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Exclusive Interview: Album Artist Aaron Crawford

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I’m excited to bring you readers another awesome Bloody-Disgusting exclusive interview! For all of you, I got several questions answered by badass artist Aaron Crawford. He tells us about his inspirations, how horror influences his art and his style, some of his favorite musical artists as well as some of his favorite horror movies. He also sent forth many examples of his work, so check after the jump to see it all!

Aaron Crawford has done work for some of the leading names in rock and metal. Some of his previous clients include Suicide Silence, Woe of Tyrants, The Used, Attila, Veil of Maya, Into Eternity, Himsa, After The Burial, Abigail Williams, Necro, and many more. 

1) Let’s start with the basics: How did you get into art? 
Before this begins, I just heard the news that Ronnie James Dio passed away, so I’d like to send my condolences to his family and friends. His music will live on forever! DIO!
Ok, here we go.
I was always really inspired by my mom, cause she would make these insanely detailed paintings of landscapes and houses, and it seemed amazing to me. Other than that, I would sit around and try and recreate Pushead skulls and Mark Riddick zombies, and just watch shitloads of horror movies and try and draw what I saw happening in the gory scenes. I was always into creepy shit.
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2) Who are some of the artists that have inspired you?
I find major inspiration in so many artists, but lately it’s been Skinner, Neckface, Zornow, Keaton Henson, and Alex Pardee. There’s really way too many talented dudes out there just making sick stuff all the time. I try and just take it all in. (but not in a sexual manner.)
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3) Your work is extremely twisted (I say this in the most highly complimentary way possible!). How do you get the inspiration for your pieces?
I honetly don’t think my work is THAT twisted. I mean, some of the concepts have those sort of creepy overtones, but I just draw what I like to see. I’ll take that as a very sweet compliment, and share a hug. I find major influence in everything from my friends, movies, just daily occurences, and sometimes Maury.
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4) How important is the horror genre to you as an influence?
VERY. I can sit down and watch a movie, say THE FLY, and gather so many ideas from the dialogue and the imagery. I think movies in general can be a great place to find inspiration for your art. I’ve always been a major horror fan, and been a fan of the genre since I can remember, and at least gave everything a chance. Even if it looked like it would be utter crap, I’d give it a shot. I recently watched a movie called The Human Centipede, which was an amazing concept for a movie, because who doesn’t like ass to mouth?!
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5) How did you start doing art for bands?
I went to shows and talked to local bands, told them what I was doing, sent emails, etc, There’s a million ways to go about it. I set up a crappy website and a myspace, and it went from just designing for local bands, to bands from all over the country, then all over the world. It still blows my mind.
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6) How do bands/artists get in touch with you to commission your work?
Usually they just find me, beat me with chains in a Mad Max manner, then force me to sit in their practice spacesand construct pictures. joke. Usually email, myspace, through my website, etc.
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7) What are some upcoming projects?
Currently working on some shirts for KITTIE, TREAD THE BLOOD, ATTILA, photographer JEREMY SAFFER, and also some other random paintings and fine art stuff. I also have a print/painting collaboration with the amazing Scott Saw coming up that I’m stoked about, because his work is from another planet! There’s been some collaborating with a few local artists as well, some stuff you can see on my website soon. And if all goes as planned, I’ll be working on a collaboration with one of my favorite artists of all time. Not naming any names yet, but if it happens, shit will meet pants, and my head will explode the way that Darryl Revok from Scanners makes your head explode.
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8) Are there any other mediums of art (sculptures, graphic novels, etc…) that you are interested in pursuing?
I’d really like to put out some sort of zine or book, maybe release a toy in the future, release some prints, collaborate with some other artists. There’s a TON of things I still want to do. All in time, all in time. Me and a few friends have been making paper mache monsters, which is SO much fun. It’s something you do when you’re young and in school, and when you get older, it’s even better because you have the freedom to make whatever you want. There’s so many things I still want to do, just gotta get it done!
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9) What are some of your favorite bands?
Oh many, that’s a hard question to answer, almost as hard as answering what my favorite movie would be, OH SHIT, I just looked below, and realized that’s the next question, I’m DOOMED! Oh well. Lately, I’ve been jammin alot of Doomriders, Torche, Graf Orlock, Daughters, Young Widows, and a good bit of hip-hop such as Cage, Dr.Octagon, El-P, Felt 3, Aesop Rock, etc. Find me on last.fm and you can see the list!
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10) What are some of your favorite horror movies?
THIS QUESTION! Where to start?! (head spins and vomit spews across the room.) – One of my recent favorites has been TRICK R TREAT. That’s a movie I can seriously watch over and over again, and never get tired of it. I also really like HATCHET, SLITHER, MULBERRY ST. Some other favorites are Dario Argento’s DEMONS & DEMONS 2, of course John Carpenter’s THE THING, The King / Romero classic CREEPSHOW, and all of the Halloween / Friday the 13th’s. I seriously can’t name the thousands upon thousands of movies that are dear to my heart, but I have a smile on my face just thinking about it. High-five! 

