Classic Posters - Biography of Gary Grimshaw
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Classic Posters - Biography of Gary Grimshaw Classic Posters - Biography of Gary tour of duty, Grimshaw's ship was sent Grimshaw to San Francisco for service. It was by Michael Erlewine during this time, in 1966, that he was first exposed to the music and the [email protected] political and cultural scene that was just Gary Michael Grimshaw, born February then emerging in the Bay Area. He was 25, 1946 in Detroit, Michigan, was the immediately drawn into the scene, first major poster artist outside of the participating in marches and political San Francisco scene to attain national rallies. The account of his discovery of status. Although he now lives in the Bay the San Francisco scene is well worth Area, we Michigan residents claim him reading. It is given in the excellent book, as one of our own. For those of us in the "High Art: A History of the Psychedelic Detroit area, Grimshaw's work was our Poster," by Ted Owen and Denise introduction to the psychedelic era. He Dickson. was the principle poster and light show From 1966 to 1970, Grimshaw traveled artist for the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, frequently between the Detroit area and which for many years was the most the San Francisco scene, sometimes important psychedelic rock venue east staying for long periods in either place. of the Rocky Mountains. Grimshaw's He was a frequent contributor to West work graced not only that dance-hall Coast underground press publications venue, but could be found throughout like the San Francisco Oracle (he did 13 the Detroit/Ann Arbor area from the mid issues) and the Berkeley Tribe. Back in '60s through the mid '70s. Michigan, he worked with underground Grimshaw comes from a family of papers like the "Fifth Estate." graphic artists. As a student in the In August of 1966, Grimshaw returned Lincoln Park area, he worked in his to Detroit, where he roomed with his old uncle's print shop in Dearborn, friend Rob Tyner. Through Tyner, Michigan, where he was introduced to Grimshaw was introduced to Russ Gibb, the printing process. He was drawing all the promoter of the Grande Ballroom. the time. In high school, he was involved Gibb had just returned from a pilgrimage in graphic projects, including designing to San Francisco, where he had T-shirts with his friend Rob Tyner, who experienced the dance-hall scene in its was to become the lead singer for the early stages. He was determined to notorious band, the MC5. Grimshaw create a similar scene in Detroit via the went on to be the principal artist for that Grande Ballroom. group. Grimshaw became the first and primary After graduating high school in 1963, artist for Detroit's Grande Ballroom, from Grimshaw took in some college courses its inception in late 1966 until and worked for a year in a steel mill. He somewhere around May of 1969. Over then saw a tour of duty in Vietnam in the the years, he contributed dozens of navy from 1964 to 1966, where he designs for the Grande, designs that served on the U.S.S. Coral Sea, an appeared as posters, handbills, flyers, aircraft carrier. He spent seven months and cards. Grimshaw also did the light in the war zone on the South China Sea. show at the Grande, in the early years. As luck would have it, at the close of his Classic Posters - Biography of Gary Grimshaw In May of 1968, after a warrant was Grimshaw had increasingly become issued for his arrest for a minor drug more involved in political activism, violation, Grimshaw, who did not have working diligently in the anti-war the money to defend himself, left movement, and his art frequently could Michigan for two years. He was forced be found in underground newspapers to turn his Grande Ballroom art chores throughout the Detroit/Ann Arbor area, over to Carl Lundgren, who went on to as well as in Berkeley. He eventually create some fine work. Grimshaw first was appointed Minister of Art for the traveled to Boston, where he studied somewhat-radical White Panther Party, macrobiotics, and then, late in 1968, he working with its chairman John Sinclair moved to the West Coast. He remained at their center at 1510/1520 Hill Street in in the San Francisco area until early in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Grimshaw was a 1970, at which point he returned to the strong advocate of Native American Detroit area. rights, and his work appeared Back in Michigan, Grimshaw's life took a consistently in the party publications, different direction when friend John Sun/Dance and The Sun, a weekly. Sinclair, poet and White Panther Party In the early 1970s, Grimshaw produced leader, was arrested for the possession a number of full-sized posters for music of two joints of marijuana. The arrest