Habanero Affair

I'm mighty stoked about this logo design I just finished for Habanero Sombrero, a Mexican food truck that will be serving up spicy delicacies to the hungry hordes here in Winnipeg when next Taco season comes around. A couple of years back I got to design a beer label and now I have conquered the world of Mexican food. What artistic horizons are left to me at this point? Ah, well. Stay tuned for MORE HOT'N'SPICY ACTION!

Sock It To Me, Santa!

Just finished this poster for the upcoming Transistor 66 Records Xmas party here in Winnipeg. Not much to say about this one except: Moshpit full o' elves!!! Stay tuned for MORE XMESS ACTION!

Desert Island Discs

Here's a new poster design I just finished for Ventilator Records, a cool record store over in Switzerland. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Stay tuned for MORE SKELETON PIRATE ACTION!

Halloween Scream

Recently seen on gloom-shrouded Winnipeg streets was this bold color poster featuring a reworked version of an old drawing of mine (the original of which is buried somewhere in the archives of this blog if you'd care to dig it... up) and the super sharp-looking graphic design wizardry of Ms. Vanda Toews, creator of many cool rock'n'roll show posters in addition to her high class professional design work. I seldom seem to get any Halloween-related art gigs so thanks to Vanda for throwing this cool assignment my way. I hope all you kids are out there creating Halloween havoc on this, the best holiday of the year. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

$1.000,000 Worth Of Twang

Brand new cover art for the upcoming debut album by Norwegian instro tyrants the Twang-O-Matics. This will be out by the end of the year on 10" vinyl and CD from Hack Shack Records. Tried to get a swingin' late '50s/early '60s style into this one to go along with the Link Wray/Duane Eddy inspired musical stylings of these Twangsters, who include ex-members of the Basement Brats, Marsmen and Squareheads (Norwegian variety) in their illustrious lineup. This should be a great one so keep an eye out for it in your local rekkid shoppe. Stay tuned for MORE TWANGS THE THANG ACTION!

A Beacon From Mars

Here are a couple of variations on the Martian DJ art I recently did for local college radio station UMFM to promote their first annual Pledge-O-Rama fundraising campaign. The cool design work on this stuff was done by top Winnipeg punk rock design genius Steve Hallick and I am super stoked about how well it all came out. Above is the main poster image for the Pledge-O-Rama campaign and below you can see Steve's full layout for the double CD comp of Winnipeg bands that you can get as a premium if you kick down with some cash. Check out Steve's cool website here and pledge a few bucks to support campus radio here. Thanks to Steve and UMFM for letting me be a part of this super cool project. Stay tuned for MORE WE WANT THE AIRWAVES ACTION!

Ultrapsychovinylization!

Here's my latest record sleeve design for a 4 song 7" EP by '80s garage hero Bob Urh, backed by Mexican garage gals Las Vinylators. This 'un should be out real soon on Green Cookie Records outta sunny Greece so start saving your drachmas to nab a copy of this international coproduction featuring talent from the USA, Mexico, Canada and Greece. A veritable United Nations of freaked out fuzzzzz. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!.

Thrash Zone

New poster design for one of my fave local combos, The Thrashers. These guys blast out a really cool surf/punk rock'n'roll kinda sound and will be releasing their first 7" at this here very show. Stay tuned for MORE TOTALLY RADICAL, DUDE ACTION!

Dracula Vs Electric Frankenstein

Poster for EF's recent show in Calgary. Trying for a Jack Kirby-type feel with this one. Always a blast to do something for EF. There are plans for a second book compiling EF poster art so this will most likely show up there when it all comes together. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Beware Of Dog!

Here's an alternate version of the cover art for the forthcoming 11th issue of super cool Canadian garage/punk/art mag Mongrel Zine. We decided to delete the Famous Monsters tribute/ripoff logo for the published version but I thought I would put the original version up here for kicks. If all goes according to plan there will also be T-shirts of this and the issue should also have an interview with yours truly. Thanks to Bob and Janelle! Stay tuned for MORE MONGRELIZED ACTION!

Beat Your Heart Out

New poster design for a garage rock show that my friend Peris of Lost In Tyme zine fame is putting on over in Greece later this month. The mad monster couple were originally sketched out as a concept for the Wylde Oscars tour poster that I did last year. When I got this rush assignment I decided to finish up that drawing and here be the hideous result. Stay tuned for MORE MAD MONSTER ACTION!

Cobra Clutch

Spankin' new poster art for the upcoming Winnipeg show by the Detroit Cobras. Spectacular 7 color silkscreen prints in the works even as we speak. Here's hopin' the band can actually make it across the border this time. UPDATE JUNE 27: Show apparently cancelled. What a shocker. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Slim Chance

Just finished this poster for an upcoming Winnipeg show by cryptic roots combo Slim Cessna's Auto Club. Decided to go all American Gothic with the imagery on this one. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Eat 'Em And Smile

Here's a recent logo design for Winnipeg's most underground record label, Eat Em Up Records. This was based on an idea by and is a tribute to a fallen rock warrior, Mr. Anthony Bueno. Stay tuned for MORE PERSONA NON GRATA ACTION!

