Alejandro Escovedo is a legend in my book. I was very happy to hear from Mark Pedini at the television program “Austin City Limits,” who told me my poster design and printing skills were being requested to make a very special poster for Mr. Escovedo’s appearance on their well-known live music broadcast.

Since making dozens of posters for Alejandro’s brother Mario Escovedo and his legendary band the Dragons (a few of which are published in The Art of Modern Rock poster book), I’ve been trying to put a really stellar piece together for Alejandro for a few years.

I told my good friend Lawrence “El” Colacion about the Alejandro poster. Lawrence is a well-known Mission / punk rock artist extraordinaire and a fan of Alejandro’s band “Rank and File.” He was over at Hangar 18 printing some cool sacred heart / punk rock art pieces. Lawrence said, “Dude, if you make a killer Lady of Guadalupe print – that would be perfect.” I ran with the idea. I gave my virgin a bit more figure, and went crazy on the hair. But that’s just how God’s mom looks to me.

This piece is a homage to a great musician, Alejandro Escovedo, my friendship with his brother Mario, and my friendship to “El” Colacion, my connection to the Mission art scene, my deep concern for the border politics in america that are running off the rails. I’d say this one sums up a lot for me. And in the end I’ve got none for sale, sorry, it’s too personal and I’m holding on to the very few I have.

Poster will be made available by Austin City Limits at the live taping for Alejandro Escovedo on Friday, May 7, 2010.

Alejandro Escovedo

Austin City Limits

Season 36 • KLRU • Studio 6A

Friday, May 7, 2010

Edition of 100

7 colors on archival cream paper

23″ x 35″

Signed and Numbered

Gov’t Mule’s night show during Jazzfest is a tradition dating back over 10 years. Following a one year absence last year, The Tradition Continues Friday April 30, 2010 when Gov’t Mule returns to New Orleans and plays the gorgeous Mahalia Jackson Theatre across from The French Quarter.

As the first theatre to reopen since Hurricane Katrina, The Mahalia Jackson recalls the vibe, beauty and spirit of The Saenger Theatre and The Orpheum, two of the band’s (and fans’) favorite venues and sites of truly memorable shows.

Joining Gov’t Mule will be 7 Walkers Featuring Bill Kreutzmann & Papa Mali.

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Gov’t Mule at The Mahalia Jackson Theatre, New Orleans

Friday, April 30, 2010

Edition of 200

7 colors on archival cream paper

15″ x 31″

Signed and Numbered

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I am releasing a very limited Artist Proof Edition

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$65 + $10 Shipping

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Here are some details of the poster I made for the event.

The Firehouse Goldenvoice Series of posters has reached number 100, with the promise of the next 100 posters and a bright future for the series ahead.

Many Thanks to David Lefkowitz for commissioning 100 posters for Goldenvoice, and making all this possible.

That’s why this pivotal poster includes numbers 100 and 101 in one piece designed and printed by Chuck Sperry and Dave Hunter.

The band on the poster is the Dark Star Orchestra, who recreate the music of the Grateful Dead. Dark Star Orchestra gathers the tribe – really most of the same people, their children and friends -  who inspired The Original psychedelic rock promoter Chet Helms to commission the very first modern rock posters by Stanley Mouse, Wes Wilson, Rick Griffin, Alton Kelley and Victor Moscoso.

The venue is the Regency which occupies the very same room -  then called the Avalon Ballroom -  where Mr. Helms promoted the first Grateful Dead shows for his production company, the Family Dog. It seemed appropriate to end the first 100 and begin the next 100 right where it all started.

In fact, when Dave and I delivered the posters on Friday to The Regency, there was Stanley Mouse with easel and canvas – painting a Skull and Roses – right in the lobby.

The inspiration for the poster is the Grateful Dead song “Sugar Magnolia” with it’s follow through to “Sunshine Daydream.”

With much respect and appreciation to the roots of the modern rock art poster, and with “next-level” design and printing techniques, Dave Hunter and Chuck Sperry present 100-101 – a psychedelic thank you, a friendly rock and roll IOU to the masters of the past, and a cheerful iridescent / metallic good morning to the future.

Dark Star Orchestra at The Regency

April 23 and 24, 2010

Firehouse Goldenvoice Series Number 100

Edition of 150

6 colors on archival cream paper

35″ x 23″

Signed and Numbered

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Regular Edition of 150

on archival cream paper

SOLD OUT

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Speckled Egg Edition of 20

on white with reflective white flecks paper

SOLD OUT

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Blue Wave Edition of 10

on blue with opalescent wave pattern paper

SOLD OUT

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White Marble Edition of 10

on white marble paper

SOLD OUT

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Dark Star Orchestra Photo Gallery

I’ve moved the additional photos of Dark Star Orchestra, here below, so it’s easier to reference each poster when they are released.

