KEN TERROR

Ken Terror is an illustrator who's known for making punk record covers & bands logos. Also play drums in Hark! It's a Crawling Tar-tar & Kontrasosial.

KEN TERROR: “Art in many forms as we all know, indeed, has been done before.”

[interview.jungle jim / pics.ken's docs / November  2012]

So where do you obtain your artistic taste?
Haha how ironic to explain, my taste corelates to my musical history. I was into 80's heavy metal and that's how i found the mighty Pushead. Later, most of black and white crust punk art influenced me massively.

So it's Pushead who is the culprit! Haha. Any other recent favorites?
He really is! He has been giving such a great impact to the hardcore punk and underground metal graphics. To name a few: Nesha of Doomsday Graphics, Stiv Bar-Itch, Akihiko Sugimoto, John John Jesse, Ba'al Graphics and John Baizley.

I saw lots of pointilism in your works. Do you stick to one method or experiments along the way?
I certainly has been dealing with experiments in order to find the comfort with the styles that represents my own character. I'm not talking about originality, people have done this a long time ago. What makes it different is the taste..

Is it still relevant talking about originality in 2012? Everythings been done before.
Yes it's a tough thing to talk about. Art in many forms as we all know, indeed, has been done before. It's all about your own character, taste and craftmanship that makes who you are.

So how thin is the line between homage, tribute, parody and plagiarism?
Very thin! The point is the bold statement on the graphic itself.

Yes i agree. That Monalithrone & Black Mouse T-shirt that you've done for us was a great homage and cynical parody. What's the trigger that makes you draw Monalithrone and Black Mouse?
Thank you! Well, i was listening to (mostly) Dishammer and Martyrdöd that gets me into working the Monalithrone. While the Black Mouse soundtrack is Black Flag, of course haha

So what's the most favorite piece that you've ever draw?
Well, subjectively, it would be the artwork that i did for a Swedish crust band called Massmord t-shirt graphic and the new Broken Bones cover art.

Your tools of the trade?
My only weapons are pencil for sketching and marker for the inking and detailing.

What record covers has your work for the cover art?
Too many to mention, haha. Been doing it since the early 2000's. Well, do you want me to tell it? Wait, i'll have to check my portfolio first..

Just drop a few names haha...
Haha, ok. Some of the essential records. Here they are: Hit Me Back / Cinder split, Reproach / A.N.S split, Sunpower - Pain For Profits, Bones Brigade - Endless Bummer limited edition, I Object! - America Today And Tomorrow limited edition, Disgust / Meinhof split, Pisschrïst - Pisslickin' Singles, Pisschrïst - Victims Of Faith and the legendary Brithish punk metal unit Broken Bones latest album called "Fuck You And All You Stand For" to name a few..

Whoa. Ok so what's your definition of success beside the commercial aspect?
The definition of success is definitely the ability to answer that question, Haha! Well, the parameter could be anything and as for me it's something unexplainable. Earning such great feedback from the effort we have achieved tells us something, and can be considered as success too. I've been involving myself in an international hardcore punk scene and i find it interesting. Sometimes i got the usual commission payments. But sometimes it can be records, shirts, patches and other cool stuff in a fair amount.

On the lighter side.. Do you ever draw nekkid girls?
Yes, i have! ha! An imaginary girl with the skull on the face as usual..

Haha that doesnt count! So what's your favorite substances?
Damn! Haha.. I'm a heavy user of loads of nicotine and caffeine and a bit of alcohol too. Ok, you can forget the "a bit" part.. And no hard drugs for me, i'm too cute for them haha..

So what's been rockin' your playlist lately? The ones that suits the mood for illustrating stuff?
You can publish my regular 70's British punk basics such as The Damned, The Sex Pistols to the crust bands like the influential Discharge to Swedish crustcore to Norwegian black metal to Japanese noise D-beat crust.. But what suits me the most is all the mellow music. Haha. British, shoegaze, American 90's indiepop, etc.. The Ocean Blue and Riverside are a must!