Interview with Sick artist Lou Rusconi

1. Hey Lou - Whats up you sicko, hows your day going?

Lou: My day is going great, I'm going to ink a piece right after I finish this interview, so any day above ground is great!

2. How long have you been doing artwork for? When did you decide to do nasty shit for bands?

L: I have been drawing since I was about 3. My Old Man painted a lot so that influenced me. I have always been drawn to the dark and nasty so I always wanted to do art for my favorite groups. Around 1996 I was professionally employed as an artist and decided a good way to introduce myself to bands I wanted to do work was to do stage banners for them. So I started that way. Around 2003, I stopped the banners and now only do logos, covers, shirt designs,etc.

3. Do you have a favorite band or artist youve done work for? why?

L: I dig ALL of the groups I have worked for. Mortician, Necrophagia, Skinless, Anal Blast, Cattle Decapitation and Meat Shits are some of my favorites. As for why, I always felt these groups broke ground and pushed boundaries and I have always done the same.

4. The newest peice youve thrown up is the Don Decker tribute, such a badass peice of artwork man! Anal Blast is one of my favorite bands, and it sucked to hear of Dons passing (RIP BROTHER) Everyone should be rocking some Wings Flew Away. I know everyone has great Decker stories, do you have one that sticks out?

L: Thanks for the compliment! I wanted the Don Decker piece to be special. He and I came up with some really cool designs and I will miss him. One story I have is he called me a lot and we would discuss shirt designs and he would ramble for about an hour with these extravagant way-out ideas and he ended the conversation by saying; "Or you could just have me pulling a tampon out of a teenager's cunt by my teeth". And I was like; brilliant! And that became the "Spraying Blood" shirt. Another thing he would do is he would call me and leave these really weird messages where he sang the message and the songs were always about me. I wish I had saved them, hahaha.
5. Do you have any favorite Local bands from where you live?

L: Cattle Decapitation! Great Group, Cool Guys. I did the OCTO-MOM t-shirt design for them this year that is one of my favorite pieces.6. If you could do grotesque art for any band, past or present, who would it be? Death, Corpse, any of the classics? Also do you have a favorite album cover?A: Death would be awesome! Cannibal Corpse, Nunslaughter, SLAYER!, whew, too many to mention. As for favorite covers, ANYTHING by Repka or PusHead. Presently, Mark Riddick, Putrid, Humanburger, Mike Stoneroad, Mike from Devorement, just to name a few, these guys do great work!

7. Has your work been featured in any magazines, or books?

L: I have been interviewed by webzines and a few UnderGround comics, I was featured in Mark Riddick's fine book on logos called "Logos From Hell" (I believe there is an expanded edition being worked on now). I was asked a few questions by Terrorizer this year too. I had some Zombie paintings show at MF GALLERY in New York in 2007 and 2008. Coming up I will be in the 2010 spring edition of Girls And Corpses and also in the Xmas issue of Angry Drunk Comics.

8. Whats been on your playlist lately?

L: In no particular order: Danzig and Slayer are always there. New, I like the new Cattle Decapitation, Cannibal Corpse, Immortal, Fondlecorpse and the new Goatwhore is incredible! I also listen to Hocico, Velvet Acid Christ, Combichrist, Psyclon Nine and big doses of Mayhem and Volker Taake.

9. Favorite beers?

L: hahahaA: I don't drink anymore, I drank enough for a lifetime in my 20's! My favorites then were: BUDWEISER (hahaha), Elephant Malt Liquor, Dinkle Aker, Heiniken, Olde English 800, and anything that was put in front of me : )

10. Cheers man, Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Keep up the disgusting work man! Final words?

L: Thank you for the time and great questions. 2010 I will be busting out with some cool stuff! I will be doing some design work for ROTTEN COTTON shirts! I also hope to have a comic in the works and some paintings too! ALL DARK ART of course, hehehe. Stay tuned, the ride gets worse from here on out! www.myspace.com/lourusconi