Deadmau5

Here’s a drawing I did for a friend of mine (Deadmau5’s sister) — a Christmas present for the man himself! I’m told he loved it!

Bruce Springsteen

I’ve illustrated another record review for the National Post, and this time it’s new material from the Boss. I was glad to hear the new material was old unreleased material, so I could have a chance to draw a young Springsteen (even though I’m equally indifferent to all his periods). Enjoy!

Bob Marley

Here’s a quick Bob Marley done for Wired magazine (ipad edition) this month.

Lil Wayne vs. Kanye

Here’s an illustration done for the new issue of Wired magazine (out today).

Black Sheep

Here’s some less-famous gems if you’ve played the first album as much as I have:

Off the Wall - Trespass soundtrack
The Legion - Jingle Jangle
Pardon Me
Who Dat?
(New) Dres — Forever Luvlee

And this is a cool recent video of Dres explaining the crazy intro to A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing:
You Mean I’m Not?

All the squares go home!

After flipping through my old Mojo magazines I decided I had to draw Sly.You’ll see if you watch the video that I used two different kinds of paper, not something I usually do.  I wanted to try and make this one kind of psychedelic and trippy with the colors, though it kind of came out the same as all my other ones do in the end. Anyway, I started on a porous paper to get some cool bleeds, but that paper wouldn’t allow for much detail without bleeding so I pasted the good parts onto some hotpress watercolor paper. Normally for a deadline I would do this in photoshop but since these are just for fun, I try to make finished originals. The hotpress paper had my sketch printed on it at about 10%. My brother did the video for me.

Oooh, and I know Sly played the keyboard more often, but I had some great reference of him in this white suit with the custom guitar.

Quickies

Isaac Hayes

Biz Markie

Arcade Fire

I did this illustration for the National Post  today! 

Get it? They’re on fire. Because of their band name.

Fela Kuti

Water No Get Enemy

Expensive Shit

Colonial Mentality

James Brown

Ruth Copeland

I think Ruth Copeland is undeservedly obscure, and where she's known it's usually first for having worked with Parliament. Though I'm sure working with George Clinton, Eddie Hazel and friends certainly doesn't hurt, her own vocals and compositions add more than a little. She wrote and co-wrote some of my favourite Parliament songs ever (Come In Out of the Rain, Silent Boatman) and recorded a few rock-soul albums in collaboration with them right at the beginning of their recording career.
Check out Your Love Been So Good To Me, their Gimme Shelter cover and HER version of  Silent Boatman.

Ramsey Lewis

Ramsey rules.

Pre-electric jazz, one of my favourite records:
Delilah

Later, great funky stuff - one of my favourite records too:
If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right)

Howlin' Wolf

Howlin' Wolf would have been 100 years old on June 10th — Happy birthday!

My favourite songs:

Spoonful

EVIL

Who's been talkin'

Erykah Badu

I was able to do this one for a record review in the National Post today. Here's how it appears in the paper:

Country Joe

Here he is as he appeared at Woodstock:
Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die

One of my favourite Country Joe songs (WW1 poetry by Robert Service put to music):
The Man from Athabaska

Freestyle Fellowship

Freestyle Fellowship
Hot Potato
Park Bench PeopleEverything is Everything

Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield

Cannonball Adderley

 Cannonball Adderley

That's Nat Adderley, Yusef Lateef,  Sam Jones, Louis Hayes and Cannonball

Grace Slick

Grace Slick - Jefferson Airplane

I have to do the whole Jefferson Airplane but Grace is first.

Big Daddy Kane

Big Daddy Kane

Dr. John, the Night Tripper

 Dr. John 

Al Green, Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger

Al Green

Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger