#9: Mr Campbell

6th form Physics Teacher, 1997

Rob Campbell was a likeable Scotsman who taught physics in a science classroom where the desks weren't bolted down. Every time he turned his back to us to write on the board we'd all push our desks forward, a few centimetres at a time. By the end of the lesson we'd be grouped right in tight around him at the front of the room and the look on his face would waver between bemusement and fear that he was finally losing his mind.

Contact Update

A few people have mentioned they'd be interested if I also kept this blog up to date from time to time with any news of people I've drawn in it finding it and getting in touch.

Artie Karras saw his picture - he said it was hilarious. For the last two years he has been working as an account manager at a Melbourne firm that does printing for the Victorian Government. He sounds really good, it was great to catch up with him.

Brendan Moran also sounds really good. He is living in Auckland, doing a Fine Arts degree. He has given up drinking, smoking and playing music. He said about my post "pretty fuckin flattered actually ... you have captured my bitter and twisted cynical side for sure." I asked him about quitting music and he said "for me the voice of music has been lost (hence why i am not an active musician) because it is akin to one finger typing. it's an inarticulate form of expression. when i talk, i like to use both of my fists, not just one finger". Awesome to hear from you Brendan.

That's all I've heard from so far though. My friend Dan reported in the comments as you may have seen than Joe McGregor-McDonald is a workmate of his, but I don't actually know where Dan works right now so that one is still a mystery.

#8: Kirsty Stegwazi

Lead singer, guitarist, The Bites 2003-2005, Hand Hell 2005-2007

The Bites and Hand Hell were two of Melbourne's most underrated bands. They played a kind of raw, urgent 90ish indie rock and I was a huge fan. They wrote great catchy riffs and clever lyrics and had a DIY aesthetic I loved - lots of beautiful screenprinted and hand-sewn album covers and gig flyers. Singer and co-songwriter Kirsty Stegwazi worked as a machinist by day and the band name Hand Hell referred to the constantly cut up state of her hands from metal shavings and fixing machines all day.

In 2007 Kirsty had some kind of operation on her throat. Rather than take a break while her voice healed Hand Hell played a series of karaoke gigs with different guests on vocals. I was lucky enough to be asked to do a couple of songs. It was a fan's dream come true but it was pretty damn nerve wracking doing it with Kirsty standing right there watching me. We did 'Fired' as the finale to the set and it ended with a wrestling match - the whole band and all the equipment in a huge pile in the middle of stage, me on the bottom, screaming my guts out. Kirsty had started it all and she was laughing away with a huge grin on her face - so I figured it had gone ok.

#7: Ben Shanahan

Campbell Primary School classmate, Best Friend 1990-1991

I lived in Canberra, Australia from the age of 9 until the time I turned 11. Ben Shanahan was my best friend.

He was the coolest guy in all of Campbell. We met through sports I guess - doing Mal Meniga kicks in the park behind both of our houses. He was the funniest guy around and knew everything about everything. He got me my first job selling newspapers and magazines outside office buildings in the mornings before school.

He was also a passionate and skillful sportsman - league, cricket, AFL, athletics. Basketball was the ultimate at our school though, and Ben and I were the most feared one-two combo around. Ben at point guard, me in the paint throwing elbows, shouting "Stockton to Malone" every time our deadly teamwork cut our opponents to shreds.

It was really hard to say goodbye to him. I remember being in the car, him outside the window saying he didn't want to say good bye and he wanted to leave me with a joke. He walks off, gathers himself, starts strolling over. "A man walks into a bar", he says, being all cool. "Dong."

#6: Nothing Vegetarian

Fish'n'chip shop man, 2002-2004

One day we found a fish'n'chip shop across the road from our Webb St flat. It could have been new, it could have been there for years. There was no sign on the outside and inside it looked like the sort of dark and empty space that would have bodies buried under the floor. The was nothing at all on the walls, and instead of a big painted blackboard above the counter the menu was a single A4 piece of paper taped to the window. Behind the counter was a filthy broken old man, and he didn't look happy to see us.

Someone piped up: "Are your spring rolls vegetar..."
"NOTHING VEGETARIAN" he snapped. We didn't press it any further.

