Joe Petagno is nothing less than an icon in the realms of Metal as Fuck album cover art. For over two decades this self-styled Minister of Aesthetic Terrorism has unassumingly created some of the most memorable poseur-crushing images, from vintage Motorhead albums such as 'Overkill' ('77), 'Another Perfect Day' ('83), and 'Orgasmatron' ('86) to hordes of more obscure death & black metal bands such as Angel Corpse, Avulsed, Centinex, Diabolic, Vital Remains, Krisiun, and Sigh. Alternately raw and primitive, refined and precise, Joe's paintings never fail to smash the retina like a broadsword to the skull. He is that rare breed of artist who meticulously probes his own inner depths, retrieving from the chaos dark gems of brutality, those "antipodes of humanity". Like a Frazetta painting on methamphetamines and bad acid, each brushstroke contributes its own indelible brand, forging a strange and grotesque order from the frenzied maelstrom of color. Indeed, Joe's paintings often possess a mandala-like symmetry that suggests his artistic roots in the heady days of psychedelia. From blacklight posters to black metal, Joe Petagno's unmistakable art has spanned several generations and crept into the very sinews of contemporary counter-cultural media. And in this era of slick computer generated cd art, Joe's paintings defiantly stand their ground, proving again that the soulful nuances of the human hand shall never bow out to any technological advances. Hopefully soon some big independent publisher like Fantagraphics will take notice and release the full-color collected works of this veteran warlord. The following conversation is edited from letters exchanged throughout '98 & '99. Lay down your soul to the God of Rock 'n' Roll...DEATH TO FALSE METAL ART!!!!
I wrote that white-knuckle rant 7 long years ago as the introduction to my interview with Joe Petagno in issue 2 of
Destroying Angels. Since that time, Joe and I have continued to pen pal regularly and an independent publisher did finally take notice. It wasn't Fantagraphics, but in 2004
Feral House released the sweet hardcover collection
Orgasmatron: The Heavy Metal Art of Joe Petagno. Feral House has more than earned its place among the most essential independent publishers with a formidable arsenal of titles. Still, I have some problems with
Orgasmatron. Namely, it has the feel of being slapped together rather hastily for an expensive coffee table book. If I had things my way, it would've included a detailed biography, interviews, and examples of Joe's hilarious pre-metal underground hippy art. For instance, many fans don't realize that Petagno drew the huge fold-out dollar bill that came with
Alice Cooper's 1973 album 'Billion Dollar Babies'! It also would've been amazing if Feral House could've arranged a gallery exhibit to coincide with the release of the book. I hope when
Orgasmatron is reprinted it will contain more details on this American expat who has called Denmark home for much of his artistic career. In the meantime, I've decided to post my interview from the long unavailable issue of Destroying Angels #2. I'll probably post more of my old Destroying Angels interviews when I have time to type 'em up. Enjoy!
Dennis Dread: Can you recall how you originally hooked up with Lemmy?Joe Petagno: I met Lemmy through
Hawkwind. I was doing some full size "warrior" illustrations for them. Later he quit and formed
Motorhead. We spoke about the logo at a pub, I went away and did some sketches. They were quite a lot like
Hawkwind (i.e. futuristic). Lem said, "I want it more street level, rocker like." So I did the 'Dog Faced Boy'. He loved it and the
Motorhead hasn't changed much since.
It's a credit to both the music and the art that Motorhead has been embraced by punks, metals, hardcore kids, etc. and continues to influence new generations of musicians and artists. What do you think of their musical/scene crossover?I think it's "poetic justice." Yet again proof that innovators outlast imitators.
When you are approached by a band or label to design an album cover are you usually in full control of what you paint or do you tend to work with their ideas? It varies. Sometimes a band has a very strong vision and that can dictate the shape of a piece. Othertimes they just turn me loose! I don't mind the direction too much as long as I have the last word...haha!
How big do you work? Are your paintings reduced a great deal from their original size?I work in all different sizes and mediums. Oil on canvas 3ft X 3ft, acrylic on watercolor paper 15" X 15", gouache on board 10" X 10". It all depends on the job and the effect I want to achieve.
Have you ever done any mural work?No, but I'd like to! Do you know anyone who wants one? Haha!
One of the few contemporary artists I can think of to use such an effective whirlwind of color is Frank Frazetta. Is he a big influence?I'd be lyin' if I said Frank didn't influence me, he's the grandaddy of us all, man! Brilliant artist! I saw his work when I was 16 or 17 and was blown away! Other influences are Velasquez, Rembrandt, Redon, Turner, Rosetti, Goya, Reveira, Dali...I could continue, there's been some incredibly clever people.
You're a legend among the Satanic hordes who have followed your work over the years. I don't want to use the word "propaganda", but do you consider yourself more than a commercial artist?Propaganda? I'm just content doing what I like best (drawing monsters and demons, "charting the antipodes of humanity"). I'm firstly a commercial artist. I like to eat, man. But I hope my work "works on other levels." Perhaps they mirror the time in which we live- then maybe it goes beyond commercialism and becomes relevant historically.
