Krimson News has been in touch with Ioannis off and on for a while. If you aren’t familiar with his work, since you are on this site, you’ve probably seen his work regardless! He’s created many album covers for King Crimson, the California Guitar Trio and Trey Gunn, just to name a few!

Recently, I decided he’d probably be a good interview for the site. Boy was I right!

Ioannis is a wonderful guy and we at Krimson News truly appreciate the time and effort he gave to answer all of these questions with such detail and candidness. You rule Ioannis! (and George!)

Without further ado, heeeeere’s the interview:

1.Tell us a little about yourself.

a) Hello to all, my name is Ioannis, and I am a artist and also co-owner and founder of Vivid Images Worldwide, (http://www.vividimagesdesign.com), a design firm that I started in 1993 with my brother George Vasilopoulos. Our work is mainly in the entertainment industry and we among other things create artwork for music artists that is used in everything from CD’s to posters, tourbooks, videos , merchandising etc…

We also create websites, videos, dvd and video art and packaging The Crimson gang knows us from our collaborative efforts with Trey Gunn ( from Third Star on to the latest Live Encounter and creating his website ) California Guitar Trio (from Pathways on to the latest The First Decade coming up ) King Crimson ( The ConstruKtion of Light CD artwork , merchandising, tourbook etc..) Projekct X ( Heaven and Earth ) Whew !!!!!!

2.Ioannis is a very unique name, could you tell us where it comes from?

a) Well my full name is Ioannis Nikolaos Vasilopoulos, which I can tell you was tough to write in elementary school when I was young. When I started to get serious about what I wanted to do in life I decided to come up with a better name that could be remembered I got the idea of using my first name only, from fellow Greek countryman and brilliant composer Vangelis Papathanasiou ( Vangelis ) that was way back in 1979 he wasn’t famous yet than. My other option was the Greek slang for Ioannis, ( Yanni ), thank god I didn’t go that route, it would have been a nightmare!

3. Give us the lowdown on your company Vivid Images Worldwide. (start history, present, future)

a) I started primarily as an artist doing paintings, which I still do. In time I became adept at graphic design and started to design complete packages. I freelanced solo and under a few monikers doing more than just CD cover art. My brother always had a good head for business and a good rap with clients, we worked together on and off. After a stint with a merchandising company he helped create, we decided to work for ourselves. We got serious and launched Vivid Images Worldwide to service the music industry, we started the company out of George’s living room, and since then we have expanded the firm to our current location servicing the Entertainment industry and have an International Client List. The motive was primarily to do some cool graphics in a collaborative effort with musicians and acts both of us are big time music fans and have been since we were kids this is all we ever really wanted to do. ( well that was that one time when I was 9 that I wanted to be J.Cousteau and look for fish. ) As for the future we are continuing to develop the digital side of the firm which is becoming so critical for the future what with broadband coming up. You really have to think beyond print and in 3d. Yet in the end it all comes down to creating images that will make someone stop and think for a moment.

4. What do you generally use to create the artwork?

a) Various mediums depending on the artist ,in the case of The Allman Brothers Band 1994 ( Where it All Begins ) it was a acrylic painting I did, very psychedelic for Styx (Brave New World )1999 it was a painting combining traditional media and digital software, for Deep Purple 1998 ( Abandon ) it was photography digitally enhanced and doctored . Basically whatever it takes to create the image, there are no set rules. I personally don’t have a preference when it comes to creating art although lately I have been doing a lot of personal photography scanning and working with it digitally to create pieces of art and experimenting with 3d software. A number of these images are making it on CD packages The Blue Oyster Cult 2001 ( curse of the hidden mirror) Jean-luc Ponty 2001, ( life enigma ), and the latest Trey Gunn and California Guitar Trio, ( not out yet ).

5. Do the artists submit ideas, or is it left up to you, or a little of both?

a) It again depends on the situation, for the major acts they ask for concepts which is why they hire you. Then they tend to either get involved in the effort or leave it to their manager or record company to see it through – not our favorite way. When they are involved depending on their knowledge of art it works much better. With Deep Purple, Roger Glover was great, working very closely with us on the whole campaign. Trey Gunn gets very involved in a subtle way on both his releases and as a representative of Crimson when we did the last studio album. Paul Richards and the guys from the CGT just love anything we do, they’re spoiling us.

