South Strippers

Two characters you'd expect to see on the 'South Strip'. From last year's Time Out guide to Las Vegas.

Half awake

Man on the Northern Line this morning, travelling between London Bridge and Moorgate. 9.20 am-ish.
(Scribbled on an advert for Orange mobiles, in the free paper).

Headphones

This chap was tapping his feat and air drumming, on a stalled Metropolitan line between Moorgate and Farringdon, at 9.35 in the morning.
14th May, 2008

(Do excuse the fact that it's scribbled over an advert for sofas, it's the only paper I had handy).

What's on

Excuse the camera-phone quality, but here's one of the pics I'm working on for this upcoming Rough Guides book.

Also on the horizon; I'm going to be doing a couple of single covers for Slumberland Records. I'll let you have a look when they're ready.*

*Which implies I've started on them, doesn't it? Don't worry. I haven't.

Businessman

On the rickety old 08.24 to Aylesbury from London Marylebone. 7th May 2008
(He got off at Rickmansworth, if you're interested).

Cockerel

A flyer. For this feller.

1000 songs to change your life

Here's some snaps of my advance copy of '1000 songs to change your life'.

Rather than a book of lists (as the name may suggest) it's actually a collection of essays, which focus on topics from learning to love jazz-improvisation (think Eric Dolphy) to the role played by gender-bending in rock (think the New York Dolls).

I got to illustrate the ten lead essays from the book. So, from the top:

• The cover (not by me)
• An essay on how urban environments have shaped music
• An essay on impossible-to-defend-yet-still-exhilirating rap
• An essay on mistake-ridden, rough and ready music, and why it sounds so great (if you're wondering why he's there, Iggy Pop's quoted as saying a song isn't any good if it takes more than five minutes to write).

I know I would say this - but it's a great read. It'll be in the shops in a month or so, and you can pre-order it from amazon here.