An update and an introduction to Thomas Raimondi

Alrite, here’s a quick little update for all of youse who are nervous after the recent turn of events.

First of all let us thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for all the understanding and all the nice comments you’ve sent us from everywhere in connection with Kenneth leaving: we are grateful and really appreciate and cherish the love you guys have sent our way!

As you all seem to have understood, there really is no drama in all of this: Kenneth and our work together has been really intense and thorough over a long period of time and we inspired the best in each other for most of that time, but in hindsight it’s become clear to us all that this version of Motorpsycho indeed had run its course and that it was better to quit while we were ahead. Most times these things end with two uninspired records, a crap tour and a falling out of ginormous proportions. We didn’t see it yet, but Kenneth clearly did and we applaud his ability to act on this insight. It spared us all a lot of grief, and most importantly: the music never suffered.

Since then we’ve not had time to think too much: the work on Begynnelser (‘Beginnings’) began two weeks ago, and although we haven’t even been through it all yet, it seems to find its feet already. The music we’ve written fits surprisingly well, the actors are fantastic and the director/scenographer and everyone at Trøndelag Teater are really excellent professional people who know what they’re doing. It is really nice for us to go straight into this scenario now, and not have to stress the whole drummer situation any more than we have to. We’ve had audition requests from a lot of excellent drummers, but haven’t acted on
anything yet: we have to get our heads around this theatre thing first, then we can start figuring out what our way forwards will be, and with who.
This whole situation has made us open our eyes and ears and minds anew, but what all these new possibilities will lead to noone knows. We’re not done yet by a long stretch, so hang loose while we work out how to take it from here – there is life in the old dog yet!

On a more prosaic level, it makes us happy to announce that the Here Be Monsters Vol.2 situation seems to be on schedule: we hope to have most of the orders fulfilled and shipped within a few weeks, so hang in there – they are on their way!

…aaaand while we’re on that subject, here’s a little introduction to Thomas Raimondi, the artist behind the art for the Motorpnakotic Fragments and Here Be Monsters Vol.2 covers!

Thomas is currently living in Milan, and has done various art and illustrations over the years, but I’m sure y’all know his work the best from the work he has done for Motorpsycho the last few years. It is usually pretty chaotic stuff, mostly line drawings and collages usually with a lot of writing integrated into the art, but it has a thing of its own and is pretty singular.
We were made aware of his work through Håvard Gjelseth who is the art director for Crispin Glover Records and who helped us when we decided to go ‘underground’ with the Motorpnakotic Fragments and release it ourselves a while back.
We’d never seen any of his stuff before, but what Håvard showed us seemed like it would fit the grimoire concept that we came up with for the 7” book/box pretty well. And did it ever! His style is pretty grotesque and out there, but put in context it came out more like some 400 year old anatomical illustrations than anything else and made total sense.
When we decided to do the HBMvol2 album ourselves, Håvard again suggested we go to Thomas for the map itself as well as the illustrations that were to go onto the map, and he once again came up with the goods. This time we were after something that looked like it could actually be an old illustrated sea map from the 13th or 14th century, and once again Thomas’ style really fit the concept and made total sense. there is something unrefined and rough about his style that can make it feel medieval or pre-renaissance, and that makes it really suitable for stuff that should look like it’s found in some dusty library or in an attic somewhere. His work for Monolithic’s last album is totally different of course, but it also has that druggy, crazy feel that Ralph Steadman or Raymond Pettibon’s stuff has: it is not PC, it is in your face and it is probably pretty provocative to a lot of people. Good stuff!

Check out his stuff and go commission some work from him here: http://www.thomasraimondi.net

 

View from the orchestra pit at the theatre


COMMENTS

×