Zootghost is an illustrator, animator, and creative from Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland and curretly based in Cork.
Hey Zoot. Can you tell us a little bit about your tape and your song selections?
My tape is constructed of songs I’ve used as mechanisms of concentration and escape. If a track hits me right I will play it on loop while working to create a flow state. My OCD/ADHD requires this repetitive structure to keep me focused,
What direction did you take with your cover art, and what was your process?
I still feel like a kid with angels and devils on my shoulders and a lil bit of magic always sparkling inside. I wanted to capture myself with my head in the clouds listening to music. Music, art and skateboarding are keeping me sane and on the right path. I created this piece in Photoshop using my Wacom Bamboo graphics tablet.
I still feel like a kid with angels and devils on my shoulders and a lil bit of magic always sparkling inside. I wanted to capture myself with my head in the clouds listening to music. Music, art and skateboarding are keeping me sane and on the right path. I created this piece in Photoshop using my Wacom Bamboo graphics tablet.
What are your fave album covers, records with a great music and artwork combo, or musical projects with a visual component?
The cover of Yazoo – “Nobody's Diary” / “State Farm” was my favourite of my parents’ record collection. The illustration style and colour palette was rad! I used to play that record slowed down or sped up for hours on end.
The cover of Yazoo – “Nobody's Diary” / “State Farm” was my favourite of my parents’ record collection. The illustration style and colour palette was rad! I used to play that record slowed down or sped up for hours on end.
““Nobody's Diary” / “State Farm”– Yazoo
1983, Mute
Artwork: Steven Appleby
1983, Mute
Artwork: Steven Appleby
A project I was lucky enough to be involved with is Grey Area, composed by @Samperkincomposer. It consisted of two irish skateboarders, myself and Paddy, and two irish filmmakers NOB & Sam Curtin.
We went skating at night during winter and then gave all the footage to Sam Perkin who edited the footage while composing classic and electronic instruments in place of the sounds of the city and skateboards.
You can watch the full piece on youtube: youtu.be/kOC5kJVf5lA. It was played in the National Concert Hall in Dublin which was pretty rad!
Falling Down – Jehst
2003, Low Life Records
Cover: Abi Anderson
Logos/typography: Guy Featherstone
2003, Low Life Records
Cover: Abi Anderson
Logos/typography: Guy Featherstone
Finally for my 15th Birthday my friend Ron got me this Jehst album from a record fair. He knew I was a fan of his music and it was a great gift. The album cover always stuck with me & the album is great. I first discovered Jehst via Limewire when I found his track Alien. I was an instant fan: youtube.com/watch?v=UFK_YoQCqPU.
What did you listen to growing up?
I was lucky as a kid to have a wide selection of my wonderful parents vinyl records and cassette tapes to choose from. I’m an only child, so I spent a lot of my time playing alone. I used to put on record after record and just kick my sponge football around the hall and dance for hours listening to all genres of music. As I got older I got more into hip-hop and rap music. This was due to finding more substance in the lyrics and getting addicted to the instrumentals and production styles. This verse by Skinnyman was big inspiration for me as a teenager:
Don't let anybody get in your way From tryin to chase your dreams blud, whatever they might be You've got to go for whatever you wanna be no matta
If that might seem however unlikely If you don't go make a start for the betta then your shit won't change
And you'll just get left behind And end up like so many brothers who still out here
Goin insane feelin' like they've lost their mind So get left in the dust if your not goin to make your start
Instead of just sittin and wishin Nobodys getting any younger so you know
You 'av to play your part
If you wanna betta your position
Listen
And what’s on heavy rotation for you at the moment?
Ghetts, Meeks, Kano, Mitch, Klashnekoff & Joe James.
I was lucky as a kid to have a wide selection of my wonderful parents vinyl records and cassette tapes to choose from. I’m an only child, so I spent a lot of my time playing alone. I used to put on record after record and just kick my sponge football around the hall and dance for hours listening to all genres of music. As I got older I got more into hip-hop and rap music. This was due to finding more substance in the lyrics and getting addicted to the instrumentals and production styles. This verse by Skinnyman was big inspiration for me as a teenager:
Don't let anybody get in your way From tryin to chase your dreams blud, whatever they might be You've got to go for whatever you wanna be no matta
If that might seem however unlikely If you don't go make a start for the betta then your shit won't change
And you'll just get left behind And end up like so many brothers who still out here
Goin insane feelin' like they've lost their mind So get left in the dust if your not goin to make your start
Instead of just sittin and wishin Nobodys getting any younger so you know
You 'av to play your part
If you wanna betta your position
Listen
And what’s on heavy rotation for you at the moment?
Ghetts, Meeks, Kano, Mitch, Klashnekoff & Joe James.
What’s happening in your creative world at the moment?
I’ve just done a TMNT skateboarding shredder (Shredding Shredder) pin with Warrior Pins (another one is on the way). I’ve a new skateboard graphic out now for Boarderco Skateboards. I’ve a whiskey glass coming out with Beer Canvas very shortly. I was also super stoked to have my animation Silly Cigs selected for this year's Pictoplasma conference. Just dropped my first sticker packs on sale now in store at Primetime Cork (online sales coming soon). Learning how to paint with @Mister_everybody so physical pieces are coming soon. Stoked to hit 1 billion views on Giphy: giphy.com/Zootghost
Where can we find you?
Find me Instagram @Zootghost
Cheers Zoot.
TRACKLIST
Cappo - Aqua Lungi / Kano - Class of Deja (feat. D Double E & Ghetts) / Pete & Bas - Quick Little Freestyle / M1llionz - No Rap Cap / Tunde - Mob Ties / Ghetts - Spiritual Warfare / Ghetts - Shellington Crescent / Ghetts - Black Rose / Ghetts - Legends Don't Die / Kay-O - Still / Mitch - Caution / Mitch - Deal Or No Deal / Mitch - Rain / Joe James - Maddox / Joe James - Gotham / CB - Take That Risk / Wretch 32 - GMO / Wretch 32 - Young Fire, Old Flame / Chip - Thoughts / Chip - 0420 (R.I.P BLACK THE RIPPER) / Meekz - Can't Stop Won't Stop / Meekz - Like Me / Klashnekoff - Parrowdice / Klashnekoff - Zero / Klashnekoff - Sayonara / Klashnekoff - B4 U Die / Klashnekoff - Black Rose ︎
TRACKLIST
Cappo - Aqua Lungi / Kano - Class of Deja (feat. D Double E & Ghetts) / Pete & Bas - Quick Little Freestyle / M1llionz - No Rap Cap / Tunde - Mob Ties / Ghetts - Spiritual Warfare / Ghetts - Shellington Crescent / Ghetts - Black Rose / Ghetts - Legends Don't Die / Kay-O - Still / Mitch - Caution / Mitch - Deal Or No Deal / Mitch - Rain / Joe James - Maddox / Joe James - Gotham / CB - Take That Risk / Wretch 32 - GMO / Wretch 32 - Young Fire, Old Flame / Chip - Thoughts / Chip - 0420 (R.I.P BLACK THE RIPPER) / Meekz - Can't Stop Won't Stop / Meekz - Like Me / Klashnekoff - Parrowdice / Klashnekoff - Zero / Klashnekoff - Sayonara / Klashnekoff - B4 U Die / Klashnekoff - Black Rose ︎