That became the name of both the shop and the man. But his chips were good and he was right across the road so we became regulars - we just didn't ask questions.

#5: Joe McGregor-McDonald

Wellington College classmate 1994-1998

When I started high school in 1994 I didn't know anyone in my class, but thankfully most of the guys were in the same boat. Natural groups began to form - Karori boys, guys from the Hutt, librarian types - and I fell in with a group of guys who caught the Paraparaumu line train and a few other dudes who kind of didn't really fit in anywhere else.

In a world of scared, introverted 13 year old boys in grey uniforms its hard to get much of a sense of anyone's actual personality. The first time our little gang ever had a chance to hang out together outside of school was going to be Lucien's birthday party and man, we were excited. Joe McGregor-McDonald told me he had the coolest pants ever. I didn't know what to wear.

I wore what everyone wore: sneakers, straight blue jeans and my coolest streetwear-brand-name t-shirt. Everyone except for Joe. He rocked in wearing baggy bright purple hammer-style pants with African patterns all over. He said: "They're called Zimbobaloobas".

We said "awesome".

#4: Arthur Karras

Furst Media Production Manager 2005-2007

When I lived in Melbourne I worked for Furst Media - a publishing company that produced a bunch of free music and fashion magazines. It's flagship title 'Beat' was started in 1986 and Arthur Karras had worked on it for most of that time. Thing is, musically at least, Artie never left the 80's. He lived in a glorious backstage-access hair-metal past and the rest of us real world people just couldn't understand. This was a guy who knew Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony Iommi, Peter Criss. He taught me everything I know about print production and worked tirelessly to pass the hair-metal torch on too.

We'd be in his car, on the way to check proofs at a printers somewhere and and he'd have his old mixtapes on - Motley Crue, Van Halen, Whitesnake. He'd be driving with his eyes closed, singing along to every guitar solo, slamming the steering wheel with every snare hit in pure ectasy.

#3: Lissa Chong

Victoria University classmate 2000 - 2002, VUWSA Exec member, 2002

I used to see Lissa at Beats'n'Bubbles at the Old Bodega every tuesday. We hooked up a couple of times in the way that students on cheap champagne night tend to do, and soon become good friends. We both studied politics and in our final year we were both elected to the Victoria University Students' Association Executive.

Her heart was always in it more than mine though. She'd be right up the front at protests, screaming her lungs out. I'd be at the back. She'd give the speech on the steps of parliament, I'd be asking around about the afterparty.

#2: Brendan Moran

Indigo band booker, Batrider Manager, 2003

My old band Batrider had our first ever gig at Indigo in Wellington, New Zealand on the 11th of August 2003. After we finished I noticed Brendan Moran - drummer of the legendary Hasselhoff Experiment and recently hired Indigo booker - at the end of the bar and plucked up the courage to ask him what he thought. "Heard it all before" he said.

But before long we'd won him over and soon he became our manager. There wasn't much to manage at that stage but most days after practicing our six songs we'd head down to Indigo and find Brendan in his spot at the end of bar - Macs Gold in one hand, ciggie in the other. He'd tell us which bands not to play with (most of them), which gigs not to take (most of them), and which labels not to talk to (all of them).

No 1: Michael Naitini

Next-door neighbour, Hampton Hill Classmate, Tawa Rugby teammate 1987-1990

The day we moved to 49 Franklyn Rd we were greeted by a serious looking line of kids along the footpath waiting to check out the newest recruits to the neighbourhood gang. Michael Naitini made the introductions. We were in.

From '87 to '90 we ruled all of McKelvey Place and most of Franklyn Rd, roaming our cul-de-sac doing exactly what all gangs of 7 to 11 year old boys do: Skating down the hill, making bmx jumps, building forts, throwing water bombs and playing Atari at Marcus Edwards's when it was raining.

Michael was the ringleader, always laughing, playing the clown. He had a killer sidestep and a knowledge of WWF Wrestling matched by none. He was the one who'd first sniff out a new adventure and it was him that usually took the blame when things went wrong. Was that Michael Naitini's idea? Yes Mum.

