Interview with Illustrator Mike Reddy
TFFWS asked fellow FF designer, Milton Carter, to interview graphic designer and illustrator Mike Reddy. Mike has been working with the Fiery Furnaces since 2003.
MILTON CARTER: I’ve always respected your illustration and graphic design work. Since we’ve known each other I’ve seen your work progress and mature reaching a new level of sophistication. That growth can be chronicled through your work with the Fiery Furnaces. How would you say that experience has influenced you professionally and creatively?
MIKE REDDY: Well, the first project I did for them was the “Crystal Clear” 7 inch. And we started off with this idea of a picture of a bridge (because I think there’s a line in there about a bridge) and so I worked up this picture and struggled with it for weeks. Finally, I sent something to them even though I knew it wasn’t very good…but I also sent them this picture I sort of did quickly that was a bunch of scenes from the song that I intended for the back cover. Well, they immediately recognized that the drawing that I had more fun doing was a lot better than this weird conceptual thing that wasn’t really panning out, and they made that the cover.
So, it gave me confidence in that sort of quick line drawing, and became a signature element I carried forward in a bunch of later releases (on the inside of Rehearsing My Choir, all over Bitter Tea, and in a smaller way on the Widow City discs, etc.) I’d also say that model of starting with a fixed idea, exploring it, and taking a dramatic left turn at the 11th hour as been the case for most of our designs. “Rehearsing My Choir” started off as a “Chinese propaganda”-style painted portrait of Olga, which was eventually distilled to a straightforward photograph. “Widow City” started as a crazy digitally manipulated image that turned into double sided full-bleed band portraits. “Remember” began as a photo-collage that evolved into a simple color field image. It’s great to work with people that are willing to try things out and let an idea evolve.
I’d also say working with the FF has given me a new way of thinking about package design. Do you need to put track numbers on the back? Does the band name have to appear on the front cover at all? What if the whole thing folds out? What if it has 3 records, and two sides of one record are not in sequential order? By changing up the expected rules, you can come up with some really original design concepts. A few years back we were editing the lyric sheet on the “Bitter Tea” CD package, when Matt decided on the fly to make the song titles on the back into a running paragraph. Why not?
MC: I know that in addition to a graphic artist and illustrator you’re an accomplished musician. Tell us about your band Team USA (whose hit song “totally awesome” is still a staple in 30-somethings cd players). Was T. USA more of a comedy routine in the vein of Tenacious D?
MR: TeamUSA was a party band and hit the New York scene 10 years too early. I was in a bar the other day and they were playing “Graceland” (Paul Simon), which isn’t a exactly funny record, but it seems like the doors are wide open at this point. We definitely had a novelty element, but always saw it more like how oldies songs could tell a funny story, or have a twist ending, like “Silhouettes on the Shade.” I think the Team is due for a comeback on iTunes, and now that our old label StarTime is back in business who knows? I’d love to get a car commercial out of it at least.
MC: I once saw Team USA perform with the Furnaces. Was that the moment that you decided to give up your dream of becoming a pop star?
MR: We were very fortunate to play some shows with the FF back in the day–Parkside Lounge! Luxx! Yeah–it’s tough to open for or follow those guys, we tried both, and it was pretty deadly.
MC: Let’s talk about fatherhood for a moment. You have a lovely 2 year old named Hazel. I can only imagine she’s had a profound impact on your work. When visiting your home, I usually see evidence of Hazel’s artmaking. Are you grooming her to do the grunt work for your visual empire (rough sketches, type treatments, pitches, color stories, etc) much like a farmer would use his own children as free labor in the cotton fields?
MR: Oh yeah, she’s really into it. She colored and painted an entire copy of the xerox edition of the “Blueberry Boat Book”, which I think is superior to the final 2-color product. She’s really into painting with the brush and ink, so I think I’d like to move into focusing on ideas/pencils, while she hones her craft on the inking side. She even wears a t-shirt you gave me as a smock: “‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ in St. Thomas.” So true.
MC: Eleanor Friedberger has transcended her rock ‘n roller status and become a sort of icon for young women the world over. Would you consider her a positive female role model? What could your own daughter as well as other young girls learn from Eleanor, take from her example, that might enrich their lives?
MR: I think young girls should look up to Eleanor for her amazing memory. She should do one of those infomercials about improving your brain capacity. I think they named the new album “Remember” because she has to remember the words to nearly 100 songs, usually all mixed-up, and then sometimes has to play guitar over them. If all the girls of the world could have that sort of retention, we could have a nation of scientists, historians, etc. etc.
