039: Andy Mueller (Ohio Girl Design, The Quiet Life)

Today’s guest is ANDY MUELLER — designer, photographer, art director, filmmaker, business owner, record label founder, & longtime visual wizard of HUM-world.

As with Love Cup last time around, Andy’s been mentioned in almost every episode, & for good reason.

In 1993, he founded OHIO GIRL DESIGN CO., a Chicago-based art studio with an amazing portfolio that looks more & more influential with every passing year.

He’s done image & packaging work for artists ranging from HUM & Shiner, to Castor, Braid, Menthol, Jimmy Eat World, Molly McGuire, Trans Am, & many others.

Across the late ‘90s & early 2000s, his Ohio Girl offshoot label Ohio Gold Records released albums by Dianogah, C-Clamp, the Zincs, & Pinebender, for all of whom he also did design & photography.

He started THE QUIET LIFE clothing company in 1997 & has run it full-time ever since. They have an always-updating online store, as well as a flagship location in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

In this episode, we discuss the spooky alchemy of photography, dissect the design of HUM’s 3 most recent records, & explore the surprising monumentality of a less-is-more approach.

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VERY IMPORTANT: We talk about lots & lots of images in detail during this conversation, & a 50-page PDF of those is linked below.

[Some quick factual corrections: the R.E.M. album with Starn Twins photography is actually Out of Time from 1991, & the photographer behind the “Green to Me” single cover is ALISON DYER.]

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IMAGES WE DISCUSS

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THE QUIET LIFE

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TIMESTAMPS: 03:12 // Pinebender, "California" (Ohio Gold Records) 04:42 // Ohio Girl Origins & Early Influences 13:27 // Steakdaddy Six, the U. of I., & Honcho Overload 27:40 // Y.P.A.A. Design 45:46 // Ohio Girl Credits 50:38 // Y.P.A.A. Design, Part 2 01:07:54 // "The Pod" & "Stars" Videos 01:16:51 // D.I.H. Design 01:30:14 // "Puppets" & "Comin' Home" EP Designs 01:34:25 // Inlet Design 01:41:37 // '90s Album Art Peers 01:45:31 // C-Clamp, "Morning" (Ohio Gold Records)

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