REV CO PIX!

Had a magnificent night at the REVOLTING COCKS' 02 Academy Islington gig!!!
This was a proper gig, with a proper crowd, all wearing a fine array of classic band t-shirts!!!

The set was split in two, first up was RICHARD 23 fronting the Big Sexyland album songs. The Front 242 legend was just perfect, with his trademark energy and delivery. 

CHRIS CONNELLY then bounded on stage and ripped into a fantastic rock star performance! Flailing around all over the place, he had huge stage presence and gave the sleazy and hilarious Beers, Steers and Queers album new life.

All the while bass player PAUL BARKER, resplendent in a very smart suit, gave the sound an astonishing extra edge, contrasting the electronics with a dirty great bass.

Unfortunately there was no LUC VAN ACKER, but the night was a memorable one. Just seeing these musicians and thinking of all the insane amounts of amazing music they've been part of over the last 30 years, just makes you smile!

Special thanks to Carya Gish for the photos!!

REV CO

The combined forces of ArtPix and Arcane Publishing are having a staff outing to London to see the REVOLTING COCKS!!!!

If anyone out there has a penchant for Wax Trax era Industrial music or simply enjoys a good stomp, then this is the show for you!!!!

Although they are actually 'THE COCKS', as this is a slightly unofficial version of the original band. 
They will be performing the classic BIG SEXYLAND album from 1987, but looks like a few other tunes are sneaking into the set.

The warped, sample-led EBM/Industrial mayhem, was an eye-popping moment in the history of alternative music, and NO DEVOTION remains one of my all-time fave songs.

Also, those involved tomorrow are quite simply some of the best musicians ever. I've seen them many times with their other bands, RICHARD 23 in Front 242, PAUL BARKER with Ministry, CHRIS CONNELLY with Ministry/Damage Manual/Pigface etc, and this will be the first time I've actually seen LUC VAN ACKER on stage.

CAN'T WAIT!!!!

NEW STOCK!

I've been digging deep into the ArtPix Stockroom for more retro goodies!!
Get down to my unit at The Customs House in West Bay, Dorset to check it all out. 

My new RETRO FOOTBALL designs, on greeting cards, are already selling like hot cakes, so hurry up!!!
Old faves including LIVERPOOL, MAN UTD and CHELSEA, have now been joined by my brand new cards featuring ASTON VILLA, BIRMINGHAM CITY, WEST BROM and WOLVES.

New ASTON VILLA collage now in stock!!

BIRMINGHAM CITY

WEST BROM

WOLVES

Carrying on the football theme ... This is a one of my very popular RETRO FOOTBALL packages. Featuring ARSENAL, you get a great selection of bits and pieces, with 3 original programmes, a rare Press Teamsheet from 1987, an A4 print of one of my original ARSENAL designs, plus a fridge magnet and a card with Gunners legend Charlie George.

Here are a few piccies of some of my other carefully selected stock ...

Brilliant 1960s desk calendar, simple but really cool design!

An unusual 1950s Dominoes for the Blind game in original tin box. Each piece has raised numbers, to make it easy to identify each piece.

Play bingo 1950s style!! This lovely game has loads of cards, and gorgeous wooden numbers, with cardboard counters to place on the card as you get each number. BINGO!! 

A classic Mabel Lucie Attwell annual from 1960. It has loads of her trademark cute illustrations!

A random selection of Beatles singles! Three are from a Singles Collection boxset from 1976, while there is an original Magical Mystery Tour single from 1967, that was part of an EP. Might interest some fans and collectors?!

An absolute must for all fans of Liverpool FC. A copy of the totally legendary You'll Never Walk Alone single by Gerry and the Pacemakers!!

This is great, 4 episodes on vinyl from the very first series of the classic sitcom, Steptoe & Son! It dates from 1962 and is a superb memento of this brilliant programme.

If Punk is more your bag, then we have The Ruts' epic Babylon's Burning on original 7" single, from 1979!

This was 70s telly at its finest!! Now read all about it in the 1978 annual! 

Everyone knows this game! This is a complete and original version from 1966.

Another cool addition to the ArtPix unit is this fantastic retro Doctor Who poster printed on to canvas. It measures 80cm x 60cm!

See you down there in West Bay!!!

EYPE OF STONES!

I discovered a mini Stonehenge down on the beach at the village of Eype in Dorset.

This heap of stones (hence the awful pun!), had been lovingly put together by someone who had a real eye for design and detail. The original Stonehenge makers would've been impressed by this stone creation! 

I hope it stays there a little while longer for more people to enjoy!

RETRO BIRMINGHAM CITY

Here is the last of my Midlands Retro Football collages ...

BIRMINGHAM CITY

Feast your eyes on this Blues bonanza!!

The Blue half of Birmingham started life as Small Heath Alliance in 1875, and after a few name changes settled on Birmingham City in 1943.

As Small Heath they were the founding members and first Champions of the 2nd Division in 1892/93.
Since then they've gone on to win another four 2nd Division titles, and agonisingly been runners-up in the F.A. Cup twice.

Major success finally arrived by clinching the League Cup in 1963, and again in 2011, with exciting runs to consecutive Inter-Cities Fairs Cup finals in 1960 and 1961, worthy of a mention.

Blues legend TREVOR FRANCIS is the main man on this collage. He was a teenage wonder back in 1970, making his debut at 16, and he never looked back, going on to score over a 100 goals for Birmingham and play for England. 
Sensationally, Trev was then the first £1Million British player, when signing for Nottingham Forest in 1979. He's best known for his winning goal in the European Cup Final that year with Forest, but his most consistent goalscoring form was with the Blues. He even came back as manager and got them to the final of the League Cup in 2001.