MC: Color plays an important role in the work that you’ve done for FF and certainly comes to the fore when creating abstract pieces like the panels for FFs “Remember.” Color has always been a strong suit for you and I’ve always admired the level of “considered” palettes that you develop. Is color something that you have to think about all the time?
MR: I think about color a lot, usually just walking around the city. When I see a passing falafel cart with green type on a field of orange, or a guy on the train carrying a cart with yellow and black hazard striped tape…that sort of stuff sticks in my mind. I like colors that vibrate optically, and luckily, the FF has always been open to trying that sort of thing, especially because most of the type is so straightforward (except when it’s really crazy or left off entirely.) Matt’s said to me, “it’s better to go too far and come back,” so I’ve tried to use that philosophy with color.
MC: What would you suggest to someone (like me for instance) that wants to hone their colorist skills?
MR: Find unexpected combinations and don’t “taste the rainbow” as they say–it is expected these days, so steer clear of it.
MC: You’ve become increasingly “green” in the past few years. Through your research and personal experience you must have gained a level of insight that few lay people have. If you could suggest one change that readers could make in their levels to help the ailing environment, what would that be?
MR: Some days I think we’re going to be living “Beyond Thunderdome”, other days I’m more hopeful. Actually, I think the FF has really helped shape my eco-consciousness with their song “Tropical Iceland”, what with the stray puffins on the beach. That can’t be as fun as the song makes it seem. I found that “Widow City” does a lot of jumping around between tropical and arctic landscapes too, and I tried to address those in my pictures for that record and the poster for the tour with the melting ice blocks and floating cities. What can people do? I suggest just sitting around in the dark on the couch at night like me.
MC: One “green” suggestion for the Fiery Furnaces?
MR: Stop touring, and play all shows from their front stoop. We did “go green” in a small way with the “Blueberry Boat Book”– it was printed in Brooklyn at Rolling Press on 100% post-consumer recycled paper and vegetable inks…that whole bit. It cost a little more than other places, but it was something I wanted to try, and Matt and Eleanor were totally supportive of it. I realize printing something “green” doesn’t in any way “save the planet.” The best we can hope for is to try to do less damage with the things we make…I’m hoping to make the next record package out of pure garbage. Does that count as an offset?
MC: Tell us about B(A)NO{S}. Is it a secret society, and how does it relate to the Fiery Furnaces?
MR: Not so secret. It’s a small social club for artists that stands for Boys (Art) Night Out {Society}. We subscribe to the idea of Fellowship, Fried Food, Freedom, and in its own way — Fiery Furnaces. And of course, Franchising, so drop me a line if anyone is interested in starting up a local chapter. Each week we learn a new craft, be it linocuts, trompe’l'oeil, and so forth. I think the color-shape designs for “Remember” grew out of what I learned during our collage week…the idea that I didn’t have to draw a picture for everything.
MC: Give us a funny anecdote about Matt Friedberger?
MR: When we were working on “Widow City”, Matt would often jog over to my house. Don’t let him fool you…he’s a healthy guy! Oh yeah, and I saw him do a solid karaoke version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”
MC: You’ve been at the helm of the FF’s visual career since nearly the beginning and some might consider you like a member of the band. How important is a band’s graphic presence to their audience, and how does it shape the typical fan’s experience?
MR: As a member of the band, I think a cover graphic tells the indie rock fan one of two things: “OK, this is something I can listen to” or “this is too mainstream for me, forget it.” Most indie rock fans are afraid of a “branded” band. That’s not the case with radio music — mainstream artists are unafraid to simply put the artist on the cover–the artist is the brand. I think Weezer is the only rock band really paying attention to their brand these days, what with the blue, green, and red albums.
Oddly enough, the original punks were crazy about branding. They’d often use the same illustrator (Dead Kennedys & Winston Smith, Black Flag & Raymond Pettibon) or at least would use the same logo typeface (Circle Jerks, Suicidal Tendencies). That was coming from flyer culture…you really wanted to get your name out there, and sticking to a graphic look was a good way to be remembered. Or probably more accurately, you just hired your same friend who could draw over and over. Sound familiar?
MC: Would you ever consider doing live “action” painting at an FF concert?
MR: You bet I would, as long as I get to play guitar too.
MC: I’m going to ask you to put on your copy writing hat for a moment now. If you had to sum up the Fiery furnaces in just one phrase, what would that be?
MR: “You’ve got a wing in your snaggletooth”