Smog In The Noggin

Here's the sleeve art for an upcoming 7" by Spanish garage monsters The Smoggers. Fuzzed out '60s punk mania on my old friend Oscar's new label KOTJ Records. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Super Pussy

Here are a couple variations on my poster for the recent Winnipeg show by Nashville Pussy and the Supersuckers. Above is the full color street version, below the limited edition signed and numbered silkscreen version. Rock'n'roll, brought to you by Satan. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

A Universe Of Horrors

New poster design for local legend Chris Mama-Bauer, formerly drummer of cool combos like American Flamewhip and the Squareheads and now on a planet-wreckin' rampage with his avante garde solo project A Universe Of Horrors. Dedicated to Wilbur Whately's brother. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

All About Evil (Eyes)

Brand new sleeve art for the forthcoming debut 7" by Toronto garage monsters The Evil Eyes. This is the actual layout for the sleeve as sent to the printers this very day; I guess you'll have to stand on your head if you want to read the info on the back. More stuff comin' soon. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Another Wild Weekend

Here's the poster for the upcoming Transistor 66 Records 10th anniversary spectacular featuring some top local talent and two cool outta town headliners. Should be a blast. Looks like we will be doing a limited run of signed and numbered silkscreen posters for this show. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Vulture Stew

A return engagement with Aussie surf/garage/punk monsters The Molting Vultures. This will be the cover of their next CD and probably be used for posters and T-shirts as well. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Mars Attacks Again!

Here's the sleeve art for the upcoming LP/CD release by Spanish garageniks Invasores de Marte. This one is a tribute to the EC line of weird science fiction comics that messed up my impressionable teenage brain many years ago, and especially the work of the great Wally Wood and Al Feldstein. More weird junk comin' soon so... Stay tuned for MORE SQUA TRONT ACTION!

Sub-Mission

Just finished this poster design for the farewell show by veteran Winnipeg rockers Subcity. This one was inked entirely with pen and ink instead of my usual brush-heavy style. Lots more weird junk coming real soon. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Oscar Winning

I finally got my hands on a copy of Flying Saucers Rock'n'Roll, the amazing compilation of wild interviews from the pages of Roctober magazine so to celebrate here's a previously unseen (on this blog anyway) illustration from the book. I have to admit that I didn't know much about actor/musician/activist Oscar Brown Jr's career but based on the interview I thought a bit of R. Crumb stylistic homage might fit well with his '60s and '70s inner city revolutionary political activism. I am super stoked with how well the book came out. It's a really wonderful compendium of info on some amazing and unfairly neglected artists. Check it out if you get a chance and as always... Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Bloodshot Eyes

Here's the front and back art for the soon-to-be-released Bloodshot Bill 7" on good old Transistor 66 Records. Bloodshot is one of the wildest rockers goin' today and a real nice fella to boot so it was a kick to get to work on this sleeve design for him. I first saw him play in a little club here in Winnipeg 6 or 7 years back and that was when I envisioned the drunken skeleton w/pompadour image which adorns the back of this sleeve. Gonna be drawing BB again soon as he is headlining this year's Transistor 66 10th anniversary weekender in April and I am designing the poster for that. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Portage & Maimed

This was my contribution to the extremely cool, limited edition 2011 publication The Winnipeg Book Of The Undead which compiled zombie art by a wide variety of local cartoonists and illustrators. My drawing depicts a zombie assault on the famous intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street in downtown Winnipeg. I tried to make this as hideous as (in)humanly possible but no doubt I'll top it someday. Stay tuned for MORE UNDEAD ACTION!

More Fun In Bed

Here's me latest effort, the poster for the upcoming 7" release show by local garage rockin'  faves The Vibrating Beds. Some folks have told me that they like the black and white version of this more than the color one so what the hell, here's both of 'em so you can make up yer own mind. More stuff coming up real soon so... Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Kicks With 66

Here's my first ever movie poster design, done for the recent documentary Happily Dysfunctional, The Story Of Transistor 66 Records featuring all the frantic facts and rumors about Winnipeg's one and only rock'n'roll record label. The film has been playing on public access cable here in Winnipeg and is also available on DVD with the above poster as cover art. I'm sure it will be up on the internet at some point if it's not already. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Hamzig 5: Snackacidevil

Since the blockbustin' 50th issue of Roctober is soon to hit the stands I guess it is time to share this little epic which appeared in issue #49. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Scott Free

Here's a poster I did recently for an upcoming US tour by Winnipeg roots rocker Scott Nolan. I tried some different things on this one so it is not quite my usual trashy style. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Los Reyes Del Surfing

Here's the cover art for the upcoming demo EP by kool Mexican surf combo Frankisia. Aside from a blast of Lucha Libre rock'n'roll action, this drawing features the debut of my new character creation that will soon be sweepin' the nation, the Smoking Kitten. Keep eyes peeled for a vast wave of tacky merchandise featuring this adorable feline nicotine addict. (Smoking Kitten © King Merinuk 2012, all rights of any kind reserved forever.) Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Merinuk Goes Bananas

The last thing I finished in 2011 was this logo for a new rock'n'roll label outta France called Howlin' Banana Records. Should be some cool 7"ers out real soon bearing this logo so keep an eye out for 'em. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Bond... Eternal Bond

Back in 2005 I did the art and layout for the Eternal Bond CD by my old pals The Independents. This year the album is making its debut on vinyl so I was called upon to revise and update the original sleeve design and here be the result. My first idea was to do a major reworking of the original front cover design which you can see below. We finally decided to use something much closer to the CD version for the LP sleeve but the revised devil head art will be used on stickers and T-shirts. Stay tuned for MORE SATANIC ACTION!

Rawkahula, Baby!

Here's a bit of advertising art I just put together for my old pal Nick Rawkahula's suave line of hot rod/rock'n'roll action wear. The ad will be printed with Rawkahula shirt designs and info superimposed over the drawing but here you get the art in its raw form. I'm workin' on 5 new record sleeve designs right now so lotsa new stuff will be posted here soon. Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!

Crooked

Gotta bunch of new stuff to post up in the next few days. To kick things off here's the European tour poster for Winnipeg country/roots combo Crooked Brothers featuring a guest appearance by the ubiquitous Winnipeg Police helicopter. Lots more coming soon so... Stay tuned for MORE ACTION!