Stones Throw cover artist Jeff Jank has designed and directed covers artwork for the likes of David Axelrod, Percee P and Madlib, to mention only a few! His talents have defined the labels identity and helped to shape and record a moment in hip hop history!

One of the most interesting things about Jeff are his tastes and influences which range from the obscure to the eclectic, and this reflects in his work which is always a perfect visual mirror of the music or musician he designs for.

So we hope you enjoy the interview and more importantly enjoy getting to know one of the nicest guys in the record cover design businesses…

FMCS: So Jeff… Using the past few years as a reference point, and particularly focusing on the many record cover artworks you have produced, do you see a strong connection between music and art, almost a blurring of boundaries where one cannot exist easily without the other?

Jeff: There’s many record covers in my mind that have a strong link to the images in my mind, and I think there may be a few I’ve worked on that are the same, but if the music is worth a damn it can certainly exist on its own.

Most people don’t look at the art, or even think of it when they’re listening to the music. I’ve noticed that many people’s picks for “favorite artwork” is really just motivated by whether or not they like the music. I do not try in particular to do artwork that can exist on it’s own, because it’s not meant to. Most of the artwork is influenced by a love for the music or things that are happening to me at the time.

One of my favorite covers and packages have semi-secret references to the music, personal comments or jokes – something that I feel tells a story – but I don’t like being obvious about it, and certainly don’t try to create album artwork that has a feeling of self-importance. Then again, all the records I like aren’t self-important either – they’re just cool music, with hopefully cool pictures.

FMCS: How do you see the future evolving for the marriage between music and art now that people are downloading many tracks and by-pass the visual aspect of the accompanying artwork?

Jeff: The cult of the album cover was made in the days of the 12-inch sleeve, so I feel the changes in art for digital music are just a continuation of the downsizing that happened with CDs. There’s a greater reliance on other visuals – videos, conceptual packaging, marketing, etc. It sure isn’t fun talking about “marketing” though. Fuck that shit!

FMCS: For many artists the ideal working/creative scenario is to surround ones self with people who inspire you and help you progress, has this aspect been satisfied to a degree for you with working for the independent record label Stones Throw?

Jeff: That is absolutely the case. I don’t think I’ve been asked that question before, but that nails it. The greater involvement of an ongoing project and the challenges of it is what keeps me motivated.

Another important factor is being relatively close to the source, seeing for many years Madlib work on records right in my living room, for example, made it possible for working on the art to be a much more interesting experience.

FMCS: How do your projects go? Do the people who commission work from you leave everything in your hands, is there always a strong group communication of ideas and collection of ideas to get the best visuals?

Jeff: It’s different in nearly every case, and runs the gamut from total creative control to simple following guidelines. There can be creative successes and frustrations in both cases.

FMCS: How has your working style changed over the past few years? Especially focusing on your commercial commitments. Has your routines changed, time management, responsibilities etc…

Jeff: Ha ha!… I’ll get back to you on that some time in the future when I learn to manage my time and routines.

FMCS: The West Coast of the U.S has always had a strong sense of identity, and produced great art/music as a result. We know that there are many great ‘hubs’ of creativity in that area, but L.A in particular seems to be hotting up right now! A lot of great stuff is being produced on the Music, Art and Fashion scenes, which in-turn is reflecting on the Global creative scene well. What would you define as being the reasons for such tremendous output from that area?

Jeff: I agree with you on the west coast, but less so for LA in particular. I really don’t think there’s more output from LA – there’s just more people, and therefore a bigger creative community, and various kinds of media companies here helping to fuel it all. Los Angeles has tons of creative people working on interesting projects, and I love it here, but I felt the same living in Berkeley and Oakland. The only difference was that I existed on about $4 a day up there.

FMCS: Let us know your personally greatest successes so far?

Jeff: I’d like to say “I haven’t gotten there yet,” but your words ‘so far’ seem to preemptively strike down that answer. Hell, I’ll just leave it at that.

FMCS: Any friends acquaintances on the creative scene we should look out for and you wanna give shout outs too?

Jeff: Ben Loiz and Keith Tamashiro, are two designers I’ve admired, worked with and learned things from – and the same with photographers B+, Eric Coleman, and JJ Stratford. Brandy Flower has done a series of really great projects from the Dublab covers project to Hit & Run, his mobile silkscreen gang. I like Peter Rentz stuff, although I have to be told what he does because he never seems to have his name on anything. I also just found out that Klaus Voorman, who designed one of my favorite covers, The Beatles’ “Revolver”, was a neighbor of mine until some time recently.

Good thing for him that he left before I found out.

FMCS: BIG THANKS for the time Jeff. Keep in-touch and best luck for 2007.

JEFF JANK ARTWORK
STONES THROW RECORDS

THIS INTERVIEW WAS ALSO FEATURED IN MASHKULTURE.NET

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