Episode 275 – Dave Calver

Virtual Memories Show 275:
Dave Calver

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“I wanted a combination of organic, monster-y kind of things mixed with things with more pop sensibility.”

Artist & illustrator Dave Calver joins the show to talk about Limbo Lounge (Yoe! Books), his first graphic novel! We discuss the ups and downs of his 40-year career in illustration, his pop-surrealism-lowbrow vibe, life in a vintage trailer park, and how he manages to draw macabre without being gross. We also get into his ’70s/’80s NYC experience (including witnessing collateral damage at a women’s wrestling match at Club 57), his time at RISD with Roz Chast and her club-days at Danceteria (!), the movie he’s writing and its Munchkinland-Goth scenery, the loss of era-specific styles, perfecting “nicotine-stained jewel tones” for Limbo Lounge, and how it all started with the image of flowers behaving badly! Give it a listen! And go buy Limbo Lounge!

“Things have moved faster and faster to the point where I think each decade has a little less of an identity. For me, the ’80s had a really specific feel to it.”

Enjoy the conversation! Then check out the archives for more great episodes!

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About our Guest

Dave Calver‘s rich, evocative, surreal work has been featured in Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Playboy, and The New York Times. Other clients include the New York Rangers, Random House, and United Airlines. Taschen chose him as one of their favorite 100 illustrators in the world. In the Huffington Post’s review of Taschen’s 100 Illustrators, they singled out Dave as their #1 top favorite. Limbo Lounge is Dave’s first graphic novel.

Follow Dave on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!

Credits: This episode’s music is Nothing’s Gonna Bring Me Down by David Baerwald, used with permission from the artist. The conversation was recorded at the home of Cathy B. Graham on a pair of Blue enCORE 200 Microphones feeding into a Zoom H5 digital recorder. I recorded the intro and outro on a Heil PR-40 Dynamic Studio Recording Microphone feeding into a Cloudlifter CL-1 and a Mackie Onyx Blackjack 2×2 USB Recording Interface. All processing and editing done in Adobe Audition CC. Photo of Mr. Calver by me. It’s on my instagram. Flowers by Ms. Graham.