a bit influenced by Dalà and a highly esteemed artist in Germany.
You are my second fav. I mean it. And when I posted my how-I'm-drawing-post today (someone asked me to do some pictures of me while drawing and that's really how it looks like) I thought about that I would like to watch how you work.
It's funny but Birdland, 44th between 8th and 9th, suggested us last year to play there this year in october. The other part of our jazz-blues-soul-duo, my guitarist works for a hudge american sweets company and that's why he had to go to NY last year and I decided very spontaneously to come with him to visit the Met Opera, some museums and Birdland (they gave us seats in the middle of the first seat row - ! - and the concert was fantastic). But we can't manage it for job reasons. My guitarist has to work too much in october and it's such a long and expensive flight.
But great to know that you would come to hear me singing if we could manage to perform there.
:-)
I love that you referenced David Bowie and the claymation dentist all in one breath. Brilliant.
its really great.
As soon as I saw your 80s fashion I had to post this:
http://bit.ly/cvbu3K
c.1982 my high school self was very into The Face, Siouxsie, and Vivienne Westwood. I think I was the only kid in Queens who was.
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
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