Fluffer Interviews: RUSSELL TAYSOM

Hi Russell. Thanks in advance for giving Fluffer access to the artist. First off, could you introduce yourself and what you’re about to our readers?

Alright! How’s it going? I’m an artist from Hereford living in London. I do the illustrations for Fluffer and I’ve also done stuff for NME, Topman and Riff Raff. My interests include playing with wrestling figures and drinking cider.

You’ve been creating the Fluffer Pit Party posters for some time now. They’re what initially caught my eye at a gig in Camden – that’s how I came to know Fluffer. What’s your personal favourite poster you’ve done for Fluffer?

Probably the one with superman bumming batman. That’s the one that caused the most trouble! I also really liked the cannibal one for Traams.

Since you’ve been connecting your drawings so perfectly with Fluffer and its philosophies, would you agree that music and art can work together in harmony?

Definitely! Music and visual art are two sides of the same coin.

When did you realise illustration was your thing?

I’ve always drawn. For a long time I wanted to be a painter but I was doing comics and illustrations for zines on the side. Then I got involved in putting on gigs and got super into doing posters for those nights. From that I slowly started to get asked to do stuff for other people.

What would you say are your main influences? Do any of them set you apart – push you from the crowd into your own spotlight?

I like cartoons, Daniel Johnston’s art, Heavy Metal album covers, hand painted Nigerian movie posters, pulp book covers, 80s wrestling graphics. I also really like pre-renaissance painting and children art. Anything flat, figurative and where there is either no perspective or where the perspective is wrong is interesting to me.

What do you think is the triumph of your creative career so far?

My favourite things are the two Youth Hymns videos I did the illustrations for, the Love Buzzardone and the Vant one. I really want to do more stuff that gets animated.

I think the Mutant Barbie you made was pretty fucking cool! It struck me as kind of a living entity.. It seems like you can breathe life into inanimate objects, making them vibrant and physical. How do you bring your artwork to life?

Oh thank you! I really enjoyed that and have been making a few custom toys recently. I have this whole world of characters from drawing comics I’d love to make into figures. I’m pretty cack handed when it comes to sculpting but I like that look.

Do you have any weird rituals that make your creative juices flow? Is there an art to the art, or does it just come to you?

Nah, I’m not Sting! I just drink a lot of tea and listen to a bunch of wrestling podcasts whilst I work.

Res-erection of Jake the Snake is one of my favourite illustrations, because it just made me laugh as soon as I saw it.. Do you purposely try and incorporate humour into your illustrations?

Ha yeah! if you watch The Resurrection of Jake the Snake it’s one big advert for DDP yogo. Jake was better in Beyond the Mat when he was smoking crack and telling audiences to go fuck themselves.

I’ve had a gander at the zine you work on, Flabby Dagger. I’d say it’s some pretty out there stuff.. How do you keep it dangerous?

We try and make sure we ask artists who are gonna draw horrific stuff for us. Not everything in the zine is gross but it that’s what people submit then that’s definitely cool with us.

What haven’t you done yet that you’re itching to try out?

I’d like to make a cartoon. Something about voodoo and wrestling. Maybe a kinda Murder She Wrote style weekly mystery but starring Papa Shango.

I read somewhere that you really like He-Man.. Have you seen the trailer for the new episode? Are you happy about the comeback or not?

I fucking love He-Man! I have seen the trailer for the new episode. I hope I’m proved wrong but I think that it’s probably going to be shite.

Do you have any advice for any fledgling illustrators who want to get their work out there but are finding it hard to be seen?

Ummm…yeah well getting involved in the music scene is good. Bands always need posters. Otherwise do all your social media and stuff but don’t forget to contact people directly. If you can’t get anyone interested then put on your own exhibitions and make your own zines. All the DIY ways of promoting music also apply to promoting yourself as an artist. Don’t give up, chances are it will take longer than you want it to get people to take notice but if you keep working and keep trying to get it out there they’ll notice eventually.

Interview by Alicia Carpenter

First published on Fluffer Records Blog: http://flufferrecords.tumblr.com/post/148305129761/fluffer-interviews-russell-taysom