Gary Grimshaw is a graphic artist who has specialized in the music business since his first concert poster design in 1966. Born February 25, 1946 in Detroit, Gary gained attention in 1966-69 as the primary poster and light show artist for Detroit's legendary Grande Ballroom. At this time he also created art for Detroit's notorious rock & roll band The MC5, whose lead singer Rob Tyner was Gary's long time high school friend.
Simultaneously, Gary established a connection with the San Francisco Bay Area with frequent trips out west. He worked for the beautiful Underground Press Syndicate newspaper, The Oracle, and the politically engaged weekly, The Berkeley Tribe.
A Vietnam veteran, Gary served in the Navy in 1964-66. He was consistently active in the anti-war movement after his discharge. Inspiration from the civil rights movement and the struggle of Native Americans led to his engagement with the White Panther Party (WPP) as Minister of Art. The imprisonment of poet and WPP Chairman John Sinclair in Michigan on a ten year sentence for possession of two joints (a conviction based on entrapment) demanded Gary's full time effort to free him. He joined with a broad based coalition that resulted in The John Sinclair Freedom Rally with performers John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger and many others in December 1971. Within days, the Michigan State Legislature reduced the penalties for possession from a felony to a misdemeanor and John was freed.
Subsequently Gary became the art director for the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festivals in 1972 and 1973. Working with the Rainbow People's Party and Rainbow Productions (evolutions of the White Panthers) he created graphics for concerts, bands, community organizations, clubs and publications throughout the midwest from his headquarters in Ann Arbor.
In 1974, Gary returned to his hometown Detroit and concentrated on the thriving rock & roll scene there. For the next 14 years he produced posters, recording packages, logos and graphics for all of the major promoters and dozens of bands and clubs in the Motor City. Gary was also associate art director of Creem Magazine from 1976 to 1984.
Always interested in new music, the emerging punk/alternative music scene in Detroit was a special thrill to Gary. He became the flyer artist for Bookies Club 870 and Traxx, the two main venues for this music in the early days. This led to a long-term association with Ceremony Productions, who continue to be Detroit's premier alternative rock promoters at multiple venues.
In 1984, Gary, along with John Sinclair and Frank Bach, formed MSA (Music/Media Services Associates), a full service agency that had among its clients The City of Detroit Summer Festivals and Chene Park Riverfront Concert Series, The Music Hall Theater, several bands and clubs, and performed special event production such as the Detroit For Africa concert.
The publication by Abbeville Press in 1986 of "The Art of Rock: Posters From Presley to Punk" by Paul Grushkin, was a watershed in Gary's career. His body of work and life story were covered accurately and he was put in the context of the many other artists that were his associates, friends and inspirations. This huge book is now in its third printing and has become the bible for rock poster collectors and fans throughout the world.
Iggy Pop, having seen "The Art of Rock", hired Gary in 1987 to design the cover for Instinct on A&M Records. In 1988 Gary joined the Ann Arbor based poster company ArtRock as art director. ArtRock moved to San Francisco in 1989 and Gary and his wife Laura relocated with them. For the next three years he created 22 posters for the company, most of which were printed by Tea Lautrec who had printed the original Fillmore posters for Bill Graham. Gary and ArtRock had disagreements which led to his resignation in 1991.
Gary returned to freelancing and a program of reprinting his early concert posters. He has since self-published 13 new and reprinted posters and created three new designs for Bill Graham Presents concerts. In addition to his poster work he has expanded his work on recording packages. Among his clients are Polydor, River Road, Alive and Epitaph Records.
Gary has also involved himself in exhibitions including two one-man shows in Detroit in 1984 and 1987, The Motor City Joint Show with Stanley Mouse, Wes Wilson and Mark Arminski in 1993, the San Francisco Rock Poster Expo in 1992, 1993 and 1994, and a current exhibit in Rome, Italy.
He states, "My love of art and music together has always been a source of inspiration in my working life. It has been a long series of grueling deadlines and big fun, like the two poles of an electric motor. I feel better than ever and I appreciate the attention paid to me by fellow art and music lovers."
