Josh Frees Interview

Josh Frees is going to introduce himself. He is a delightful artist and swell guy. Swell enough that took some time to answer Dan Copulsky’s questions (by email, in January and February 2010).

First, could you give a short bio of yourself, the kind that would typically be found in the contributors section of an anthology?

Josh P.M. Frees is an artist and a musician from Philadelphia, PA. His work has been published in several anthologies and websites and he self-publishes his own intermittent mini comics when he gets the chance. You can find out more by hitting up joshpm.livejournal.com.

Next, could you give the sort of bio someone might be able to write about you after making small talk at a party?

Josh is some sort of ridiculously happy idiot who likes to make people smile. He plays music like a madman and makes comics that are full of the best kind of inside jokes and awkward dialogue.

Are comics and music just two things you’re interested in, or is your interest in both connected? I know you sometimes draw comics about making music. Does either art form have other influences on the other?

They are most definitely connected! Both are very important aspects of my life and it would be really difficult for me to do one without the other as different as they seem. First, music often inspires me while I draw, right down to stylistic decisions. I listen to happy, poppy ska, punk, and indie rock, and I feel like that shines through in my work. Like my comics, I like my music fun and carefree, but also a little provocative and with just a hint of edginess.

In addition, when I’m having trouble writing or drawing I often use music as a release. Performing with my band, Victor’s Lament, is always a really fun time. I jump all over the stage, play my heart out on my sax, sing along, and just rock out in general. Or if I’m at home I’ll take out the guitar and noodle around. I’m not very good at guitar but I’ve been writing some neat little licks that we might be turning into songs soon. But yeah, it’s another creative outlet that helps me clear my head and express myself in a different medium.

On the same theme, is there anyone you admire as both a comic artist and a musician? James Kochalka’s the only other person I can think of that does both, though there must be others.

There are actually very very many comic artists who also create some astounding music. Lucy Knisley writes some really touching heartfelt folky guitar songs every now and then, Nate Powell has been in several punk bands such as Soophie Nun Squad and The Universe (both of which I highly recommend), Liz Baillie and M.K. Reed are in a band called The Holepunchers and Liz also plays ukulele versions of Bouncing Souls songs in her one-woman cover band ECFUke, and my good friend Alvaro Lopez-Moreno writes both folk songs and makes some intense rap music under the name M.C. Blackwolf.

Other folks include Katie Rose Leon who makes some really fun synth pop rock gems, Jim Gardner (beautifully simple sweeping tunes), Jeffrey Lewis (straight up American folk), Aaron Brassea, Josh Sullivan, Brian Fukushima, Brian Lee O’Malley (as Kupek), Rebecca Sugar, honestly this list could go ooooon and oooon!

I’m always impressed by the range of talents of comic artists. Rarely are we one trick ponies and often the people I’ve met who make comics have a vast variety of interests in subjects ranging from art to literature to neuroscience to the biology of beetles. I think that this is one of the primary contributing factors to the richness of both the comics community and the medium itself. The variety of talents within the comics scene really makes it accessible, which sets it apart from the world of “fine art.”

You graduated from college a few months ago. What are you up to now? Do you have plans for the future?

Lately I’ve been finishing grad school applications and trying to find a part-time job. I am applying to both the School of Visual Arts in New York and the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont. I am really interested in really getting a down and dirty in depth education in comics, because while it’s something I’m passionate about and I’ve been doing relatively successfully over the past few years, I still don’t feel like I’m very good at it! I feel like both programs will also help me continue to improve my writing and branch out artistically!

I have been recording with my band as we are about to release a split 7” with some good friends of ours: The Heat Machine from Nebraska. I’m really proud of the new songs and the idea of releasing vinyl is pretty novel to me.

You also made a passing references online to working on a graphic novel. Can you say any more about it or when people might be able to look forward to seeing it?

I am very much in the planning/prewriting stages. I have some character sketches, a few outlines, some freewrite short stories that might be incorporated, but I have nowhere near the endurance, the drive, or the time to tackle anything like that right now. It is definitely something that I am taking my time on and really giving my all, because I want it to be huge and AWESOME. My ideal timeline would be to work on it for the next three years or so and see where it takes me. What I have in mind is expansive and convoluted and I love it, so I don’t want to rush it.

Lurking around web comics, I’ve noticed that you have a great ability to befriend people, like you seem to have this really easy way of making to-the-point, engaged, interesting, nice comments on other people’s work and in getting those people interested in what you’re doing. Is it a skill you practiced or just a natural talent?

I’ve always been one to kind of reach out to people. In almost anything I do, whether it’s art, music, traveling, etc. I really value the interactions and relationships I’ve been able to form with folks. As far as the comics scene goes: when I first started reading and posting comics on the internet I always felt very welcomed by people like Robert Forest (Grugg), Ive Surocok, Natasha Allegri, Liz Prince, Ryan Estrada, and the livejournal comics people in general. As I got more involved with comics and started going to conventions like MoCCA and SPX, meeting people like Alvaro Lopez-Moreno and Sarah “Sally Bloodbath” Louise who really took me under their wing and taught me how to do pretty much everything I know. It was really encouraging to see that, unlike a lot of art and music scenes, a lot of the pomp and pretense that exists in other mediums was completely missing. I found it very easy to talk to other artists, ask questions about techniques, or just generally make friends.

People also really tend to appreciate both support and constructive criticism. Comics is a largely thankless process where we spend a lot of time creating pieces that rarely take more than a few minutes to read. It makes a big difference when someone takes the time to say they really enjoyed a piece or to offer up some tips to help you improve! By the same token I try to make a point of replying to just about every comment I get on Livejournal (even if it’s just a “thanks!” or “hello!”) because I am really grateful that people are enjoying what I’m doing and it’s nice when they take the time to say so.

Basically Comics folks are just some of the nicest in the world. It’s always a pleasure to hang out, bounce ideas off folks, grab a drink, do some jams, or generally just joke around. This particular art scene makes it easy to just be myself and relax while doing something I love.

Josh’s Livejournal – joshpm.livejournal.com
Josh’s Band, Victor’s Lament – victorslament.com
Coming Soon: joshpm.com