When we met back in 2008, McBess and I instantly became friends, his idiosyncratic, filthy sense of humour and his skills as a master craftsman of the almighty pen (and Wacom) as well his passion for creating made him an instant Nobrow success story. Releasing first, to much acclaim from his ridiculously large number of fans and Nobrow enthusiasts alike: Malevolent Melody. Comic book and EP in one neat package, it not only demonstrated his deftness with the medium and its tools, but also his indisputable talent as a musician, along with his band ‘The Dead Pirates’.
Recently we caught up with him between a show at Rotofugi in Chicago and a huge retrospective at the Dudes Factory in Berlin, this is what he said!
Tell us a bit about yourself…
My name is McBess , it means giant steaming balls in Greek , in a way it’s the answer to the famous series of metaphysical poems about the balls . I’m 13 years old plus 13 years old and I run faster than a shark , I read faster than a tiger , and unlike the eagle I can cook with an oven . I’m cheese where the good French come from, and I live in Nodnol which is London backwards .
What inspires and informs your work?
My work is an art inspired by an abstraction of salami and sex, it gets its power from the galaxy and the inner you, its addiction is making you horny and uncomfortable about it. Its references are very intricate and form a vortex of information designed by one self, one all mighty mind .
Tell us a bit about your process…
I lay naked on a beach for 2 or 3 days until it rains , I look at the stars at night and stare at the sun during the day , when my eyes start bleeding with awesomeness , I then go to the drawing board and let my soul and photoshop do the work . There’s also a lot of ritual dances while the file saves in photoshop that I can’t explain with words or letters.