eleven-nineteen

Design: Dime Mystery

jonmwessel — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:17:40 +0000

Dime Mystery Magazine started publication in 1932 (as Dime Mystery Book) featuring a full novel and a few short stories. After 10 unsuccesful issues it was changed to it’s current title and featured novelettes focusing on, what became known as “Weird Menace” stories. Demented doctors, crazed pirates, bad priests, evil spiders, etc. became the standard. By the looks of these if you were a woman during this time you didn’t stand a chance. This format worked much better and had a pretty good run until it closed shop in 1950. Garishly designed with lurid cover paintings, Dime Mystery Magazine certainly stood out on the crowded magazine racks of the 30′s-50′s.

Dig Your Own Murder

Hell Comes in Bottles

Dance of the Death Doll

The Seven Arms of Terror

The Beauty Shop of Horrors

Mistress of the Worm-Men

Beware the Boneless Death!

Maker of the Faceless Ones

Lure of the Fox-Woman

Photographers: Francis Wolff

jonmwessel — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 23:47:43 +0000

Francis Wolff (1907 or 1908 – March 8, 1971) Francis Wolff worked for Blue Note Records in the 50′s and 60′s in a number of capacaties – as producer, accountant, executive – and as a photographer. Wolff was the fly on the wall for most of Blue Notes’ most important sessions and he took pictures of everything and everyone. His photos were used on a huge number of LP covers (the below photo being Coltranes’ Blue Train session) and are still used for the reissues of the Blue Note library.

John Coltrane

Miles Davis

Baby Face Willette

Sonny Rollins

Herbie Hancock

Miles

Philly Joe Jones

Coltrane and Lee Morgan

Thelonius Monk

Sonny Rollins

Max Roach

Style: Soul Train

jonmwessel — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:34:10 +0000

With the passing of Don Cornelius (September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012) a few weeks back, it’s time to appreciate the majesty that was Soul Train. Premiering on Aug. 1st 1970 and finally derailing in 2006, Soul Train remains the longest running syndicated TV show in history. Sometimes called The Black American Bandstand (a comparrison Cornelius hated) it opened a window into black music and fashion throughout the 70′s and 80′s. The show would always have a musical guest (Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Shaka Kahn, The Tops, The Temps, etc) who would perform 2 songs and a short interview. And then came the Soul Train Dancers Line – 2 rows of dancers meeting up to dance down the line showing their best moves and finest outfits. As a white kid growing up in Detroit this was astonishing – and the primary reason why I still love The O’Jays hit Backstabber.

"... and you can bet your last money, it's all gonna be a stone gas, honey! I'm Don Cornelius, and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace and soul!"

The Soul Train Line

The Jackson 5 - Michael in hat

a more casual Don Cornelius

Aretha Franklin

David Bowie - One of only 2 white performers ever to perform on Soul Train, preps to sing FAME

The Soul Train Dancers

The Line

Sly Stone

Happy Valentines Day

jonmwessel — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:04:04 +0000

February 1954

Elvgren Pinup

Marilyn

George Petty Pinup

February Calendar Page - 1954

Dianne Durbin

Marilyn

Painting: Pulp Fiction

jonmwessel — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:53:44 +0000

These are all original paintings for various paperback books and detective magazines. These were painted specifically for the intended book or article, but show up occaisionally on totally different stories. They were considered simple commercial art and were destroyed after printing – what a crime.

For the book Sexbound

Young Nurse

Evelyn & the Strangler

Satan is a Woman

Mike Shayne Private Eye

True Detective cover

New Detective cover

The Shadow

Design/Style: El Santo

jonmwessel — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:04:51 +0000

Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (September 23, 1917 – February 5, 1984), more widely known as El Santo (the Saint) is one of the most famous and iconic of all Mexican luchadores, and has been referred to as one of “the greatest legends in Mexican sports” His wrestling career spanned nearly fifty years, during which he became a folk hero and a symbol of justice for the common man through his appearances in comic books and movies. He is said to have popularized professional wrestling in Mexico. In 1952 a Santo comic book was created, turning him into the first and foremost character in Mexican popular literature. The Santo comic book series (four different volumes) ran continuously for 35 years, ending in 1987. Santo would go on to star in 52 films all of which had him battling super-human villians. Santo never took of his mask in public until his final TV appearance in 1984, 2 weeks before his death, effectively saying goodbye to his fans.