An outsider looking in might suspect that your paintings are sort of visual call to arms. What does war and the representation of war in your paintings mean to you? I'm rebellious by nature. I don't like Church or State. They're useless, as are laws.
Is the black metal attack on Christianity and organized religion in general a mostly symbolic war, or could it evolve into an actual "grassroots" militant movement? Has it become simply another consumer spectacle, an angle for selling more commodities to alienated young people?I think no. I think that it's a very healthy reaction against repression. Could it evolve into a militant movement?? They asked that in the 60's and it nearly did. But we weren't organized enough (too many drugs, haha) and I'm afraid the same is true today. But that doesn't mean to say it's not changing things...it is! All alienated youth need to find new directions in which to move. You have to throw out the old norms, even if you can't overthrow them. You can change the way people look at them, or the world in general. This can be done especially well thru the arts, as it has for generations.
Several issues back the editor of Metal Maniacs responded to a letter, in part, with the following: "Yeah, I'm deadset against Nazis of the 1940's, Nazi skinheads of today, and stupid rock stars like Lemmy who have shrines to Hitler in their bedrooms." What are your thoughts on race and the relatively recent trend in black metal toward National Socialism?Well, firstly, Lemmy is not a Nazi. He has an interest in collecting and an interest in the historical phenomenon. As far as I'm concerned there's only one human race. It is religion (yet again!) and language, manners, and values
[that are] commonly confused with "race differences."
Political correctness is almost as insidious in America as fanatical race consciousness and far right politics. It's most frightening manifestation seems to be its logical extreme: self-censorship. Do politcal correctness and other forms of censorship pose any threat to artists in Denmark?None whatsoever, it's pretty liberal here. We can do pretty much as we like, but that doesn't mean there's a market for it...
Your painting for Motorhead's 'Sacrifice' album is one of my more recent favorites but the copy you sent of it is a little different than the version you get on the actual release. In the original painting the tongue and throat of the demon form a sort of surreal cock & vagina that appears as a red blur on the cd. Is that a case of deliberate censorship or just a fuck-up at the printers?You're right about the 'Sacrifice' cover. They like to manipulate things because they're pussies and are frightened to let a genital or two go thru the censors. Haha. Like lemmy says, "If they can't take a joke...fuck 'em!"
Have you created an album that you consider your masterpiece?Oh, the streets of Rome will be filled with rubble when I paint my masterpiece...I don't think I've painted a masterpiece. 'Don't even think I'm capable of it. Well, at least I'm honest. Haha. On the other hand, I'm quite fond of 'Another Perfect Day'.
The 'Home Sweet Hell' cover for Della Morte is a bit of a departure as it throws the viewer into a less supernatural realm of horror. It's fucking sick!Glad you like the
Della Morte piece- pretty good album too! I'm working on the new
Sigh art at the moment, as well as
Angel Corpse and
Wyked Witch.
What's your favorite horror film of all time?That's difficult but I'm fond of the Lon Chaney
Wolfman films,
Frankenstein with Karloff and
The Screaming Skull scared the shit out of me as a kid. More recently, some of the Freddy films were good,
Hellraiser,
Class of 99 had some good effects.
Reanimator and
Deranged to name a few more!
Favorite band of all time?Whew...that's difficult...There's been a lot, but all time favorite. Hmmm...
Motorhead. I can listen to them night and day.
You're well known in England as a prolific book illustrator. What are some books that you've done cover art for?Shit, talk about history! Yeah, I used to do a huge amount of sci-fi fantasy/fiction work when I lived in London during the 70's. I think I did about 80 titles or something. So it's a pretty long list, but to name a few, Philip Jose Farmer's 'The Dark Design', Edgar Rice Burroughs 'Warlord of Mars', Robert E. Howard's 'The Dead Remember', Robert A. Heinlein's 'Star Beast', etc etc...I also did the cover for the
Star Wars souvenir booklet when it opened in London.
I've heard about a free state within Denmark called Christiania where it's legal to buy pot and other drugs...Yes, we have an autonomous state called Christiania. It was started by hippies who stormed it in '71. It used to be an old military area (poetic justice?). Now it's a thriving community of about 800 citizens whom live there and you can buy hash and marijuana, as well as mushrooms. No "heavy" drugs though. Although they do have a "hash market", it is regularly visited by the local constabulary and last week they got a 1/2 ton of high grade Morrocan in a rather large bust. But it's not enough to stop the flow so you can usually get what you need. It's a great place all in all. I live about 15 minutes from it as it is pretty much in the center of town
[Copenhagen] and there's quite a lot going on "culturally" there, i.e. concerts, art shows, handicrafts, etc, etc. A "must see" for all tourists.
Are you self taught?Self taught, that's it. Auto didactic, I think it's called. "School sucks" haha.
Do you have any advice or admonitions for aspiring young artists?Just keep drawin' and believe in yourself! "A man doing his will has the inertia of the universe to assist him." (A. Crowley)
