In the middle to late sixties I began to see R. Crumb's artwork in the pages of a rag named 'The Gothic Blimp Works' and another one named 'The East Village Other'. Two hippie newspapers with all of the music, politics and cartoons you can imagine within its pages.
Crumb usually drew the covers, and although it seems like he was always the cover artist his work probably only appeared a few times. But his style made a great impression on me. I'd grown up on MAD comics, belonged to 'The Merry Marvel Marching Society' and always read Batman, but these Crumb comics were something else. And sure, there were other underground comic book artists on the scene, but no one told the kind of stories that he did. Solid, sensible storytelling from beginning to end. The Carl Barks of the underground comics world.
Looking at this old relic of mine after thirty nine years I can see the Crumb influence.
And I'm astonished at how many things are wrong with it.
As soon as I graduated from high school in '69 I got a job in the Post Office. I wasn't looking for a job since it was still summer, but a couple of the older guys on the block were going to take the Civil Service Exam and I tagged along. I passed and got the job. It was well-paying and the Downtown Brooklyn GPO was loaded with hundreds of characters.
I'd draw sketches of some of them and this one is based on a co-worker who thought he was Elvis...
In the mid seventies, when I wasn't playing or rehearsing with the band I was creating imaginary concept art for the band. And I have no idea of what I was thinking at the time this one was cobbled together. Maybe a greatest hits album cover.
Here's the LP crop version--
I often feel like a 'carnival barker' with this blog, selling some half-baked idea or drawing. But some guys know how to sell product. The recently deceased Billy Mays was one of the greatest pitchmen in the history of television. Cut down in the prime of his life, he will be missed. 
