An Interview With Nick Gazin

I was fortunate enough to score an interview with Nick Gazin. He is an artist who has made numerous fliers and a couple of album covers for various bands and musicians. His most famous work might be the album art for the two albums by Run The Jewels. He has also worked with Wavves, designing various t-shirts and album covers. I think his stuff is pretty awesome, and that music and art go hand in hand. It's easy to say don't judge a book by the cover, but an album with sweet cover art can always make a person intrigued.

Breakfast at Jimothy's: I was at a Wavves/Best Coast show in Boston recently and the tour poster and their wrestling themed t-shirts were flying off the merch table. Was it fun working with a pop culture theme like wrestling on the Summer is Forever II tour designs?

Nick Gazin: Yes!

B@J: When working with someone like Wavves or Run the Jewels, will they come to you with an idea or do you bring stuff up to them on your own?

NG: It depends but it works best when there's some back and forth.

B@J: Speaking of Run the Jewels, they're pretty tight with Bernie Sanders. Any chance you can get a connection and make a poster for Bernie like what Shepard Fairey did for Obama with his famous 'Change' poster?

NG: No, I want Trump to win!

B@J: Do you think the recent surge in vinyl and even cassette tapes over the past decade has added a sense of importance to album art in musician's minds?

NG: Maybe!

B@J: Are there any bands/artists that you would've liked to design something for, past or present? Like a dream collaboration.

NG: Eno, Beefheart, G.G. Allin, Dimmu Borgir, Dwarves, Waka Flocka, Future, Drake, KRS-One, Neil Sedaka, Everly Brothers and various doo wop acts!

B@J: You DJ pretty often in Brooklyn and the LES, how would you describe the current music scene in those areas? Is it still the mecca of up and coming artists and musicians?

NG: No, everyone in Brooklyn I see is a fucking herb! Square city!

B@J: Is there any one project or artwork that you're most proud of?

NG: No! I like the poster I made for DIIV recently!

B@J: Finally, what's in store for you next? Any big projects coming up?

NG: Rehab!


Well, there you have it. No one can ever accuse me of never asking the hard hitting questions. Thanks to Nick Gazin for taking the time to be interviewed. Follow him on Instagram @nickgazin.