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ROX-TV’s “Artist 5 Series” is back with AcidBrain Productions and a triple dose of art, writing, and music. Read on if you dare…

Welcome to the ROX-TV website, we appreciate you for participating in our “Artist 5 Series” which highlights poets, artists, painters, and writers. Before we get into the interview, can you tell the ROX-TV readers where you are from or what town you are representing tonight?

I am from northeastern MA living in the small town of Rockport

This article must have been fated somehow because as I was watching “Mind Hunter” on Netflix, the real life story of development of behavior science in regards to serial killers and their MO’s….I decided to check the old Instagram account. The first thing I noticed was a “like” from Charcoal Monsters. I was intrigued by the name, and I won’t lie, I was envisioning some kind of sketch artistry with a name like that. To my surprise, not only was I right, the artist specialized in serial killer art work. “Drawing Monsters with charcoal. It’s not about glorification. But fascination”. I was fascinated by the premise and decided to reach out for an interview.  Can you talk to the ROX-TV readers about what compels you to make these interesting and striking pictures? Perhaps talk about the fascination aspect of why these infamous killers strike such a chord with you?

I’ve been both fascinated with serial killers, and studying them for decades. There is just so much to discuss here that it’s hard to know where to  begin. I’ve always been drawn to darker things.. horror, metal music, dark art.. and I think serial killers represent the pinnacle of all things dark and twisted in our world. They are the real life monsters. A lot of their stories are infinitely more horrifying than what you’d see in some horror  film.. and they really happened, each in their own unique manifestation. And many of them have equally horrifying backgrounds that have contributed in varying degrees to shaping them into what they have become.

These people are capable of acts that most of us can’t so much as comprehend. They keep secrets so dark and so shocking from the whole world, including those closest to them. Some have spouses, and even families that they live with, while compartmentalizing their dark sides. Many of them have a deep seated disgust for humanity, and many are driven by voracious lust, both of which I have an easy time empathizing with. I think drawing them is just another means of pondering their existence and trying to gain just a bit more understanding of them. Going through their photos and choosing a standout one to reference, brushing up on their stories, examining and recreating their eyes and facial expressions, and figuring out key parts of their stories to incorporate into the portrait backgrounds all contribute to better understanding these mind-blowing humans.

I must say that serial killers have always intrigued me. The insanity perhaps, knowing people out in the world among us, possess an absolute terror streak which many are able to hide away for long periods of time before finally getting caught. The odd way it makes me feel, to know that these monsters walk around, perhap even living in the same state as me. It’s a weird feeling but there is that desire to know more. What makes them tick and drive them to their horrible deeds. I think it is only human nature to be curious about things we don’t understand or that frighten us as a community.  The Charcoal sketches are amazing. I’m a fan of H.H. Holmes and notice you have a wonderful sketch of the man, with his famous murder castle in the background. Do you have a favorite bad guy? If so why?

Well, have to admit I kinda do. Ted Bundy always stood out to me. His uncontrollable lust. His absolute viciousness. His charisma and ability to do more than blend in with society, but to actually rise to the point he did, where he was such a well-respected and thought-to-be outstanding member of the community, all while at the same time being the one terrorizing that same community. His boundless arrogance and confidence. Another I have to mention, not as a favorite, but as in my opinion the most fascinating of all, Albert Fish.

I’m not gonna go into his story here cuz  I’d be writing a novel, but that man’s life is just a total enigma of absolute darkness that I think trumps just about all other serial killer stories out there. I actually have a song I wrote about him called ‘Implements of Hell’ coming out on all major streaming and download platforms on 12/10 with my gore metal project AcidBrain. Was even granted permission by serial killer expert John Borowski to sample some audio from his amazing Fish documentary for it, and have six guest vocalists throwing down on the ending part. I really couldn’t be more stoked at how it’s come out.

I notice the Ed Kemper drawing as I watch the feds interview him on Mind Hunter. I also see a Gacy, a Bundy, an Albert Fish, all the big ones are well represented. Is there a particular subject you like recreating? If so why? Perhaps some are easier to draw than others?