You can check out more of Aaron’s artwork as well as contact Aaron for any questions at his website HERE.

Music

‘Lost Themes IV: Noir’ – John Carpenter Announces New Album & Releases New Music Video!

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Lost Themes IV
(l-r) Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, Daniel Davies - Photo Credit: Sophie Gransard

John Carpenter has been teasing big news for a couple weeks now and all has been revealed this morning. Carpenter is back with Lost Themes IV: Noir from Sacred Bones Records!

Lost Themes IV: Noir is the latest installment in a series that sees Carpenter releasing new music for John Carpenter movies that don’t actually exist. The first Lost Themes was released in 2015, followed by Lost Themes II in 2016 and Lost Themes III: Alive After Death in 2021.

John Carpenter called the first Lost Themes album “a soundtrack for the movies in your mind.”

From John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies, Lost Themes IV: Noir is set for release on May 3 via Sacred Bones Records. The album pays tribute to Noir cinema!

In conjunction with the announcement, they’ve shared a music video for the album’s first single, “My Name Is Death”, a miniature noir film directed by Ambar Navarro, starring Natalie Mering (Weyes Blood), Staz Lindes (The Paranoyds) and Misha Lindes (SadGirl). “Noir is a uniquely American genre born in post-war cinema,” states Carpenter. “ We grew up loving Noir and were influenced by it for this new album. The video celebrates this style and our new song, My Name is Death.”

Sacred Bones previews, “The scene-setting new single marks new territory for Carpenter and his cohorts, propelled by a driving post-punk bassline that is embellished by washes of atmospheric synth, pulsing drum machine, and, at the song’s climax, a smoldering guitar solo.”

“Sandy [King, John’s wife and producer] had given John a book for Christmas, of pictures from noir films, all stills from that era,” Davies says of the lightbulb moment for Lost Themes IV. “I was looking through it, and I thought, ‘I like that imagery, and what those titles make me think of. What if we loosely based it around that? What if the titles were of some of John’s favorite noir films?’ Some of the music is heavy guitar riffs, which is not in old noir films. But somehow, it’s connected in an emotional way.”

Sacred Bones notes, “Like the film genre they were influenced by, what makes the songs on Lost Themes IV ‘noirish’ is sometimes slippery and hard to define, and not merely reducible to a collection of tropes. The scores for the great American noir pictures were largely orchestral, while the Carpenters and Davies work off a sturdy synth-and-guitar backbone. The noir quality, then, is something you understand instinctively when you hear it.”

“It’s been a decade since John Carpenter recorded the material that became the initial Lost Themes, his debut album of non-film music and the opening salvo in one of Hollywood’s great second acts,” the label explains. “Those vibrant, synth-driven songs, made in collaboration with his son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies, kickstarted a musical renaissance for the pioneering composer and director. In the years since, Carpenter, Carpenter, and Davies have released close to a dozen musical projects, including a growing library of studio albums and the scores for David Gordon Green’s trilogy of Halloween reboots. It helped that they grew up in a musical environment. Daniel’s dad is The Kinks’ Dave Davies, and he would pop by the L.A. studio – the same one the Lost Themes records are made in today – to jam, or to perform at wrap parties for John’s films. That innate free-flowing chemistry helps Lost Themes IV: Noir run like a well-oiled machine—the 1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster from Kiss Me Deadly, perhaps, or the 1958 Plymouth Fury from John’s own Christine. It’s a chemistry that’s helped power one of the most productive stretches of John’s creative life, and Noir proves that it’s nowhere near done yielding brilliant results.”

Here’s the full Lost Themes IV: Noir track list:

1. My Name is Death
2. Machine Fear
3. Last Rites
4. The Burning Door
5. He Walks By Night
6. Beyond The Gallows
7. Kiss The Blood Off My Fingers
8. Guillotine
9. The Demon’s Shadow
10. Shadows Have A Thousand Eyes

The following physical variants will be available:

  • Sacred Bones Exclusive Red on Clear Splatter vinyl w/ Screen Printed 7” bonus track “Black Cathedral”, a Silver Foil Stamped Jacket and poster.
  • Sacred Bones Society Exclusive on Black and White Splatter on Clear w/ Screen Printed 7” bonus track “Black Cathedral”, a Silver Foil Stamped Jacket and poster.
  • All retail Transparent Red, with a Gold Foil Stamped Jacket and poster.
  • Indie Exclusive Tan and Black Marble, w/ Screen Printed 7” bonus track “Black Cathedral”, a Gold Foil Stamped Jacket and poster.
  • Rough Trade Exclusive Oxblood Red and Black Splatter, w/ Screen Printed 7” bonus track “Black Cathedral”, a Gold Foil Stamped Jacket and poster.
  • Shout Exclusive Black and Clear cloudy, w/ Screen Printed 7” bonus track “Black Cathedral”, a Gold Foil Stamped Jacket and poster.
  • Black LP, with a Gold Foil Stamped Jacket and poster.
  • CD
  • Tape

You can pre-save Lost Themes IV: Noir right now!

Lost Themes IV Noir

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