El Santo - The Man

Santo vs. The Zombies

Santo & Blue Demon vs. Dracula & the Wolfman

"....even childlike I'd say."

Santo vs the Invasion of the Marcians

In the ring

On the beach - Movie Still

Santo vs. The Vampire Women

Santo's partner The Blue Demon

Santo vs The Strangler

The Mummies of Guanajuato

Santo en El Museo de Cera (?)

Santo & the Ghost of the Strangler - Musical

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Big Fan: The Kinks

jonmwessel — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:34:03 +0000

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The Kinks struggled hard for their place in Rock music history. Coming up at the same time as The Beatles and The Stones they had neither the bad-boy swagger of the later or the good lucks and pop talent of the former. Plus they hated each other. Comprised of 2 brothers, Ray & Dave Davies, along with original drummer Mick Avery and bassist Pete Quaife, they all fought constantly. In an onstage fight at a 1966 show in Cardiff, Wales, Dave kicked Mick’s drums in frustration so Mick bashed him in the head with his cymbal stand, knocking him unconscious. Fearing he’d killed his lead guitarist he fled the stage (To placate the police, Avory later claimed that it was part of a new act in which the band members would hurl their instruments at each other). The brothers would often fight onstage and just as they were about to break America, they were banned for 4 years from performing because of their rowdy behaviour – one particular fight at an American radio station sealed the ban. They did manage however to write a ton of huge hits, “You Really Got Me”, “All Day & All of the Night”, “Lola”, “Set Me Free” as well as the best song ever written (arguably) “Waterloo Sunset”. It wouldn’t be until the 80′s that they would finally really break big in America with their hit “Come Dancing”. If you’re new to The Kinks – ignore this period – it’s awful. 1965 -68 were the salad years.

The Kinks on TV - Ready, Steady, Go!

Early Promo Shot

Unfortunate Promo Shot

On TV - *Note awful logo on drum kit

Village Green... Promo

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Style: David Bowie 1972-73

jonmwessel — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:36:40 +0000

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1972 -73 are the years that Bowie arguably had his biggest impact. He had a hit in 1969 with ‘Space Oddity’ and 1970′s LP Hunky Dory did OK but Bowie was still the long haired fey looking hippie. 1972 saw the release of his new alter-ego Ziggy Stardust and it’s backing band – The Spiders From Mars. Overnight Bowie went from looking like everyone else, too looking like an alien. In the words of biographer David Buckley, Bowie “challenged the core belief of the rock music of its day” and “created perhaps the biggest cult in popular culture”. Bowie would take his persona one step further in 1973 with the release of ‘Alladin Sane’ – that with the thunderbolt makeup - and would tour the world on the back of the hits ‘Starman’, ‘The Jean Genie’, and ‘Drive-In Saturday’. 26 years old, lookin’ good and ready to rule the world.

Top of the Pops w/ Mick Ronson - 1972

Live in Wedgies - 1972

Meeting fans -'72

David, Iggy and the awful Lou Reed - 1972

Live

On the train w/ Mick Ronson

Onstage 1973

backstage '73

Live - *note stage size and the 2 gangsters on the left

Photo by Mick Rock 1973

Graphic Design: Travel Posters – Winter

jonmwessel — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:15:35 +0000

I know it’s winter somewhere – because it sure isn’t where I live (Seattle). I guess Rome is getting all the snow this year (first snowfall in 30 years or something). Apparently in the 30′s and 40′s there was always snow and cool places to ski – St. Moritz, all of Norway, all of Austria, Canada even. These posters are all beautiful. Beautifully designed, beautifully illustrated and beautifully printed. I love the idea of suggestion – Mts., skis and a whole country to go to – that’s all you need. The last poster here even has the destination in such small type I had to look twice to see it, simply suggesting the idea of snow and fun.

The Art of Packaging: Pulp Fiction – What’s in a Name?

jonmwessel — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:57:32 +0000

What’s in a name? That pretty much says it all. I’m sure there are reasons why these books are called what they’re called but ‘The Squeaker’ is a pretty damn good title regardless of the plot. For those of us under 70, the term ‘House Dick’ means a store or hotel detective (book 3).

The Squeaker

The Case of the Dancing Sandwiches

House Dick

Indian Beef & Killers are My Meat

The Girl with the Sweet Plump Knees

The Velvet Ape

Flesh Mother & Sin Census

Why Am I So Beat

The Venus Probe