Below are two full sized photos with differing light effects (click to see larger):

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Below are detail photos of the three variants showing the corner of the image and paper style (click to see larger):

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Speckled Egg Variant (click to see larger):

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Blue Wave Variant (click to see larger):

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White Marble Variant (click to see larger):

Sometimes you get an idea and just have to go for it. So it was with Cypress Hill at the Warfield on April 20, 2010.

I printed 125 burlap sacks – of varying “quality.” I’ll put it this way, burlap is an unforgiving print substrate. It’s not exactly smooth. A lot of the fine detail was lost. All the crucial information on the poster is legible, yes, and it does look like a kilo bag of weed, and it’s pretty much funny as hell.

Feel free to fill it up with whatever you like and put it on the kitchen spice rack. Guaranteed conversation piece.

Comes with a silkscreen printed handbill sized tag (see tag below)

Cypress Hill 4/20, 2010 at The Warfield

Firehouse Goldenvoice Series Number “420″

Edition of 125

1 Color (Metallic Green) on Burlap Sack

18″ x 24″

Signed and Numbered tag on each bag

Burlap Sack and print quality vary

SOLD OUT

MUTANT RED EDITION

Public Image Limited

Firehouse Goldenvoice Series Number 98

Edition of 6

5 colors on Red Via paper

15.5 x 30.25

Signed and Numbered

SOLD OUT

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Public Image Limited. I’m speechless. John Lydon loved the poster and signed one for me – “To Chuck – John Rotten was here!!” They ripped!

I’ll be framing that one for my wall.

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Here’s a look at the finished printed one (click to see bigger):

Public Image Limited

Firehouse Goldenvoice Series Number 98

Edition of 150

5 colors on archival cream paper

15.5 x 30.25

Signed and Numbered

$40 + $10 Shipping

I love it when the band gets the poster! When you have a discussion with the band over a piece and they say stuff like, “by far the best poster we’ve ever gotten,” “gritty and classy at the same time,” “I never hang up my band posters in my house, but this one goes up.” It’s Total Print Victory.

Then we had a cool discussion about the graffiti and how it somehow looks like Japanese characters. Pointed out that I gave shout outs to all my friends – Dave Hunter’s TRPS logo, Zoltron, Political Gridlock, and Ribbity (one of my favorite SF Graf artists).

Hangar 18 represents on an SF bus while the central figure “tunes out” with ipod in an introspective mood. Somehow all this technology still leaves us listening to our inner voice – even when blasting music.

Just a reminder – the Firehouse-Goldenvoice Poster Series is getting veeeery close to number 100.

Passion Pit, Mayer Hawthorne and The Country, Bear Hands

Firehouse Goldenvoice Series Number 97

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Warfield

Poster will be released April 16, 2010 at 12 noon PST.

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Passion Pit Red (numbers 26-125)

Firehouse Goldenvoice Series Number 97

Edition of 100

2 colors on canvas textured red paper

(heavy gold metallic and deep purple)

23″ x 35″

Signed and Numbered

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SOLD OUT

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Passion Pit Black (limited to numbers 1-25)

Firehouse Goldenvoice Series Number 97

Edition of 25

2 colors on canvas textured black paper

(heavy metallic blue and deep purple)

23″ x 35″

Signed and Numbered

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SOLD OUT

Here’s a preview of my newest poster, featuring one of my Evil Masonic Voodoo Zombies contemplating his Mojo whilst clutching a classic phonograph record to his boney heartless chest. Portrait of the Undead and Doomed in his Drawing Room, sporting a suave smoking jacket and mysterious Fez of the Condemned and Illuminated.

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Deadbolt, White Barons, Harrington Saints at the Uptown, Oakland – 9 PM

Friday, April 16, 2010

Edition of 125

3 colors on archival cream paper

23″ x 35″

Signed and Numbered

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$30 + $10 Shipping

Moonalice played at the E-String Bar and Grill in Henderson, Nevada on April 10, 2010.

Moonalice Henderson, Nevada 10 (M264)

Offset poster

12.75 x 17.25

Signed by the artist

$25 + $10 Shipping

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For some reason around noon it was a little difficult to post additional photos of the variations on my Widespread Panic “Spring” poster.

Above you can see that the 8th color on the Copper Tortoise-shell Edition is a white to accent the eyes and teeth.

Below are two views of the Gold Foil Edition poster. Click to see these larger.

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The Green “Spring” Variant is printed on light green paper flecked with opalescent fibers.

Each one is unique. Included is a detail of the paper. Again click to see larger.

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The Copper Tortoise-shell “Spring” Variant is printed on a marble-finish copper and earth-tone paper.

Each one is unique. Included is a detail of the paper. Again click to see larger.

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