Q.01: Please tell us how you started graphic design.
I've always done art and visual stuff, but I started becoming aware of graphic design in college, making flyers on photocopy machines, mostly for bands playing on campus and my own little political opinions, my musical interests sort of guided that, from the punk bands I listened to, to the first Public Enemy album, but I was into 'new wave' and alternative as well, since jr. high school. I really liked the album cover art and subsequently wanted to start doing that sort of work: album covers, more design... It moved into me doing a lot of club flyers for clubs and events in San Diego, where I grew up.

Q.02: Who are your influencers? Who are your favorite artists and designers?
Well, my parents were both teachers, and my father was an industrial arts professor, so his influence was enormous: teaching me all sorts of woodworking, plastic and metal fabrication techniques - at least what ever you could teach a kid at that early age, anyway. It gave me a deep interest in industrial fabrication and replication, as well as craftmanship. But my primary interest was in movies and special effects, model building, etc. So my early influences were mostly movies and album cover art, television shows and art books, before I knew the names of who did what I was looking at. Of course, being a total geek, I knew the names of all the directors, top special effects and make-up people from all the movies I liked at the time, but I really only started seeing the bigger picture of artists and designers like Syd Mead, Saul Bass, Paul Rand, Raymond Loewy, the Eames, Hipgnosis, Push Pin studios, various production and industrial designers when I was exposed to it in college. Music packaging influenced me a lot in college, it still does, but some of those late-80's influences would be Steven R. Gilmore, Neville Brody, 23 Envelope, and Peter Seville. My knowledge is sometimes uneven in areas, so I'm always trying to learn more through research, friends, magazines, books and gallery shows.

Q.03: How did your style develop?
First off, I'm flattered that you would even say that I have a style at all, because I don't always see it. I think my style comes through in the collection of my work, but you may not spot me right away if you only see one piece. I guess my style has developed from the desire to express an emotion or feeling from the art or design I'm trying to do for each project. Sometimes it's a spin on a clichéd path, for humor or playing with the archetypical idea. Or if it's supposed to feel like an old 60's film poster for instance, then I'll limit my visual vocabulary to techniques or what was possible back then, or at least have it look like what could have been done back then. It's not a particularly unique method, but it seems people ignore it too often by using fonts or techniques that do not feel like appropriate emotional triggers. So my style has developed by research and noticing production techniques from various times. Also, I really like to put some humor in there if I can fit it in.

Q.04: What do you always keep in mind when you design?
If it's work for other people, I try to remember that what I'm doing needs to represent someone else, and if they don't like what I'm doing, they aren't the enemy, or necessarily "wrong," so to speak. The project needs to cater to what the client wants. In my own work, there are pluses and minuses - obviously, there's no one else to report to, so the work can be whatever I want it to be, but yet at the same time, it can sometimes feel aimless without a message or deadline for the projects. It's a challenge I'm facing as I try to create my works for my art, rather than my graphic design jobs.

Q.05: You have worked with Beastie Boys, how did it happen?
That has been one of the really fun parts of my design career, as I have always been a big fan of those guys, since the days of hearing "Cookie Puss" on San Diego's "91X" radio station. Massive influence on me, and then when I got to meet them, and eventually got to work with them, well, it's been great. When I moved to NYC, they were actually out in L.A., and several of my friends had met them, but I never had the chance. I thought I would never get to meet them myself, especially when I moved away from California. But a funny thing happened: In NYC, I started working for a company called The Drawing Board, basically the art department for the record label Def Jam at the time, and my bosses were Steve Carr and Cey Adams - and Cey had been friends with those guys since long before they were even signed as a band. So when he found out I was a fan, he mentioned that all those guys were moving back to NYC and maybe I would get to meet them. Eventually I did meet them, and they were really nice guys. I had hoped I could get to work on something for them, and I mentioned it to Adam Horovitz, who told me that they were already about to talk to Cey about working on what was going to be the Hello Nasty package. Drawing Board was created as a separate entity from Def Jam specifically so the company could still do outside projects not affiliated with Def Jam, a really smart move by Cey and Steve. Among other projects, It allowed us to work on the Hello Nasty record. Since then, the band has continued to keep me involved, and we work well together, at least well enough that they have continued to call me to be involved in graphics if they think I'm appropriate for the projects. And they're always fun projects, even the gnarly time-consuming death missions that sometimes happen. I've probably lost some years off my life working on those things, and those guys have probably lost some years waiting for me to finish.

Q.06: What kind of projects do you like the most?
The ones where I get to try some new things and it works out. Sometimes I get myself into a tough spot trying techniques I've not totally mastered, but those projects have also pushed me to do some of my favorite work.

Q.07: What does it mean to you to design T-shirts?
My philosophy for t-shirts is this: people wear them to explain something about themselves without having to literally speak and explain themselves, what they like or what their interests are. So I feel lucky if someone decides they like a design I did enough to wear it. They relate enough to the design to let it express something for them.

Q.08: What is your definition of good T-shirts design?
Something that is clever, well executed and interesting. I like to see colors that I hadn't thought to try together.

Q.09: Which musician do you want to wear your T-shirts on stage? Do you have any specific shirts in mind?
Well, I've been lucky enough to have Beastie Boys wear my shirts on stage every now and then, and once it was my 'Time's Up Mr. Bush' shirt, so that meant a lot to me. I'd love to see Kanye West or Philip Glass wearing a t-shirt I designed.

Q.10: You are an avid sneaker collector, has your collection grown? What is your most recent special acquisition?
I just got the Alife ASICS green Monster ones, with the eyes on the laces! Stupid! When am I ever gonna wear those? But you gotta have them in your collection. Like the warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Q.11: Beside sneakers, what is the favorite item you have collected? Name three.
My favorite things? I have a lot, but three of my favorites: an original set of the Eames Computer House of Cards, that my dad got for me when I was a kid, an early Evans' manufactured Eames Dining Chair Wood (DCW), and an original drawing from the artist Zephyr's opening animation for the film 'Wild Style,' that I bought at an auction.

Q.12: Which Sushi restaurant do you recommend in NYC?
Ah, there are a many, but in my area downtown, I would suggest Takahachi in the East Village, and in SoHo, Omen or Blue Ribbon Sushi. Unfortunately, the excellent soba restaurant Honmura-an closed up it's doors, but not for lack of business - the owner just decided it was time to return to Japan. There's a hand-written note in the still-unrented space: "Thank you for many years in NYC!! See you all in Tokyo! @ Roppongi."

Q.13: If you could travel anywhere from tomorrow, where would be your destination?
...I would go to Tokyo of course! Try to find that new Honmura-an restaurant in Roppongi Hills or something...

Q.14: What is your latest project?
I'm working day and night to prepare my solo art show in Los Angeles at the Constant Gallery. It's called 'Hype, Hustle, Rip-Off" and it's taking everything I have in me to finish in time. After that, I'm working more on my American Mixtape project... So look for that on my website if you're interested.

Q.15: Last question, you are on the moon, what would you do?
Look for that moon rover the astronauts left up there! Cruise around before my air supply ran out.