After school the two of us would endlessly kick a rugby ball back forth over the fence that divided our two back yards. I'd try to place it nicely, right where I thought he must be standing and into his arms - while he'd spray it in all directions and I'd be running to all corners of our yard. For years I thought he was really bad at kicking, but he just loved to make me run.

Classmates, flatmates, ex-girlfriends and the drummer from that old band. Childhood buddies, former rugby teammates, workmates, even Pete from Pete's Icecream Parlour. '200 People I Used To Know' will be exactly that - portraits and memories of 200 different people I've crossed paths with over the years.

I'm not going to post everyday this year - instead they'll be more in depth posts and I'm going to try to aim for 4 a week. I'm aiming to hand paint the odd one here are there in full colour and there'll be a whole new component of writing here.

This idea was sparked by my recent trip home to NZ after several years away and the long nights of catching up with family and old friends. They will be people I'm not currently in regular contact with - some I haven't seen for years and may likely never see again, and some I still consider good friends I'm just not currently in touch with. Also - it isn't supposed to be a comprehensive catalogue or a complete historical record, just a loose collection of memorable characters and (hopefully) funny stories. The portraits will be just how I remember the person and no doubt the stories will be my sometimes foggy recollections and perspectives on things - so let's not treat it as concrete facts. The way the internet works I'm sure some of the people I draw will find their way here and back into my life. That could get interesting.

Let's see how this goes - it's all a bit of an experiment, but I'm really excited about starting something new. Any questions, thoughts, feedback etc I'd love to hear it - leave a comment below. Yeah!

I'm back!

Hi there, long time no post.

I've just got from a nice long break - home to New Zealand for 3 weeks to see family and friends and then a week in the Phillipines. It was good to get away for a while, have a break from work and have some time to think about what I'm doing with this blog.

So a few good news items. First is that plans are still coming along for putting 2009's drawings into a book. I don't want to say too much more until it's all confirmed, but it's looking pretty exciting. Working title is 'Alledaags: A year in Amsterdam'. I'll let you know more as things firm up, but watch this space.

Next, relevant only really for Amsterdammers, is that Time Out Amsterdam magazine, starting with the current January issue, are printing one of the drawings in each issue this year. And they've asked me to do them in colour. I've done two so far (first one above), hand painted, and I think they look pretty cool, so check the Time Out for those. For New Zealanders there is an article on me and this blog (and Sonya too) in the excellent Extra Curricular which is edited and designed by my good friend Ellie Smith and comes highly recommended.

The last piece of news is that starting this week I'm going to take this blog in a different direction for the year. I loved doing the Amsterdam diary drawings but I'm worried about starting to repeat or limit myself. With the year's worth of diary drawing being collected as a book it seems like a perfect time to wrap that period up and start on a new, fresh project. I'll post a title page and the general gist of the new project soon, but I'm writing this to give you a heads up - change is afoot. Hurray!

Ready to roll

And that's me for the year! Like I said yesterday, I'm off for a month or so now, see you all next year. Thanks everyone, it's been a good one!

Heading Home!

OK, this last week or so has been a bit of a mess as I've been running around town getting everything ready for a month long trip back home to New Zealand for Christmas and New Years. I'm flying out tomorrow morning so hopefully I'll have time to post one last drawing for the year before I head off - I'll then be taking a break (no scanner, need a holiday) until Jan 20th at least.

During the break I'm going to have a think about ways I can change this up a little next year, we'll see what happens. Just in case I don't get a chance to post tomorrow morning, have a great christmas, and thanks for reading everyone. And stay tuned for next year!

Sneak Attack!

Shake it Buckley!

Snow!

Frosty windscreens

Crate mate

Bailing Bruce

Ska-ska-skating

Welcome back to service

Astrup plaques everywhere

Vigeland

My Norwegian jersey

Gingerbread Hearts

Nils and Karina

Robot Santa

Viking spotting

Alright, so we're off to Norway tonight so I won't be posting anything for a week or so. I'm taking my book with me though, so I'll have some icy drawings of viking stuff for everyone when I get back.

Also, in other cool news, it looks like plans for putting this blog out as a book are coming together. Can't say much now, but watch this space. Yeah!