Lou... welcome to Black mass metal.com How old were you when you started as an artist and what inspired you to jump into the horror/gore style of art and tell us about your origin in the heavy metal art community?
Lou Rusconi: Thank you so much for having me, much respect! My father painted when I was small and I emulated him and started drawing, I was probably 3. I was enamored with the classic monster films, especially Frankenstein, Wolfman, etc., my Mother shared my interest in the macabre and encouraged it. I would see every horror, mystery, crime film I could, then I began reading even more. My Mother would challenge me to keep improving and do more detailed art. I had a few great art teachers growing up that really encouraged me too. I was a quiet kid and found a way to speak with my hands.Before the internet blew up, you were forced to write
letters to bands to see if you could do some work for them, then came emails which made it easier and faster. I started offering free backdrops to bands to possibly use me for art jobs later. I wrote groups that I liked, that I thought needed more exposure. you could walk into a show and not know who the fuck was playing, without a backdrop...I think it helped with sales as well for them, at shows.
Who are some of the Legendary bands and artists you have worked with over the years creating logos and album covers?...I know you have a long list, just a short mention would be kool.
Lou Rusconi: Cattle Decapitation, Necrophagia, The Murder Junkies, Mortician, Hocico, Skinless, Regurgitation, Anal Blast and many, many more, haha.
Do you have any favorite art that you have created over the years? ..If so what designs?
Lou Rusconi: They are all my children. Some of my favorite pieces have not resonated at all with people. As an artist you need to create for yourself, I feel this is an exorcism of the soul onto canvas or paper. You get it out of you and if people dig it, that is a bonus. I try to never anticipate what people will like.That is a quick recipe for disaster.
Who are some of your favorite music/bands to listen to while creating paintings and art?
Lou Rusconi: I like listening to Rock from the '60s '70s and '80s, I dig most Death and Black metal bands. Thrash and Grind are cool, too. I like Industrial as well, groups like Hocico, Velvet Acid Christ, Rammstein and more. I listen to a lot of mellow shit too, Pop. Burt Bacharach is probably my favorite.
When choosing paints to create your insane artwork...what type do you use?
Lou Rusconi: My favorites are Liquitex soft blend acrylics. They are the best. I do use other brands, but Liquitex is my go-to.
I noticed a while back on Facebook, A lot of your friends were posting memes and stuff about Mayonaise...are you a Mayonaise lover?
Lou Rusconi: That was a joke over a bet I had with Bill Shafer of Hyaena Gallery that just blew up and spiraled out of control. It is so stupid that if you were not involved,it would make no sense. People send me memes and articles EVERY DAY, still. It makes me laugh.
What's the san Diego art community like...and how did they take your Art when you first hit the art scene there?
Lou Rusconi: Hahaha, the San Diego art scene...I have never been accepted by them. I quit trying years ago. I know things have changed now and there is more a scene now, but when I was trying in the '80s and 90's and into the 2000s, these "gallery owners" said my type of art was unmarketable and tried to get me to paint buildings
and country scene scapes and bowls of fruit and shit like that. I was juried, critiqued and slammed to the point that I knew what I was doing was right, they were wrong.
They tried to impose too many rules and ways to do things that might work for them, but not me. San Diego is a beautiful town and a great place to live, that being said it is a very conservative town that has a stick up its ass and tries to be the coolest kid on the block and they are not. I'm happy to be accepted by those who are my peers and to show in Burbank at Hyaena Gallery and in the Bronx at MF Gallery. Both of these galleries have the best owners, who never impose their views on the artists which creates the best creative environment.
What are some of your favorite horror movies that inspire your art and style?
Lou Rusconi: Oh, man, so many...Frankenstein, the original, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hellraiser, Last House On The Left, Don't Look In The Basement, Eaten Alive (Tobe Hooper), and ALL of the Italian films...by Argento, Fulci, Bava, etc....I adore all Giallo films too.
When I first discovered your art, You designed an album cover for my friend Boris randall's band Hallowmas the album was "October burning" that was released on Coffin records by the late great Killjoy from necrophagia. Did you ever have a chance to create any art for Killjoy or Necrophagia?
Lou Rusconi: I loved Killjoy and miss him very much. We lost contact before he passed, but what a great guy. He was the first to openly communicate with me about art, horror, films, and books.He never had that "rockstar attitude". I did art for a DVD release for Necrophagia that I loved, it allowed me to use a painting and computer graphics combined. I was allowed to revamp of their logo. I did the Hallowmas cd with him, which was a trip because it was a painting too and the members changed before the release and I had to re-do it, haha. I also did another album design for him, Giallos Flames, which is another favorite. We had a lot of projects going on, for films, shirts and other cd's, but they never saw fruition. It was a great period in my life working with him and an honor.
Who are some of the newer bands you are creating art for that catch your ear and enjoy listening to?
Lou Rusconi: The only band I currently work with is The Murder Junkies, I love working with Merle C. Allin and we have a lot of fun. Besides that, the groups I would work with again are: Cattle Decapitation, Hailshot, Rapegoat, and anything that Roger Beaujard (of Mortician fame) is involved with and would want art from me for. Roger is another class act. Some of the newer bands I listen to...the new Hocico, "Artifical Extinction" is great, they are not new, but a great band with consistent output. I dig The Hu album. Church Of Misery is pretty great. Coffins too.I like Lana Del Rey and anything by Iggy Pop.
Has any of your art been censored or has created a fuss on social media after posting your images?
Lou Rusconi: Hoo-boy, you know the answer to this, haha. I have been hounded and censored so many times it has been incredible. In 2016 alone, I was banned for 6 months out of the year on Facebook. A lot of that comes from the satire pieces I did on Trump and people assuming I was for or against him, I had over 4000 "friends" on that profile and I had to shut it down and start a new one. I also had a RAT in sheep's clothing who was jealous and started a bunch of shit and he and his followers were reporting me non-stop. Now I screen pretty well before adding someone. I had done some sexual satire that has found me punished pretty bad too, most notoriously, my "Gay Arnold" satire piece of the beloved "Hey Arnold" show. Pretty funny how people will get so worked up over a fucking cartoon.
Have you ever done any art collaborations with other visual artists?.... If so can you tell us about them?
Lou Rusconi: I did a cool collab with the artist known as Black Mass, he had an entire show with artists from all over the world who he did collabs with for a show at Kat Monroe's SEV VEN Gallery, that was so much fun! I have also done collabs with Chris Ralski, another great artist. Lots of pieces are collabs on one level or another.
Lou I'm gonna let you have this last one and feel free to talk about or mention any upcoming bands you are working with,art shows or anything you wanna say. Thanks for taking the time to talk us at Black mass metal.Thanks, man. \m/
Lou Rusconi: Thank you for having me Brother, I dig what you are doing here and wish you all the best! I have been going through some personal issues that have affected my output, but they are coming to a head and I can feel my creative juices coming back. 2020 will bring a new website for me and what I promise to be my most offensive art show concept yet, this will have the SJW's pulling out their hair!! I promise to bring you all the best artwork,comics, and books that I can produce. 2020 will be the best year yet!!
Please check out www.hyaenagallery.com and www.mfgallery.net in the meantime.
Check out Lou on Facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/louierusconi/
More art By Lou Rusconi
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