check out this really fun interview i did with the awesome...

check out this really fun interview i did with the awesome killer acid!

holagatosaurio:

Webshopping at Killer Acid with Rob Corradetti

Killer Acid trips you out, like the kind that makes you see cool things but also have weird scary flashbacks to your childhood. Rob Corradetti explores nostalgia in a way that you can’t really tell if he’s honoring it or making fun of it. His stickers an t-shirts feature weed stuff, pizza monsters, alf, ET, maybe garfield and those kind of cool cartoon dudes which are all pretty sweet things for merchandise stuff. Rob even makes fun of himself and this whole trend on his hilarious comic “Artists of Today”. According to this interview, he will be making Killer Acid beer bongs in the future, and I really hope he does.

How and when did you start your webshop?

I started a webshop for my old band, Mixel Pixel, back in 2001 or so that was strictly driven through paypal buttons… We sold T-shirts and CDs mostly. When I started Killer Acid back in 2010 I thought it would be cool to try Etsy, which was pretty new at the time. I liked to social aspect of it. Even if I build a more pro online store, or try another platform, I would still keep the Etsy. I wish that website Regretsy was still up tho. I miss seeing all the clown-ass shit people would try and sell on there! :(

I miss Regretsy too! It was so funny. Many of your stickers and shirts parody well known pop culture characters, melted into your own particular style. Can you tell us more about how these come to appear in your work?

When I first started making art, I was pretty serious about keeping it in a private time capsule of my own experiences and characters. I was more high concept, and strict. I think as time progressed and I got some confidence (and followers) I realized that people really respond to parodies, jokes, and twists on pop culture. There is A LOT of artwork like that out there these days, ranging from the extremely cheap and shitty, to the quite amazing and brilliant. I see it is a continuing challenge to do it weirder (and hopefully better) than the bulk of people. For me, there is always a profound sadness and folly at the core of American life, and so much fucking attention spent on preserving these ideas of dignity, purity, and a higher morality. We have these role models who are no better than anyone else, but we hold them to such an impossible standard, and then we love watching them suffer and burn. I find it all endlessly fascinating, and pointless. So yes, that is the long answer of how they sneak in..! How could they not?

What do you like the most about selling online? And what do you like the least?

The thing I like the most is being able to send someone a surprise, like an extra sticker, or a button. I put so much attention into all my stuff, and try and make it all high quality, so hopefully it will brighten your day. The only problem comes with the customer service. I find printing the labels online and having access to insurance and tracking in one click is important. A lot of stuff can get lost in the mail when you are writing addresses by hand.

Do you have any crazy stories about your local post office?

There is a guy at the Grand Central Post Office named Ronald McDonald. That guy rules. I don’t really go to the Post Office anymore cuz I print my own shipping labels. I used to enjoy talking and joking with all the employees. I found if you got to know them a little, they would hook you up. I thought it was funny when people would go in there at noon and expect to not wait in line for 10 or 15 minutes. It’s like, big fucking deal. Play with your phone and stop cussing under your breath! Your life may be miserable, but think of how drab and sad it is to have to work inside the Post Office every day.

I know you also table at festivals frequently. How do you like it in contrast to selling online?

Festivals can be fun, but they are a TON of work. Selling online I find to be way more lucrative, and leisurely. I try and limit shows to 8 a year, as not to burn out on that grind.

What new things can we expect to see soon on your webshop?

There is a huge up-swell in patches, pins, stickers, etc. in the last few years. It’s like manufacturing avenues have opened to cater to the small press, and more limited quantities. I think that’s rad. I am trying to think of the NEXT big novelty item that no one is doing yet! Beer Bongs, maybe.