6. Tell us a little about the process involved with producing an album design.

a) Well first we keep calling the management or label until we becamesuch a pain in the arse that they give in and take a meeting! Seriously though, after we are approached, ( much nicer way ), we get a brief or a discussion with the act or their representative. At that initial meeting a lot is discussed about the band’s look,image, what they are seeking to accomplish in visual terms follow through after the CD is out ( merchandising, stage art , adverts, ) videos and even webpromos. The budget, ( George’s problem ), and then artwork copyrights, usually we sell out except for original art. We then start by listening to the music, or previous albums if the music is not available, ( a lot of times it is not ). Usually we will come up with 3 or 4 concepts that are comped up and presented to the band most of the times one of the ideas is picked or the creative juices get going and a direction emerges. Once in a long while no one likes what they see at all, during which time panic sets in and we start to re-evaluate our life up to now, thank god that’s not that often!

The go ahead is given and depending on the concept we start to execute the art, in a variety of ways like I mentioned in the previous questions. Sometimes this also involves picking a photographer to shoot the band that will be used for the package and publicity. We coordinate the shoot ( location, props, styling, etc..) and art direct it. We have through the years worked with some great people most notably Mick Rock ( Queen, Bowie, Aerosmith, Talking Heads, Genesis, Blondie ). Once the

Coverart is approved we discuss packaging options and deadlines for the various territories ( the Japanese always wanted it first ). Credits and lyrics are sent and we begin layouts, we post them online as usually the band members are on tour or recording or somewhere in all places around the globe, also this holds true with various record label and management personnel. Before the Web this would turn into a FedEx nightmare. After approvals are in we burn CDs of the artwork and bundle them with color proofs and instructions to be sent to all the territories. We then go out and have a pizza to celebrate hoping that we got the address for the printer correct. The whole process can take from several weeks to several months.

7. What equipment do you use?

a) Well as far as the firm is concerned we have several G4 Mac computers with 16 inch monitors, a hi-end Minolta QMS printer for proofing and printing our promotional items, color scanners for slides, chromes and flat art, CD burners, digital cameras and camcorders and traditional Polaroid cameras and Canon’s. We also have thousands of fonts and various types of software depending on the job . Most notably PhotoShop, Illustrator and Bryce5 for image manipulation, Quarkxpress for design and layout, Golive5 and Flash5 for webwork, and Mediacleaner Pro Final Cut Pro etc. for video work. Personally I use acrylics, airbrushes, colored pencils and inks and collage for my personal pieces either on canvas or illustration board. Although my strongest weapon in my arsenal still is my markers, pencil and sketch pad.

8. Any advice for aspiring album/etc design artists?

a) Persistence! Persistence! Persistence! and a little bit of luck. Also research the subject, a lot of great music art by some incredible talent in the past. I knew as much about the artists who created the graphics of my favorite Album covers as the bands themselves. I not only learned a lot about how to approach certain situations but where my work fit in. Like being a musician, being a artist or designer is something you do because its what keeps you alive. The professional and financial rewards it brings you are extras. The music industry is a highly competitive ego-brusing field so you really got to love what you do to survive it. To start a real good Art or Design school and some willing friends who have bands to let you experiment on them. Then a good portfolio and the rounds of some good firms or record label art depts to expand your craft. When you’re comfortable with the art you’re producing have a go at it on your own.

9. Where do you draw your artistic influence from?

a) Wow I really don’t know where to start, I mean there were people I worshiped when I grew up, artists and designers. I guess in painting for album covers, Roger Dean. It was his book for me became a manual as to how to become a record cover artist. Since I was a

big Dali, Maxfield Parish fan and a huge Comic book and fantasy fan he really clicked with me. My paintings still show his influence although I think in the last number of years I’m coming more into my own especially in using digital. In the design world a number of people Bill Smith , Norman Moore, etc.. but mainly old Hipgnosis, ( Storm Thorgensen , Aubry Powell ), they were it my firm was set up inspired by them, their versatility and strong graphics were absolutely amazing!

