interview with designer and music producer trevor jackson

trevor jackson has been working at the forefront of audio and visual culture for over twenty years. the london based art director, designer, moving-image maker and producer told designboom more about his work.

DB: please could you tell us about your background and how you came to do what you today?

TJ: I was born, and still live in london, where I successfully balance a career in both the visual and audio worlds often mixing both together.

DB: how would you describe your work to someone who hasn’t seen it before?

TJ: diverse & hopefully timeless.

DB: what has been the biggest singular influence on your work?

TJ: probably peter saville’s work for new order also the experimental film works of oskar fischinger & john whitney.

DB: how do music and design feed into one another during your creative process?

TJ: I listen with my eyes and see with my ears.

beady eye ‘be’ album campaign – photography by harri peccinotti & nick griffiths, 2013

 beady eye ‘be’ singles campaign – photography by harri peccinotti, 2013

metal dance vinyl compilation sleeves volume one & two, 2012/1013

metal dance vinyl singles, 2012/2013 

 metal dance self portraits, 2012

stubborn heart vinyl  singles – photography by janet waters, 2012

DB: which project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?

TJ: a live audio visual performance at the IMAX in london titled RGBPM. it was six months preparation for a single 40 minute show, but one of the highlights of my career.

DB: what areas of your work or personal development are you hoping to explore in 2014?

TJ: work-wise I’m hoping to do more moving image and performance work. personally I’d like to start regularly going to bed before midnight and waking up before 10am.

DB: what do you know now that you wish you knew when you were 21?

TJ: people are strange.

DB: do you draw and do you think it’s important to be able to draw as a designer?

TJ: not enough, I always avoid the computer and put pen to paper at the initial stages of any project.
drawing is important but not essential, I’m old and romantic.

 defected recordings rebrand – portraits by nick griffiths, 2013.

stussy x trevor jackson, 2013 

kasper bjorke ‘fool’ CD packaging, 2012

kasper bjorke ‘sunrise’ vinyl single sleeve, 2013 

 nowhere limited edition prints KK gallery, 2011

get a room CD compilation packaging, 2012

 trevor jackson tote bag, 2011

lexus installation – los angeles, 2011

love production company branding, 2007 

soulwax ‘any minute now’ album and single sleeve, 2004

playgroup ‘number one’ vinyl single commercial + promotional sleeves,
in collaboration with warren du prez & nock thornten jones, 2001

tokyo TDC 20th anniversary publication, 2007

live realtime audio visual performance as part of the optronica festival at the london BFI IMAX in 2007.
concept, music, visualisation, design and by trevor jackson, programming by wierdcore.

RGBPM ‘section 4’ live audio visual performance, 2007

music is beautiful logo soph, 2005

DB: what do you do to keep your ideas fresh?

TJ: question everything.

DB: what compels you to design and what other compulsions do you have?

TJ: happiness, a sense of achievement and a good challenge. other interests would be food, music, mid century furniture & lighting, anything I’ve never seen before or you don’t have.

DB: do you have any superstitious beliefs?

TJ: I don’t walk under ladders and always keep the toilet seat down.

DB: what’s the last thing you saw that made you say ‘wow’ ?

TJ: johnathan glazers’ new movie ‘under the skin’ totally blew me away – it’s very rare I ever leave the cinema immediately wanting to go right back in and watch the film again.