events that were sponsored by the resulted in a 10-year prison sentence on University of Michigan Activities Center, July 28, 1969 for Sinclair. He found a student-run organization. These himself working almost full time during UAC/Daystar events, as they have 1970 and 1971 to help create a broad- come to be called, gave Grimshaw an based coalition to "Free John!," as the opportunity to produce some of his slogan went. In January of 1967, John finest work, a series of posters of great Sinclair and Grimshaw created Trans- quality and beauty. Grimshaw's work Love, a newspaper. from this time is just now beginning to This effort culminated in the historic be fully appreciated. There is no doubt John Sinclair Freedom Rally in these are some of Grimshaw's finest December of 1971, which was attended works of art and some of the best by such notables as John Lennon, Yoko posters of the era. When I pointed out to Ono, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, and a Grimshaw that this series of posters host of other musicians, poets, radicals, seemed much more relaxed than a lot of and celebrities, people like Allen the earlier material, his comment was Ginsberg, Jerry Rubin, Bobby Seale, that, unlike the Grande days, with UAC, Phil Ochs, and Archie Shepp. This rally he had more than 24 hours to complete resulted in the Michigan State the design! Grimshaw also did posters Legislature reducing the fine for for other colleges and venues in the marijuana possession from a felony to a area and in neighboring Ohio. misdemeanor and the release of Sinclair In 1972, Grimshaw became the art within a few days. For a while, director for the Ann Arbor Blues and possession of small quantities of Jazz Festival, producing posters for the marijuana was a $5 fine in Ann Arbor, 1972 and 1973 events. Grimshaw Michigan. Even today, it is only $50. created the initial poster when the festival was revived in 1992, as well as Classic Posters - Biography of Gary Grimshaw for the 2000 event. When the White the cover for his 1987 album, "Instinct," Panther Party evolved into the gentler- on A&M Records. sounding Rainbow People's Party, In 1988, Grimshaw was hired by Phil Grimshaw worked with Rainbow Cushway as art director for the then Productions to provide a wide range of fledgling ArtRock poster company, graphics for venues, organizations, and which was being formed in Ann Arbor, the alternative community in general. Michigan. When Cushway decided to In 1974, Grimshaw relocated from the relocate his business to San Francisco, West Coast back to his home town Grimshaw and his wife Laura went too, Detroit, where, for the next fourteen and, for the next several years, years, he provided graphics, posters, Grimshaw created a series of 22 album covers, logos -- you name it -- for remarkable posters for ArtRock. This the music scene. He also became lasted until 1991, at which time Associate Art Director for the prestigious Grimshaw resigned, citing Creem Magazine for the years 1976 to disagreements with the owner. 1984. An interest in the emerging Grimshaw remained in the Bay Area, alternative/punk scene in Detroit found where he supported himself with Grimshaw working as the handbill artists freelance work and produced a series of for two of the primary venues for this reprints of some of his earlier material. new music, Bookie's Club and Traxx. He Over the years, he has created and self- also worked with Ceremony published more than 35 original or Productions, another major promoter of reprinted posters, produced a mail-order alternative rock in the area. catalog, and contributed a number of In 1984, Grimshaw, Frank Bach, and original posters for the Bill Graham John Sinclair formed Music/Media Presents venue. This is in addition to Services Associates (MSA) art agency the many album covers he created. that, while short lived, included clients Grimshaw held three one-man shows in like the Chene Park Riverfront Concert the Detroit area, in 1984, 1987, and Series, The Music Hall Theatre, and the 1996. In addition, he participated in City of Detroit summer festivals, not to group shows at the Detroit Institute of mention a variety of club venues and Arts (1974 and 1980), the Motor City groups. Joint Show (with Stanley Mouse) with In 1986, Paul Grushkin published the Wes Wilson and Mark Arminski in 1993, "Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to at the San Francisco Rock Poster Expo Punk," which contained a number of (1992, 1993, 1994), the Temporary Grimshaw's posters. The effect was to Insanity Show, (San Francisco, 1995), bring to the attention of poster lovers a and the Visual Jams Shows at the fact that the Midwest had long known: opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Gary Grimshaw was perceived as being Fame (1995).