Grafix Jam - John Rios

Ace Frehely hall of fame image

Ace Frehley of KISS is going into the Hall of Fame. The listeners of the nationally syndicated radio guitar show CHOP SHOP, have voted in Ace. Steve Black, the host of the show, came out to my studio the other day and video taped me creating the new award for ace. CLICK HERE. to see the video on youtube.

The actual award will be posted on the chop shop web site by November 6th. Go there and download your own free wallpaper version of the award.

I am posting a sneak peek of some of the art but you’ll have to go the www.chopshopradio.com to get the wallpaper on the hall of fame page.

-

Kiss Story

Everyone has a “KISS Story” including me. I thought I’d share one or two favorite KISS moments.  I think my favorite brush with the band was during the “Farewell tour”. Because I do a good deal of work with Mr. Nugent who was the opening act, I was able to get three buddies back stage at the show in Auburn Hills. I mean nobody went back at that show as KISS security has to be right up there with presidential security. We got to hang around and watch the band do their famous “walk to the stage” from behind the superman curtain (kiss fans know).  A thumbs up from Ace and then they where on stage. We went back to hang with Ted for the first three songs their set and afterward, security wouldn’t let us back out into the arena. So we watched a good portion of the show from back, almost under the stage. Somethng cool about watching a Kiss show from KISS’s perspective.

Another pretty cool moment was back stage at the Comerica Park show- Aerosmith, Kiss and Nuge. I was backstage with Ted and the leggy blond stood at the top of these stairs and screamed “oooh, it’s Ted Nugent! She bopped down the stairs, gave him a hug and they started talkin like “old buds.” I had my back to the stairs by this point for about one minute.  I felt a presence to my left, looked and her husband Peter Criss had followed her down the stairs and was standing next to me. Peter has to be the hardest member of KISS to meet.

You have to remember, I grew up/was a kid in the 70’s and 80’s before MTV. These where people that I read about in Creame, Hit Parader and Circus magazine. To come from a small town in the middle of Michigan and get to rub elbows with rock royalty…. A kids dream come true.

I recieved the following email note from the “nuge camp.” the other day. 

Congratulations, John.Your artwork is gracing the cover of a New York Times bestseller.

Ted, White & Blue is #8 on the NYT Top Ten bestseller list.

I’ve known Ted for several years now and for the past few years, he has honored me with using my artwork almost exclusivley for his brand. My illustrations have graced everything from cd’s and tshirts to the concert backdrops, stage props and now his new book. The idea of a New York Times best seller with one of my illustrations on the cover is pretty heavy duty stuff, to me. I’m honored.

You may have noticed I haven’t blogged in awhile. Life has been pretty crazy as it is for everyone right now. Some things I have been up to are… I did caricatures for some elderly people at a rehabilitation facility. I have a dear friend Stella, who is there, so I donated my time in her honor. They loved the caricatures. I did the cover of a local Detroit magazine a couple of weeks ago for an article on “holes in news reporting by the media.” I’ve done about twelve concept drawings for large scale trade show booths and a couple of gift caricatures for retirements also. I have a couple of studio pieces I hope to post in the near future.

Until then.