Mat – Proud To Be A Flyer

“Proud 2Be A Flyer” is a selection of club flyers which describes the evolution of graphic design through the club scene. Featuring artwork by : Swifty, Kinsey, MODE2, Parra, Heavyweight, Obey, and many more.

THE PAGES OF THIS BOOK CONTAIN A SMALL INSIGHT INTO THE CREATIVITY THAT HAS BEEN EMPLOYED TO PRODUCE MEMORABLE IMAGES IN THE FORM OF THE CLUB FLYER. IT WOULD TAKE MANY MORE VOLUMES THAN THIS ONE TO FULLY EXPLORE THIS SUBJECT BUT YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE AND I THINK THAT THIS COLLECTION OF FLYERS IS A GOOD TO BEGIN A PLACE AS ANY. HERE’S TO THE PAST AND ON TO THE FUTURE.

THE STORY OF THE HUMBLE CLUB FLYER IS ONE OF AN EVOLUTION. AN EVOLUTION, WHICH DIRECTLY MIRRORS THE RISE OF DANCE MUSIC AND CLUB, CULTURE OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS. WHAT WAS ONCE ONLY A BASIC MEANS OF COMMUNICATING INFORMATION SUCH AS, THIS PLACE, THIS TIME, THIS MUCH, HAS BECOME A DIVERSE MEDIUM ALLOWING ANY AND ALL FORMS OF VISUAL EXPRESSION TO BE UTILISED. TO GRAB THE ATTENTION OF THE POTENTIAL CLUBBER AND HELP THEM TO DECIDE THAT THIS EVENT OR NIGHT IS WORTH GOING TO.

BACK IN THE DAYS THE SCENE WAS SMALL. IN LONDON IN THE MID 80s ALL YOU NEEDED TO DO WAS GO INTO SOHO, TRADITIONALLY THE HEART OF THE CITY’S CLUB SCENE AND IN PARTICULAR A PUB CALLED THE «SPICE OF LIFE». ON ANY GIVEN WEEKEND A SMALL GROUP OF LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS WOULD GATHER TO SOCIALISE AND FLYERS WOULD BE PASSED OUT. THEY WERE BASIC CUT AND PASTE, HAND DRAWN PIECES OF PHOTO COPIED PAPER BUT THEY GAVE YOU THE INFO THAT YOU NEEDED: WHERE AND WHEN, AS WELL AS WHO MAY BE DJING, (ALTHOUGH THE DJ WAS NOT AT THE TIME AS POWERFUL A DRAW AS HE OR SHE MAYBE TODAY).