Rock Posters - The Rock Poster Collector (2024)

Welcome to the Information Age
Welcome to the first issue of The Rock Poster Collector the information sourcefor poster collectors. Please join me in making it a focal point for the discussionof posters and poster related issues.
Such a forum is long overdue.

The New Bill Graham Presents Posters
by John Lyons

Since the mid-1980's, Bill Graham Presents has been producing posters for their concertsin two numbered series.

From March,1988 through October, 1989 (when the Fillmore was closed due to earthquakedamage) and resuming with the reopening of the Fillmore in 1994, BGP has issued over300 numbered posters for shows at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium. These postersare known as the "New Fillmore" series. The posters have not been availablefor sale from BGP but instead have been handed out for free at the end of particularFillmore shows.

In 1986, BGP began issuing posters for shows they produced at various venues. Theseare known as the "BGP" series. Except for shows at the Warfield Theater,the posters in this series have not been handed out to the public at the event.

In keeping with BGP's status in the music industry, many of the top acts in musichave appeared on the posters in these series.

BGP has involved established as well as emerging artists to produce these posters,resulting in a strong run of rock poster art. Artists to watch include Chris Shaw,Chuck Sperry, Harry Rossit, Rex Ray, and Randall Chavez.

Several recently issued instant "rarities" are worth noting. BGP # ? (byRandall Chavez) was issued for the Rolling Stones shows at the Oakland Coliseum inNovember, 1997. New Fillmore #'s 309 and 310 (both by Randy Tuten) were issued inDecember, 1997 commemorating the careers of two long time BGP employees. To date,only a limited number of these posters have reached the collector world. These postersappear likely to be particularly difficult numbers for those trying to build completeBGP or Fillmore sets.

Conterfeit alert
In recent years a disturbing situation has befallen the poster collecting community-theappearance of counterfeits and the proliferation of bootlegs. It is extremely importantthat these be identified and documented. All known counterfeits will be identifiedin this newsletter and posted to the website immediately upon confirmation. Pleaseforward any information on any conterfeits that you know of, they may be news tosomeone else.

Call for contributors
Are you an advanced collector or an interested historian? Do you want to preserveyour knowledge for future generations of poster collectors?

We would like to create a freely accessable archive of published articles, referencematerials, and news related to poster collecting. We need your help.

I am donating a web site, server space, and my time and expertise to manage the archivesand the publication of this newsletter. Please help in any way you can. We need yoursubmissions as well as your comments and suggestions. Help is also needed with convertinghistoric reference materials to digital format.

Artist Profile: Chris Shaw

At the ripe old age of 30, Chris Shaw has alreadyaccomplished more than most artists could hope for in a lifetime. With poster creditsincluding Pearl Jam, Primus, Kiss, Hole, The Allman Brothers, The Neville Brothers,Joe Satriani, and Foo Fighters, and set designs for both Tibet Freedom Concerts andHorde Festival '94 and '95, Shaw has done work for most of the top acts of the 90's.

An inspiring example of hard work and perseverence, Shaw's involvement with rockart began while he was still attending California College of Arts and Crafts. Needingto hire a band to play a school party, he worked a trade with the new local bandPsychefunkapus. They played in exchange for 1,000 bumper stickers emblazoned witha Shaw design. It would become their trademark logo and the cover of their firstalbum.

One thing led to another and Shaw was soon doing interiors for local clubs, rockposters, and his first full fledged set design for Bill Graham, New Orleans By TheBay '93.

First and foremost, Shaw considers himself a painter and his output of paintingsis no less amazing than his list of rock 'n' roll credits. (Shaw's recent paintingswere featured in a solo show at the D. King Gallery which ran from April 23 throughMay 23, 1998.)

King's is dead...Long live D. KingAfter 20+ years of operating a retail store 10 hours aday 6 days a week, I decided I deserved a break. On November 1, 1996 I officiallyclosed the door of King's on Center St. for the last time. Little did I know, thefun was just about to begin (you try moving a 20 year accumulation of posters, tradingcards, sports collectibles, and god-knows-what and see how long it takes you!). Sixmonths, three coats of paint, and two hundred or so grey hairs later, the D. KingGallery sign went up just scant hours before the opening of our first exhibition.

It has been a welcome change. For years I've been wanting to concentrate exclusivelyon art and posters. Not only have I been able to create a great display space butfinally I have enough time and space to organize all the posters and stuff I've beenpiling up all these years.

At the Gallery
Derek Hess exhibition -"Behind Enemy Lines"-prints, posters, & originaldrawings

Stone lithographer turned silkscreen poster artist and Generation X icon Derek Hessdebuted his new series of art prints July 24, 1997 at Berkeley's D. King Gallery.A large number of his posters and original drawings were also on exhibit.

Hess has created over 100 posters for bands ranging the spectrum from Nine Inch Nailsto Pink Floyd. He was chosen to create prints commemorating the grand opening ofthe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and their "Three Decades of Heavy Metal"exhibit.

Hess' strong technical skills and intuitive feelfor his medium set him apart from his contemporaries. His works are executed withdepth, compassion and an obsessive concentration on the human form.
The Musee de la Publicite at the Palais du Louvre called his work "...remarquableserie d'affiches" (a remarkable series of posters) and has a set in their collection.Affiche, the European journal of poster art, called his "the most highly soughtafter concert posters in the world".

"Hess paints a world of anxiety and surrealism which speaks for the emotionalstate of Generation X." If there really is a Generation X, they are alive andwell and living in a Derek Hess poster.

The exhibition opened July 24 and ran through August 30,1997.

Ask the experts - Q&A
Starting in the next issue, we will begin publishing answers to your questions.
Here's your chance, Ask away!... See you then!