10. You’ve seen a lot of things in the music industry being on the inside, where do you think it’s headed?

a) A really serious division between the individual Music artist and the huge Music machines, ( IE: labels) . Although contrary to wishful thinking, ( the demise of the majors), I think they will coexist. If you’re Tangerine Dream and sell in the 100,000 mark having you’re own label, creating you’re own product and using the internet, online stores, targeted minitours and a steady flow of product for rabid fans, staying independent makes sense. If you want to be Madonna sell millions of records and play in front of hundreds of thousands only the PR machine of the majors can really get it done. It’s a deal with the devil really, it depends where you’re head is at. In the past this choice wasn’t there, today it is. One may argue well in the past bands like Yes and Gentle Giant got signed, surely they didn’t think they would sell a lot.

Well yes and no, I mean, they didn’t really know with rock, ELP was experimental and then became a massive supergroup same with Pink Floyd also the music business was not selling for mass conception they didn’t

know how, a platinum record was a rarity, today selling 2 million isn’t that big. They have figured out how to create monster records and acts I mean albums that can sell 15-30 million worldwide its not a foolproof science and the financial stakes are high, ( million dollar videos, $600,000 photoshoots ), but it’s doable. However it really narrows the gene pool. Having said that it is also crazy to have 350,000 people buying an artists music and then say that they are not viable.

11. What do you think the next big thing for the music industry is going to be?

a) Downloading music and it will be offered in a variety of ways the big winners I think will be the majors because of the massive amount of content in their vaults. Think of the music that a label like Atlantic or Blue Note has printing 5000 of the Mahavishnu Orchestra is a major pain for them and not profitable, however downloading it is a goldmine. No overhead!

12. When do you think this will happen?

a) Its already here but the next 2-3 years will see significant changes as technology catches up worldwide. Not everyone lives on the east and west coast.

13. What did/do you think of Napster and that genre of software?

a) I think Napster really screwed the artist it purported to help I mean it was basically the same as a bootlegger getting huge overnight and then demanding a place on the negotiating table, even though the music was attained illegally. I don’t think they had a clue what was going to happen it caught them by surprise, and then they had to make the best of it. However it showed that the market for downloading was ready it woke up the majors, I think overall in time it will be a huge turning point in music history.

14. Do you think popular music/radio will ever be “cool” again?

a) Well it depends on your definition of cool, I mean there is more bands ,small labels, concerts, cd’s and availabillity of music than any other time specifically catering to each niche ( prog, metal, jazz etc…). I mean people yearn for the days of when Kasmir, and Lucky man was big but I also remember Paper Lace, Starland Vocal band, and Disco Duck racing up the charts at the same time. As far as radio same thing, Bohemian Rhapsody was followed by Billy Dont Be A Hero. Specifically in radio, soon the same as cable TV is coming. Digital pay service radio, 100’s of formats lots of choice. Can you imagine telling a ad exec in 1983 that a TV channel showing nothing but cooking shows is a good buy! Well, the all prog music chanel is around the bend. As far as popular tastes in the 70’s you had Hellen Reddy at the same time as Steely Dan Today its Eminem and The Dixie Chicks while Moby or Radiohead or Porcupine Tree exist. Nothing has really changed, I think people love nostalgia.

15. What did you REALLY want to be when you were growing up?

a) As far back as i can remember a artist ( except for the Cousteau episode), although before I got heavily into music I wanted to draw comic books and have actually created some.

16. How long have you been doing graphic design and building websites?

a) Professionally I have been designing since 1984 and websites since 1998.

17. Where do you get ideas for CD inserts and websites?

a) Pretty much from the music and attitude of the artist we are working with as far as the mechanics my vast collection of books, CDs, magazines, movies, life!!

18. Where do you go for inspiration when the creative well runs dry?

a)I go for a drive up the coast late afternoon with my car stereo playing Vangelis, Tangerine Deam, Orb etc.. sort of a music sountrack to the drive at some point ideas come into my head.

19. Do you do much investigation with the musicians about what the cover should look like beforehand, or do you work pretty much by yourself initially with some ideas from the artists, and only work with them on the revisions?

a) It again depends on the artist but usually the ideas are comped in isolation and then the collaboration starts in the revisions.

20. Do you do much with painting or drawing to sketch out ideas and/or create content, or is your process digital from beginning to end?

a) Again it depends on the project, but yes, it all starts with a pencil sketch even the digital paintings.

21. Which do you enjoy more, designing CD artwork or websites and why?

a) Definetly CDs because its more of a pure art piece, in the end there is a tangible collectible item in your hand that is conveying a artistic message with music to boot!!