Here he is below, and as ever keep an eye out for these other bits on the collage ...

Trevor Francis in his classic Blues kit of the early 70s

Retro pin badge, dating from the 70s.

Two brilliant cigarette cards of Harry Hibbs, a goalkeeper who served Birmingham and England with distinction from 1924-1939, playing 389 games for the Blues and gaining 25 caps for England. He also played in the F.A. Cup Final of 1931. 
The top card is from the 1920s and other, with the superb caricature drawn by the artist Mac, dates from 1935. 

This is the current Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers Association, Gordon Taylor, seen here in his playing days! He turned out for Birmingham as a winger in the early 70s.

I hope you've enjoyed these four brand new collages of mine featuring all the major Midlands clubs.

My full list of RETRO FOOTBALL collages now reads like this:
ARSENAL
ASTON VILLA
BIRMINGHAM CITY
CHARLTON ATHLETIC
CHELSEA
CRYSTAL PALACE
EVERTON
LEICESTER CITY
LIVERPOOL
MANCHESTER CITY
MANCHESTER UNITED
NEWCASTLE UNITED
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
SOUTHEND UNITED
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
WEST HAM UNITED
WOLVES

I'm currently making new greetings cards of these teams, with a revamped design, to go in my unit at The Customs House in West Bay, Dorset. I'll let you know when they are ready!

Next on my list might be LEEDS UNITED and NOTTINGHAM FOREST, although I'd like to have a crack at the two Glasgow giants, CELTIC and RANGERS.

Stay tuned for more news!!!

RETRO WEST BROM

Here is the next instalment of my quartet of Midlands Retro Football collages ...

WEST BROMWICH ALBION

This fine club began life in 1878, and were one of the founding members of the original Football League in 1888.

Down the years they have achieved success in all the major English trophies, most notably winning the F.A. Cup 5 times. The Baggies added a League title in 1920 and the League Cup in 1966.

Arguably West Brom's finest player, JEFF ASTLE, played a major part in their last big triumph. He scored in every round of the run to the 1968 F.A. Cup Final, and topped it off by scoring the winner against Everton at Wembley.

He also plays a big role on my collage as he leads the way over some fantastic West Brom memories and memorabilia!

Here he is below, and look out for these other bits on the collage as well ...

Jeff Astle bagged 174 goals in 361 games for the Baggies. 

Brilliant souvenirs of the 1968 F.A. Cup victory. Here we have the programme, an A & BC trading card and an original ticket for the final. Unfortunately I sold this ticket at Spitalfields Market a few years ago, but luckily I did a good quality scan of it first, so I could re-use it here!!

Cool retro pin badges from the 1970s, although the top one could be a little older?

These players created an iconic and really important step forward in British football. 
Although not the first black players to play in this country, it was the first time three had played in the same side. Dubbed a cringe-making 'The Three Degrees', they blazed a trail with their talents in an exciting Albion team in the late 70s.
Brendan Batson played in the first football match I ever went to, turning out for Cambridge United. And as I was leaving a packed tube station near Wimbledon's Plough Lane ground, on my way to a match in 1988, Laurie Cunningham squeezed passed me and sprinted down the road. Great memories!!

 

Classic vintage football programme, with a giant West Brom  player booting a ball at the Hawthorns! The Baggies won this match in 1962 against Man City 2-1. 

Next up will be the final part of this Midlands quartet, BIRMINGHAM CITY. 
Stay tuned!!! 

RETRO ASTON VILLA

Here it is, my latest Retro Football collage ...

ASTON VILLA

This proud Midlands club, with a huge history and tradition, having been going since 1874.
And it didn't take them long to accumulate stacks of trophies, winning 6 League titles and 5 F.A. Cups before the First World War.

They've since preceded to win 5 League Cups and a further 2 F.A.Cups, before perhaps their finest achievements happened in the early 80s.
In 1981 they clinched the League Championship, their first for 71 years, pipping rivals Ipswich, in an extraordinary Liverpool-free Championship race. Sensationally, the next season they beat Bayern Munich to win the golden prize of the European Cup.

So I hope Villa fans will enjoy this tribute to the Midlands' most successful club!

Keep an eye out for these bits:

Captain Johnny Dixon lifting the F.A. Cup in 1957, after a Peter McParland double beat Man Utd 2-1.

Bit of a mystery this card! It looks like a classic Godfrey Phillips Pinnace Card from the early 1920s. But after a bit of research online I can't seem to find it. It must date from around 1924, as it mentions they were Cup Finalists in 1923/24. Could be a rare one then?! 

This was a very lucky find at a recent vintage fair. An Aston Villa autograph book with signatures of several Championship winning Villa players dating from the 1981/82 season. Some of them went on to win the European Cup later that season!

Fantastic Panini sticker of a fresh-faced Platty from Football 89. He would go on to have a stellar Italia 90 just a year later.

This 1977 programme didn't make it into the collage, but I just love the cover. It has a bold and slightly incongruous Art Deco font for the title, with a natty logo tucked into the letter O, and a fantastic cover photo. 

The editor thought better of having another boring photo of a player or action shot, and brilliantly decided to have an ordinary match day scene. Just some average punters checking their tickets as they wait to squeeze through the turnstiles. 
And I love it!! 

This match against QPR, scheduled for 19th February 1977, was actually postponed. Strangely they had to replay QPR in a League Cup Semi-Final clash on the 22nd, on their ultimately successful replay-ridden League Cup run. Eventually it was played on 20th May, ending in a 1-1 draw, hopefully they kept the same cover!!

Keep an eye out for the next instalment of my Midlands club collages, as I've now finished Villa's rivals West Brom and Birmingham!