The Interview: Speed
"Love yer life, not yer couch."
When we first discovered Speed, we knew we liked his work - turns out he has a very cherry attitude, as well. We caught up with the artist in one of the dark alleys of cyberspace, where he was kind enough to submit to our barrage of questions.
CQ1. You started your website in 1992, before most people had even heard of the Web. Have you always been an early-adopter,or are you just a major nerd?
I was doing design in college and a friend of mine got a job at an online provider. I had no idea what it was. Within two weeks we had websites for all the bands I worked with, and Squaresville opened in its first form soon after. I think I'm more of a geek than a nerd, but I still rock house like Levi Strauss.
CQ2. I see that you did a poster for Hootenanny 2000, which featured, among others, The Reverend Horton Heat, Chris Isaak, and Royal Crown Revue. I saw The Reverend Horton Heat once, and the sister of Royal Crown Revue's sax player is one of my oldest friends. So can you get me a date with Chris Isaak?
No, but goddamn he sure liked the poster. Nice guy, good show (but not quote as strong as Mike Ness playing the year before at sunset).
CQ3. You work for a "prestigious" ad agency. Did it hurt to sell out, or does having enough money to enable you to do what you want make it all worthwhile?
The latter really. I work as an art director at one of the oldest ad houses in the world. Is it stiff? yes. Is it creative? not really. Is it a sellout? Fuck sellin out. I work my ass off during the day so that I never have to bend my art to entice consumers. As it is now, whether I sell 1,000 pieces or none, it doesn't effect my ability to live and pay bills. Therefore, I never have to make a connection between the purity of my art&whether or not the utility bill gets paid. That, and I needed an excuse to get out of the house everyday and make fun of people.
CQ4. Are you familiar with the band Billy Joe Winghead? ...
nope
CQ5. ...Because you do bear a vague resemblance to bassist Steve Jones, don't you think?
Vague being the operative word. He's got that menacing, caveman, no eyebrows thing going. I've got the cute but dangerous bald artist look, like a healthy (or young) Michael Stipe.
 That's Speed on the right, above. |  That's Steve on the left, above. |  That's Stipe in the corner; that's Stipe in the spotlight, above. |
CQ6. If we all come to LA, can we hang at your place? We don't eat much, and we'll buy our own beer.
I don't drink beer. I prefer grass, gas or ass. Other than that, nobody rides for free. I live with a gourmet chef, so you'd probably eat a lot, if I let you visit, which I wouldn't.
CQ7. On a serious note, you recently lost virtually everything you owned, as well as your feline companion Ativan, in a house fire. Your attitude about this loss is very positive. Is there anything you'd like to share with Cherrymagic readers about starting life over with a blank canvas?
Enjoy the possibilities. Take time to rid yerself of yer emotional baggage as fate has gotten rid of yer material baggage. I never really idolized anything I owned, it was just cool stuff. I loved my cat, that's been the hardest. That and losing all of my drawings for the last, oh, lifetime! But I am taking the chance to enjoy the freedom of not being weighed down by anything.
In all honesty, don't wait for a tragedy to check yer perspective on worldly goods. Love yer life, not yer couch. You don't really need yer tv, yer computer, or any other belongings as much as you think.
CQ8. What is the origin of Ativan's name? Do you have a picture of Ativan you can share with us? Cats are very cherry.
Ativan is an anti-anxiety drug prescribed for wound up pessimists like myself. My friend Cara helped me find this little black kitty at the pound. It was meant to be my little companion during a rough time after I moved to Cali in 99. I though Ativan was perfect, because day after day, he was the best weapon against depression and anxiety that I had ever experienced.
CQ9. Final question: Where can people buy your work, and how incredibly reasonably priced is it?
www.squaresville.com - I don't do much retail right now, buyers are too apt to jackprices. So it's always best to go to my site and buy there. I set the prices, we pick up the orders, pack em at the studio ourselves, and mail em out, all to keep costs down. I have no problem with selling my last print of a particular run for $400-$500, it's worth that, but I still want plenty of $8.00 posters so kids that love this medium like I did can afford to piss off their parents and impress their friends.
CQ10. Anything else you'd like to add?
1. One of few poster artists actually invited by the band and promoters to do the posters, with 100% creative control over every project.
2. My posters are about to debut in 7 different Hard Rocks around the world. Now everyone's dorky aunt and uncle can slop $12 french fries at my posters!!!!!
3. New posters up coming include At the Drive In, Everclear, Jeff Tweedy and more...........
Thanks, Speed!
View a selection of Speed's artwork here.
In January, 2004, Scott "Speed" Hall passed away in his sleep. He was 33.