In websites the art is just one of the elements the goal being proper communication. I have seen some great art and design but a totally useless website because thats all the designer paid attention to.

22. Tell us about the mural you were commissioned to do for one of the Woodstock festivals. What did you think of the festival?

a) It was for Woodstock II. I along with 30 other artists was invited to do a mural painting. The invitation came as a result of the cover I did for The Allman Brothers Band ( Where it All Begins ) 1994 same year as the festival. Anyways they wanted something similar, the plan was that you contributed a piece of art, ( mine was 10 feet square ), and after the festival they were going to tour the art, then produce a calendar and book then auction the art for charity and other than exposure you would receive some royalties.

As with all other plans during that festival it was a disaster, as people busted the gates on day three, they trashed and stole everything. The volunteer security didn’t know what was up, all the artwork was stolen I mean they must have backed up the trucks some of the pieces were very big. All I have left is a Polaroid of the art ! The original is hanging somewhere on someone’s wall. I mean I was in good company, Peter Max, English, and many others. A Class Action lawsuit was planned, but it quickly became apparent that we would never get anywhere, so I didn’t pursue it, a real shame.

About three months later they send me a certificate of appreciation ha!!!!

23. As a vendor supporting the industry, how have you seen the music business change over the years?

a) The stakes are getting higher and it is becoming a more competitive field. You have to understand business to survive in it. Otherwise you can produce some great work and have absolutely nothing to show for it, living on pennies. Management is critical as is a understanding the audience you want to reach. For people like me, specializing is important, we are the gang that solves their image and branding dilemmas, sounds cold doesn’t it??

24 What sort of media combinations are we looking at when we view your work?

a) Since I do a lot of different things it depends on the project on Trey Gunn’s (The Joy of Molybdenum )it was a metallic painting by my wife Lisa McKeever who is also an artist , photography and digital manipulation to produce a final result. The artwork for Saga’s (Defining moments volume 1) was photography collage onto a canvas and then acrylic paints applied by brush and airbrush.

25 What themes do you enjoy exploring (particularly in any art you do solely for pleasure)?

a) Cinematic landscapes, very dramatic skies at twilight, places or images where you feel you are the one person missing. I recently started a company called Dangerous Age Graphics the purpose to market my own personal artwork independently from Vivid . There will be a website soon it will go very much into detail on my work including stories behind the art, diaries, planned exhibits and events and also offer limited edition prints, original art, and other merchandising stay tuned!!

26 Favorite music/musicians?

a) God so many! It would have to be by category

My favorite style of music recently is electronic and ambient.

On that level:

Tangerine Dream ( up to 1991 ), Vangelis, Jean Michael Jarre, The Orb, Future Sounds of London Andy Summers, William Orbit, Brian Eno, Filla Brazilia, Fripp, Roger Eno, Bill Nelson, Patrick O’Hearn etc..

Rock:

King Crimson, Yes ( my all time favorite up to 1992) Genesis, Steve Hackett, Porcupine Tree Anthony Philips, Kate Bush, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd, David Sylvian, Trey Gunn, CGT, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath Judas Priest, Queen, Led Zepellin, Deep Purple, Jeff Beck, Steely Dan, Rush, Sting, Peter Gabriel, The Who, The Police , UltraVox, Thomas Dolby etc..

In jazz:

Return to Forever, Weather Report, Stanley Clarke, Jean luc Ponty, Bela Fleck, etc..

27 What inspires you?

a) My daughter Maria, my wife, my family. Sorry to sound so sappy, but it’s true !

28 How did you get to where you are today (training etc)?

a) Colosal cosmic screw up !! Seriously I am primarily self taught College with the exception of a few art teachers was a massive bore ! I was born in Athens Greece and moved to the U.S. when I was 9 years old always drew loved Fantasy and American Television, got into it in high school (no art classes given !) did logos for local bands and painted . By the time I was in college I was working profesionally , my first real cover, ( I had done a few for local acts ), was Art In America in 1983 for epic records produced by Eddie offord and guesting a then young Steve Morse. Did a lot of metal in the eighties and even some pop and just pushed hard! Started vivid in 1993 and here we are today !

Hope that’s all the info you need , I also want to mention that we get a lot of great fanmail and want to thank all for the kind words and support , it really is inspirational. We try to answer each one.

BYE to all from me and George and the gang here at Vivid.

peace

Ioannis