I heard you've been busy - what can you tell us about your recent activities?
ello ello! oh golly, yes, we've rushing round like mad things for about the past 2 months now - everything seems to be happening at once! its all good though and we've just booked our tickets to go to chicago in january so we're well excited about that.
Explain some of the other commercial world stuff you have done? Who have you worked with, what have you done?
We've worked with all kinds of people now, we never know what will turn up next! some of the more interesting stuff we've done recently includes some illustration work for a new childrens encyclopedia, an interactive installation for The Showroom cinema (cool independant cinema up here), an enormous 3D illustrated map of Bloomsbury for Allied London, and a front cover for Computer Arts magazine. Right at this very second, amongst other things, we're currently working on a design - something very exciting... more news on that in the new year...
Have you ever had a client try and call the shots and change something you have done?
Of course! hahaha!! we're always trying to incorporate new ideas and themes into our work - sometimes clients love this, sometimes they want something that looks like what they saw earlier. We could tell you some amusing stories, especially about the work we did for TOKION magazine a while ago but thats another story... Sometimes you show people a first draft and they love it, other times it can run into rounds and rounds of alterations - everything depends on the client and how they've visualised the project!
Your artwork, customs and now your own products are loved and admired by many people around the world - did you ever expect any of this to happen?
ummmm, expect?....no. wished for, of course! it was always something we've dreamed of doing - when we were back at uni we used so say "imagine how cool it would be to have your own toy" etc etc. we count ourselves extremely lucky to have been given some amazing opportunities.
What has been your favourite object to customise so far?
Our favourite customised object so far is probably the 20" Madl we did for the show earlier this year. our favourite custom of all is probably our most recent - our plush Judge Death for the 2000AD ZARZAZ!! show! we REALLY enjoyed doing him and we think he surprised quite a few people too! wooohahahha! at the moment we're hard at work on something which could well be our most favourite custom yet, but thats all top secret of course!
You've adorned much of your work with slogans/abusive messages. Is there one you could sum up vinylabuse.com with?
BRITARTGINGERPUNKTERRORRR!!!!!!
Have you been able to get medical assistance for Puchoo? Or should we start some sort of benefit type gig / charitable fundraiser?
It has to be said that poor Puchoo is a very happy panda, despite being sectioned. hes content in his own world of smashing things and screeching. He's allowed on excusions to perform at the Sissy's shows, on the condition that he doesnt headbutt anybody and is accompanied by a minder at all times. He has a habit of escaping though. Once the sissyfists are released, we hope people will come to understand his needs and love him for who he is. When Puchoo was first released from the panda-asylum in the summer, he did have a couple of bouts of wonky-leg, but since his re-captured the surgeons have sorted this out for him.
The YAMI body project sounds interesting - who initiated the idea of using the same body for other Flying Cat artists?
Alan asked us to create a special blank body for Flying cat - this is how YAMI came about. We designed YAMI to be everything that a blank body shouldnt be! He's apathetic, lazy, deeply un-cool and a total wimp. He does however have a totally blank surface which can be made into just about anything and a lovely pebble like feel and weight! :):) The first YAMI series should be emerging early in 2006, and will serve to showcase all the artists involved with Flying Cat.
We've all seen the pictures of your office shelves, so we know toys are a big part of your world. What is currently on the TADO 'Most Wanted' list of toys?
hmmm, top of the most wanted list at the moment... well, theres the continuous search for all things To-Fu, Balzac and Gloomy. Things we really like at the moment are... Friends With You's new plushies! Rolito's NedZed, Touma's Aniballoons, The new Scarygirl MiniTreeHouses, and the Madl designer series. Upcoming stuff on our lists includes ALL of Jon Burgermans stuff! Jellymon's Choking Hazard, more Secret Base stuff and of course Chris Lee's Urbanites!
Scissors, Paper or Stone?
Paper.
If you could have one Inspector Gadget type inner-gadget what would it be?
A Blubber Pump.
What can you tell us about the upcoming TADO x urbanites show at Rotofugi?
We're in the middle of finishing off all the pieces at the moment, there's gonna be some really lovely canvas prints, some new work on show and of course previews of new figures! we're also working on some goodies that will be available exclusively for the show. oh! and we're having a colouring contest raffle too!!! theres more details here: http://www.thebeastisback.com/horror/ and you can win some super mega top secret prizes!!!
Tell us something you've never told a designer/collectable toy based community website before!
TADO makes great pies.
Do you get to meets lots of hunky men?
Why of course! many of our good friends are most definitely HUNKY. when we travel to london we are often amazed by the sheer HUNKYNESS of people. Them Playlounge lads are sailor-esque brutes (katie goes all silly and pink just thinking about them), and theres this guy we've seen around a few times... simon his name is. he's hunkier than Steve Irwin. *katie passes out again*
What world do you imagine?
This one, but upside down and the people are all chow chows.
I'm a big fan of "The Golden Girls." Why do you think the show is still so popular?
Is that a bit like blue peter? or more like Crocodile Hunter?
Did you have any qualms about being able to pull off this character?
The characters of Barry and Cath are ones that came very naturally to us. It was almost like reality TV really. Especially the episode with the minature railway. mike loves them trains.
Didn't one gorilla try to get particularly cozy with you?
Thats no way to talk about Mr Banky. He's a very affectionate but sometimes mis-understood young man. we're all for gorrilas tho. they make life much more interesting.
OK That's enough of that, back to the serious quizzing. Who has been the craziest person you have met on your travels in the toy world?
Without a shadow of a doubt, the lovely lovely Jellybabies!!! ;)
Well, that's it for now. Thanks for taking the time to put up with the VA interrogation committee. Whilst we have found you guilty of crimes we dare not mention, we feel you have already served your sentence. You are free to go! Byeee!!!
Thank you very much for having us!!! have a magical festive period and a superb new year! JINGLE JINGLE JINGLE!!!!!!!!!!! *M&K* xxxxx