Thank you! I love adding blood haha. Call me weird but I just love the stuff. I also like to find interesting parts of their stories to incorporate. I like to try to make people think too. Some are easier to draw for sure. The angle is a big part of that too.. for example I find it much easier to draw a face straight on that from kind of a side angle.

Although the subject matter is in the realm of taboo so to speak…I applaud you for creating art you enjoy. I think the content is intriguing to a lot of people, even if some of them are unwilling or afraid to admit it. I think it’s in our human nature perhaps a little darkness in all of us, and that somehow translates to want to know more. I think that scares some people, and others don’t know themselves I suppose. Do you find that your art is generally accepted or do people give you shit for it?

I’m pretty new to the scene of creating this art, so I haven’t had many haters yet. BUT I did get this commission job to do nine mugshot style portraits that I pieced together for the cover of a makeup palette, which turned out awesome art-wise.. but then when the palette came out, just the other day actually, I shared it to a serial killer group on Facebook, and it started to go viral, and the hate spewing got real bad. The creator ended up getting bombarded with over 200 hate messages, including death threats, people hacking her phone, posting her address publicly, saying it’s disgusting.. and now she is scared for her life and doesn’t even want to carry the product anymore. Just goes to show how hypocritical and petty people are. Trolling around online finding random stuff to get all up in arms about. Then sending threats to kill someone because they used artwork of killers. Makes no sense. People suck. Hence why many people gravitate toward serial killers in the first place. Art is a reflection of the soul, and it should be allowed to be dangerous.

I love talking to artists about their work but when I have the chance, I like to delve deeper to learn more about the origins. How old were you when you really took a liking to art, beyond what the normal experience is for kids growing up? Was there a particular artists, painter, or other source that inspired you? If so, who or what was it? Perhaps a painting or a certain item that set the passion on fire?

Been into art since I can remember. Giger was an early interest and still among my favorites. Lots of album artwork was influential as well. Always been very big into music, and the art that goes with it. The artwork by Vince Locke on the Cannibal Corpse album covers always stood out to me. The Cradle of Filth album covers and art I always loved. Rob Zombie’s album art too. Was stoked to be able to commission the amazing artist Raulo Caceres to do and incredible piece of cover art for my gore album ‘Murderous’ too.

Can you talk about Acidbrain Productions and tell the readers a little bit about the site and when it was created?

So I created the site around two years ago now, after having a Storenvy for a while, but ABP started up in 2018 when I released the first issue of my serial killer comic series SHARPE KNIVES. It’s about a very Ted Bundy-Like serial killer named Jeffery Sharpe, who is also a master blade smith. He abducts the daughter of a local mob boss and ends up dealing with the repercussions of that, which spirals into a bloody and depraved story that’s very scant on good guys haha. In addition to the comic, I’ve also released my own metal music, chill out music, posters, apparel, a couple films for indie horror film makers, and represent a couple foreign artists here in the US including Martin Trafford, and Waganetka. Now I’ve got the charcoals going on, and got new ideas for productions every day. We do a lot of comic and horror events as well, which are fun!

I’d like to hear about “Murderous”….which is a gore metal album out now on all major platforms. For people who have never heard of gore metal or are familiar with your music….what can they expect?

Well.. we are doing our own take on gore metal. A whole lot of gore metal out there I find, has production that is kind of thin and overly raw, with muddled mixes, pangy snare drums, indecipherable vocals with lyrics that are mostly incomprehensible medical terms, or just lazy attempts at maximum depravity, and all the songs sound pretty much the same.. which is all good and all. But I wanted to do something more. I wanted killer quality production that still sounded gritty and raw, I wanted vocals that sound brutal as all fuck but you can still understand the bulk of the words, I wanted to write songs, not just an album that all sounds the same, I wanted song titles and lyrics that were not only next level fucked up, but also clever, original, and even funny.. and I really think I achieved all of those things with MURDEROUS. Each song is a horror story.

