PAY ATTENTION - Jermaine Rogers, Houston, 2003

Artist: Jermaine Rogers
Type: Gig Poster
Print Method: Silkscreen
Size: 32 x 23
Event Date: 10.1.2003
Venue: Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - Woodlands, TX
Signed & Numbered in an edition of 250

As a poster collector I have a lot of favorites, but this 2003 gig poster from legendary co-founder of Post Neo-Explosionism Jermaine Rogers is in my personal top five posters of all time.

In terms of content, this is something that could only be created by an artist who is also a true fan of the band. A crowd of people cover their eyes and turn away from a horizon filled to the sky with huge figures representing, sex, death, money, religion, and other societal distractions. A single figure in the foreground, #72, is trying to warn the others and you, the looker, about the impending swipe of the menacing “protektor.” The warning, “Pay Attention,” headlines the top of the poster in large, red letters, bright against the blues and greens of the rest of the image.

Take a moment to look at all the detail on this one - there’s a lot going on that isn’t immediately apparent. The whole thing is like a visual Radiohead song.

This particular poster is iconic among Radiohead fans as well as gig poster collectors in general. It’s not cheap, usually selling between $200-$400. There are also numerous test print, line art, handbill, postcard, and artist-defaced versions. Here's one of the many, MANY versions "defaced" by Jermaine himself:

I actually have two copies of this poster, one framed and one in my flat file. The framed one hangs in my office where I see it every day. I already know it deserves a nicer frame and some color-matched matting. Someday.

Here's my framed version along with a few detail shots: