Jon Hocking - Jon Hocking Design Studio

Some bands feel that music should speak for itself and make no effort in packaging their product. Why is the design element so important?
In a perfect world the music would speak for itself, but there has to be a way to encourage people to listen to your music for the first time, and unless you're getting played on the radio you're not really able to market yourself based on your sound initially– so it's the visuals you choose to represent your music that will have the most impact.  

Over the last few years MySpace has made it so much easier for bands to promote themselves globally, and I think metal is a genre that has benefitted greatly from that exposure because the mainstream media has never really given it much coverage.  With that filter removed metal bands now have the opportunity to market themselves to the world. The downside of that is that there are so many more bands vying for people's attention, and without a strong product and solid self-promotion a lot of good bands will go unnoticed.  

The bands that have gained the most exposure through online marketing have been the bands that have placed a greater emphasis on the images that accompany their music – Job For A Cowboy, The Faceless, Despised Icon, etc. I think in general metal fans have always appreciated and enjoyed the full package that so many metal bands offer. There is an immersion that takes place from a great metal album that doesn't really exist with any other genre because metal has never been about the single, it's always been about the album, and the experience. From a historical point of view, just take a look at how iconic Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, or Slayer's album covers have become. Those images have become inseparable from the music. 

You have done a lot of really high quality work for metal bands and events. Do the bands come to you with a concept or is it a more collaborative effort?
Some people come to me with a pretty solid concept in mind, which I then try to elaborate on and bring it to life, but often I'll just take some basic reference points or lyrics and cut loose – Aeon of Horus' latest album “The Embodiment of Darkness and Light” is a good example of that. They provided me with a colour scheme, some obscure astronomy references, and lyrics to the title track, which allowed me the freedom to just explore and experiment. I think when people come to an artist they trust that person to create a piece that enhances their music, so luckily I don't come across too many people who are opposed to allowing me the creative freedom needed to produce something unique.

Many people may think that the cost of a designer is too much for an unsigned band or a promoter doing local shows. What would you say to these people?
Never underestimate the impact that a powerful image can have. If you want to be successful, if you want to sell more albums, tickets, or whatever, you need to become aware of the importance of the “image”. Bands have an image, whether they consciously try to create one or not. The visual representation (artwork) is one piece of that.  If they don't put an effort in, that in itself becomes their image, and says as much about them as a band that does put an effort in. 

The bands that are willing to spend money on promotional material are willing to make that investment because they expect to recoup their costs by being able to generate more interest in their music via the imagery. I do understand that many bands are covering the costs themselves, so I try to provide them with package options that include a range of promotional material (album cover, MySpace page, tee-shirt design, poster, etc), often utilising the same image, to ensure that they are getting the best value for their money.  Most bands have commitments outside of the band (job, family, etc), so it makes it easier as well as more cost effective for a band if they can get all of the promotional elements they need from one artist.

You obviously have an interest in metal. Do you think it is important for bands to seek designers who have a common interest?
It's very important to seek out artists that understand and contribute to the message the band is trying to convey. With as many sub-genres as there are in metal, you really need to find someone that gets your vibe and can produce something complementary. An image that works for a black metal band isn't going to work for a prog band, and vice versa.

I do think that my experiences as a musician, and the fact that I work primarily with musicians, allows me to bring an understanding to the process that a typical graphic designer may not have.  This allows bands to feel more comfortable and satisfied throughout the entire process.
 

How do you see the Australian metal scene as it stands at the beginning of 2009?
There are so many world-class bands in Australia now, obviously bands like The Berzerker, The Amenta, and Psycroptic, but a lot of the newer/younger bands coming through now are on par with those bands and showing the depth of talent in Australian metal. The quality of bands here has gone through the roof in the last five years. In the past it has been difficult to spread the word to the masses because of our location compared to the rest of the civilised world, but now with so many people getting their music online, Aussie bands are finally starting to get the recognition they deserve. 

It also seems that there are a lot of people who have been involved in metal throughout the years who are collaborating in order to advance Aussie metal nationally and internationally. 

The Australian Metal Awards is a good example of people with a common interest coming together to promote the genre.  I think it's an exciting time for Australian metal and look forward to doing what I can to promote the scene.

What do you see as the most common mistakes bands make when doing the design work themselves?
It's not always a mistake to do it yourself.  It is only a mistake if you are unrealistic about your talents or abilities and think that you can do something when you can't. 

I think a lot of bands end up doing the artwork themselves because they don't know what the options are, and it's easier and cheaper to use someone you know if they can do a passable job. 

Many bands start out that way, and once they start playing shows and start comparing themselves to other bands that they are gigging with, they start talking and find out who to go to for recording, printing, artwork, etc. 

Many bands I have worked with have followed that pattern, starting out very DIY.  And even when they have done their own artwork previously, they have become open to working with an outside artist because they have realised their limitations and know that in order to move on to the next level they need a professional.

www.jonhockingdesign.com or their myspace www.myspace.com/jonhocking