We're huge fans of the little known band Slap Martin and the Blue Notes, so it was a privilege to get to do the graphic design for Slap and his dobro laden jam-masters. If you don't follow Slap, this is your introduction to his artistry born of the backroads of Mississippi and honed in the century old theaters turned bars that populate the old French trading ports up and down the Mississippi river.
Slap is famous for riding vintage cafe racer Triumph Bonneville motorcycles with his guitar strapped to the luggage rack. His band, The Blue Notes, travels in two 1970's GMC motorhomes, one of which is the current unofficial night land speed record holder for a fully loaded band bus on the Bonneville Salt Flats, 127.345mph with wind assist.
Slap was uneducated as a youth, but spent four years at university in England studying music theory and music sociology with Belfrank Hausten Mitchell, V gaining his full letters.
We're looking forward to some more design and video documentary work this coming summer when Slap and the Blue Notes donate their time aboard a scientific research vessel off the coast of Patagonia studying global warming on island culture and the effects on music of the inhabitants.
Meanwhile we will be listening to Slap's latest LP pressing The Mau Mau Duck Pit Anthology - widely considered the most esoteric blues album in history.
Follow along on the blog to learn more about Slap in the months to come.
Bhakti Fest, that wildly successful festival of yoga, love and enlightenment nestled against the backdrop of Joshua Tree National Park in California was the inspiration for graphic design of the Namaste 'M' Modality Sticker - the universal greeting of love. Ommmmmmmm.
Our painstakingly designed, kerning pairs masterpiece is conveniently available in the tmg studio store. We only printed a few, but some are still available to slap on your yoga mat, Mercedes 300td biodiesel fueled sled, recycled water bottle or bamboo beach bike.
And as Forest says, "That's all I've got to say about that". Except, remember to love yourself, tolerate your neighbor, hug the planet and brush your teeth.
Onward.
SURF Guitar PIck Graphic Design on TMG house quiver Becker longboard.
We love surfing and we love music, so this assignment for a new SURF line has been particularly fun for the team.
The not ready for prime time agency house band is now using these 1.0 sized custom made picks and we can attest that they play great, we think even better with our design. For those that are curious, we are prone to Fender Mustangs, Jaguars, JagStangs and Martin D28's. On the amp side its vintage, black-faced Fender Bandmasters and Bassman (digital may be great for our marketing, but we are strictly analog when it comes to amplification).
The orange longboard is from Becker (http://us.billabong.com/page/becker/) in Hermosa Beach, CA.. Our preferred surf shop in California.
There could be better combinations, but there aren't. If you ever wondered where colors go to self-actualize it is to the mothership of all colors, PMS 137 Yellow-Orange ('Yoarnge') and Blue-Slate Grey.