And I wanna give a shout out to my vocalist Steve Rasmussen, who has a horror review YouTube channel called Steve’s Horror Cave, for his killer work as the vocalist on the album. I couldn’t be happier with how that album turned out, and I think with time it will catch on and reach a wider audience. I have very little time to promote, as I spend so much time creating stuff, but I hope to figure out some sort of solution to that issue soon.

Talk to the readers about “Sharpe Knives”, the insane graphic novel series out now. How many issues are there currently?

Currently have three issues out, and we’re about halfway through the illustration process of the fourth issue. This one will be just as fucked up as issue #3, which is pretty damn fucked up haha. I don’t wanna give any spoilers, just wanna say that I desperately want everyone to check out this series so that it can stay alive! It’s hugely expensive to create, and those who do check it out love it! But unfortunately with no promotion it’s been really tough to get it to catch on and is in danger of being put on hold after the release of issue #4. So I encourage everyone, please check out Sharpe Knives! I’ve put a lot of effort into crafting a brutal, depraved, and suspenseful story that doesn’t skimp on the action, and Martin Trafford is doing an amazing job with the illustration. We even have several variant covers from different artists that are super cool! Give it a chance!

I see that you actually sell these charcoal drawings and sketches, with all big hitters already sold, I might add. What is it like to make money doing what you love? Do you have any advice for the readers out that, who might be just starting off with art and wanting to accomplish what you already do? Do’s and Don’t of the art world?

I can’t believe I’m answering this question, as I just got started with these charcoals a few months ago and already had so much success with it in this short time, haha but to be able to sell these art pieces is a dream come true. I absolutely love making them. It’s like my zen time. I sit down and start drawing and the time just disappears. Three hours feels like ten minutes haha.

My advice to aspiring artists would be just keep making art. Don’t let ideas float by. Bring as many of then to life as you can! Just keep doing stuff. Keep your mind wide open and you’ll find ideas and inspirations everywhere. Find other artists that you like and follow them, too. Oh.. and drugs. Cannabis and psychedelics are great for art! lol.

Is there one killer from history that stands out among all the others? If so, who is that and why? My vote is for H.H. Holmes and not just because he graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School (his class picture still hangs in the hospital, I’ve seen it personally, but you have to know where to look and what class year. It was there as recently as 2014ish when I came across it)

Well I feel like I sort of answered this already in a previous question when I brought up Albert Fish. That guy was just so profoundly fucked up it boggles the mind. Just imagine shoving 29 needles into your own groin! Or kidnapping, murdering, and cannibalizing a ten year old girl and then writing a letter to her parents detailing the incident! Eating shit and so on.. He just takes the cake as far as I’m concerned. HH Holmes is certainly right up there too though! His castle of horrors.. holy crap!

Shout outs: Who are you shouting out tonight? Any parting words also?

BIG SHOUT OUTS to Sharpe Knives illustrator Martin Trafford!! AcidBrain vocalist Steve Rasmussen @ Steve’s Horror Cave!! Filmmaker John Borowski whose work I’m a huge fan of!! All of our guest vocalists on ‘Implements of Hell’!! And my amazing wife Amanda who is always there supporting me, helping me out at events, doing special fx makeup and just being and awesome person and life partner!! Parting words, I’d like to thank you guys for taking an interest in my work and including me in these interviews! It’s humbling and it’s a huge help in getting the word out about my creations! To everyone who has supported ABP already in any way, and to anyone reading or hearing this thanks for taking an interest and please, if you dig any of my work, the comic, the music, the charcoal, or anything else, please share it with anyone you think might enjoy it as well! I can’t overstate how incredibly difficult it is for a creator like me both keep creating art, AND keep promoting it adequately in this digital ocean of other creators. Thanks so much and cheers!

Well that about wraps up this “Artist 5 Series” segment. Thanks to the readers for giving us a few minutes and a look see. We appreciate you all and strive to bring interesting perspectives to the forefront for consumption. Until next time, treat people good, treat yourself good, and live a full life.

Signing Off,

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV Head Writer

kidvicious810 on IG

 

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