On November 9, I attended an art show for Jeff “Inkburner” Wareham at B League in Berkeley cosponsored by Synth News, a creative venture founded by musician Jason Stinnett. I’ve known Stinnett since we ran the streets together in Sacramento. He’s been involved in a lot of projects since relocating to the Bay Area in the late 90s, including the bass group Hottub.

I also reconnected with Wareham, whom I first met when we both worked at the San Francisco Bay Guardian (and both got laid off in 2001 after the dotcom crash). He then found success on the festival circuit with The Flying Skulls, a group that emerged as part of the lazer bass and chiptune wave of the late Aughts. After the show, he agreed to share some pieces here and answer a few questions.

What materials do you use to make your drawings?

"My paintings of classic synths and drum machines are pencil with brush and gouche. My screen prints are plastisol printed on archival paper."

Why do you focus on sampling keyboards?

"During my 25 years in the music industry I’ve always loved being around classic and rare synthesizers and drum machines! I did a photography series called Gear Porn, which were luscious pictures of mixers, drum machines, and synths. Special gear that has a place in history deserves to be coveted and drooled over! I tried to carry that aesthetic over to the paintings, just honoring unique pieces that people have an emotional attachment to. I also make screen prints featuring the Bay Area, East Bay, Rhinos, 1970 Challengers."

Do you personally own these instruments? Or do they just inspire you?

"I do own some of the instruments! The AKAI S-20 was my first drum machine, and the custom Porsche yellow MPC1000 is the box I perform with on tour. There are some pieces that were modeled on actual equipment that I used in my career, the VS-800, Little Phatty. The rest are definitely inspiration and chart the lineage of some of my favorite types of gear, like drum machines tracing from the LinnDrum and S-20 to the MPC2000, and then the MPC1000 and MPC2500. They are all related!"

Did you sell any illustrations during the gallery opening?

"I was lucky enough to sell 11 pieces at the B League show! There was almost a bidding war for the Roland-TR 808 and the Little Phatty paintings. There was a bid for the VS-880 from Nantucket Island, so I just shipped that one off! Was a great show, I was so happy to hear Jel from Anticon do an MPC set, dude killed it! Big thanks to Synth News for sponsoring."

Finally, what's the current status of the Flying Skulls? Any music on the way?

"The Flying Skulls always have something in the works! We had a blast playing Cascade Equinox near Bend in Sept. We rocked a full reunion with original members Ribotto and Jerome Forney joining! Look for another show next year!!! Kyle Capricorn is trying to rope me into a podcast, so we’ll see where that goes!"