Friday Mixtape: Clay Hickson’s mix of songs he wishes he could capture in his work

Words by Lucy Bourton, Friday 27 July 2018

Don’t really think we need to introduce masterful illustrator and publisher Clay Hickson to you guys, do we? But this week Clay has stepped away from the printer, popped down his pencils and pens, and created a Friday Mixtape for us instead!

Below, Clay talks us through tracks that have a particular quality he wishes he could capture in his drawings (he’s doing a pretty brilliant job anyway), as well as his radio and music listening habits.

Over to the man himself!

It’s Nice That: Why have you picked these songs?

Clay Hickson: I love all these songs because they conjure up feelings and imagery that I wish I could capture in my work. Many of them are perfect artefacts of a time in the world that is responsible for inventing the art that I find most inspiring. It’s also kind of frustrating that this music is able to do so perfectly what I haven’t been able to do (yet) with drawing.

INT: When or where should this mixtape be listened to?

CH: Ideally in a room like this:

INT: Are there certain albums you listen to during the different parts of your creative process?

CH: Not really. I generally feel like as long as I have something to listen to, everything’s fine. I usually listen to NPR to get caught up on the latest embarrassing catastrophe caused by the president. Then, when I can’t take it anymore, I put on music to calm down until I start to get anxious about not knowing what the president has been doing and I switch back to NPR. A perfect, harmonious cycle.

INT: What records did you listen to when you were a teenager?

CH: Oy vey… mostly records that were overtly political or extremely emotional. And Ween. A lot of Rage Against The Machine, Beastie Boys, Elliott Smith, The Pixies, The Clash, Minor Threat, A Tribe Called Quest… I’ll just leave it at that.

INT: If a feature film about your life was to be made, what song would be on the trailer and why?

CH: Probably the song Hair from the original broadway cast recording of Hair. Hair has always played a big role in my life and there is perhaps no more perfect tribute than this song.

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